Silence, thick, choking, unnatural silence. I rose slowly, shielded my eyes from the bits of bodies and blood, there was Nadia, bent abnormally, trying to scream and failing as blood seemed to spring from her bare limbs of its own accord. Kindred and Kine were running about in a blind panic, colliding with one another, stumbling over the dead and dying, most of them injured. Only Bruno and I were unscathed, well I still bore the scars of the flesh crafters so perhaps only Bruno was truly unscathed.

The Giovanni head tried to appear calm as he stood tall and watched for what was coming but I knew he was afraid, we all were, if I could have screamed I would have. Blood began to sweat from my own limbs soaking me in red and suddenly I was bombarded with a torrent of terrible images, horrible memories of both Sarah and Ariadne that I and my many voices had tried to forget.

"Sarah?" Samantha stammered in horror as she staggered back from me. "I said I wouldn't bother you!" She screamed as I snarled and stepped forward. I watched her fall in her haste to escape me; her golden-brown eyes went so wide and white. "I don't want to die!" I attacked her like a wild beast, tore at her throat with my fangs and ripped it open. "I thought we were friends," she rasped as she died. "Sarah."

I shook my head in violent protest, no more of Sarah's memories! Whatever was out there was not done though and despite my voices' wordless screams more nightmares and flashbacks washed over me as my blood soaked the floor.

Rob looked at me in fury and gestured wordlessly to his girlfriend's scratched car. She stood behind him glowering at me hatefully, tapping one high heeled shoe on the pavement and rapping her nails against her elbows. She wanted to slap me but she was too afraid, she saw something in my eyes that scared her, the beginnings of the madness. She had called one of my paintings crooked, and the figures in it out of proportion. Whilst she had made love to my brother I had gotten my revenge on her car.

"Sarah what the Hell did you do that for?" Rob snarled.

"Wasn't me," I answered merrily with a smile.

"Don't lie!" he snapped at me. They had been preparing to leave when they had seen the damage, Rob had grabbed me tightly by the arm and dragged me out to explain, he had hurt me. "Why did you do this? Are you insane?"

"My car cost a fortune bitch," his girlfriend, soon to be ex, chirped up.

I shrugged. "Wasn't me," I lied again.

Twenty minutes later father slapped me for the offence and mother grounded me, and Rob ignored me for a week. He was dumped that evening and cursed me for it until the next pretty blonde chatted him up.

"So naughty," I mumbled as I hugged my bloody limbs, "so very naughty, but it was deserved." I felt dizzy; the first burning prickles of the thirst were upon me and growing as more blood leaked from me. Had to hold it in, had to keep it back or I would collapse from thirst. There were no holes in me though, how very strange.

I saw creeping up the hallway, not walking or floating but somehow moving, a creature so disturbed that I wanted to lose my sight and banish it from my mind forever. I heard Bruno gasp in horror as I let loose a torrent of petrified giggles. Black from age or heat I could not tell, covered from head to toe in scars of such a multitude it was a wonder it had any flesh left to hold itself together. It was a demonic imitation of a child, a thing with a body rotting and burnt, half bone and half ruined flesh. I looked for its eyes and found only black holes gaping back at me.

"ONE OF US! SECOND CHILD! REMEMBERS US! KNOWS THE OLD ONES!" The voice screamed through my head, louder than the others and powerful enough to cause my skull to shake, my eyes to water and my nose to bleed. I clutched my skull tightly with both hands and bid it to be silent as it chanted excitedly in a language long dead to me. It was the whisper on the web, now the yeller, the master, the ancient maker.

It came towards me, too swiftly for my eyes to follow and suddenly its ruined hand was touching my brow, pressing into it and forcing me to my knees. I cried then in horror and grief before the laughter came again. 'Deformed in the flesh and the mind. Too mad to know Haqim but you must.' This voice rattled through my skull, a dry whisper, a deep command, a warcry, it was all these things and more. 'You are more flawed than most, too broken for the Path of Blood. You should be purged. Your masters with you, you will all burn together. Together you will be the example.'

Thirst. Burning. Screams. Thirst. Howling. Pain. I was blind. I saw red. I was blind. I saw only darkness. I was in the mausoleum of the Giovanni, dying with them as an outsider. I was outside, beneath the stars, hunting, fleeing. I was in the land of stars. I was amongst tall buildings. I was on a beach. I was everywhere and nowhere.

Blood. Blood. Blood. Thirsty, my throat burned, my stomach twisted and writhed in pain. I needed nourishment. I needed to feed. I was exhausted, my body felt heavy, I was too weak to use my disciplines, too weak to break out of my frenzy. I felt flesh gripped tightly in my fingernails, heard pleas in my ears and at last tasted that longed for hot nectar upon my dry lips and swallowed it rapidly.

When I came to my senses I was staggering through Downtown, my body felt like ice, it was raining heavily, my clothes were torn, my right eye now completely blind, and my chin, hands and knees stained with damp blood. I was scared, I was alone and I was exposed. I saw the familiar tower with its tall, thin statues and I hurried forward. There was an ancient on the loose, an old, forgotten beast that wanted to burn me. I could not protect myself, I was deformed, weak and mad, but a Prince, perhaps a Prince could help me. I staggered through the tall doors with a sob, fell onto the cold tiles in relief and exhaustion and crawled further into the building.

Safe? Could we ever be safe in the madness? Nonsense, the only place we're safe is in our minds. I started to sob as I heard voices and sniffed Kindred on the air. I looked up and saw him, proud, golden haired Prince and his fearsome Sheriff. Chunk was blabbering in the background, he must have called down his highness but surely Sebastian was too proud to be beckoned by a lowly guard? Had I asked for him? Had he known I was here? I smiled grimly as his icy eyes fell upon me. "Save me," I begged, "protect me, the box, worse than poor Pandora's. Mercy from the burning, he will burn us all."

Sebastian looked thoughtful as he regarded me carefully. "Sheriff, bring her to my office," he commanded. He turned from me abruptly and I let out a small whimper, after all I had done, would he leave me as coldly as Isaac had? Ah but the Baron never left, twas us that fled from the poets and artists, no longer pretty enough to be their muse.

"It took my blood," I babbled, "it's a nightmare, even amongst the nightmares. I went for you, I did these things for you, majesty protect me."

Sebastian halted and glanced over his shoulder at me curiously. "If you have obeyed you will have my protection," he relented with a heavy sigh before his gaze hardened, "but if you have not, no one can protect you."

I did not resist as the Sheriff hoisted me up with both of his large hands and carried me after Sebastian and into the lift. He stood me upright once inside but kept a firm, heavy grasp upon me. When the lift pinged for the penthouse, he pushed me out, his grip never slackening.

"Let her sit," Sebastian commanded as he walked to the centre of the room, pausing before a blue and gold couch. The Sherriff pushed me over to it and then down onto it. It was soft and plump, a welcome respite from the icy tiles downstairs.

"You have been gone for six nights," Sebastian murmured coolly, "I sent others after you and they found Bruno's house in ruins. No trace of any ancient coffin or box naturally, nothing but a disturbing collection of corpses old and new, not that Bruno was amongst them."

"It's gone," I rasped, "it's gone but it was there, now it will burn what it cannot convert."

Sebastian's frown deepened slightly and I saw a glimmer of unease in his grey-blue gaze. "For two nights there have been reports of killings in the city, in my city. Now the police think it's some crazy person on drugs, that the witness reports of a monster with fangs is nonsense, and they are more likely dealing with someone that thinks themselves a vampire rather than an actual vampire. Of course we know better, killing Kine in public is a grave offence, it is against the Masquerade."

"I know," I mumbled, "but I don't know, I did not do it, I steal blood in the shadows, I do not offend the men in masks." I shuddered and winced as pus leaked from my eye. I was terribly thirsty, and we were talking about feeding after all.

"You are covered in blood," La Croix pointed out calmly.

I looked down at my crimson hands and legs and a growl of hunger escaped me. I licked my left arm briskly and moaned as the thirst only grew with each lick. This was a new form of torture; one none of my voices seemed pleased about. Dangle the carrot on the stick, make the donkey move but never give the treat.

"You can feed later," La Croix snapped in irritation, "explain yourself already! Where have you been for six nights? What did you see? At the moment I do not know what to think of you and I am having my doubts. I do not know if you are bold, stupid or truly mad, if you are loyal or a traitor. If perhaps you have broken the Masquerade, and after I spared you, gave you existence when others would have destroyed you even as you were born into our world. After I forgave your mistakes, and ignored your delays, after I gave you chance after chance."

"What?" I croaked. "I went to the Sabbat for you," I stammered, "I was scarred for you. I am loyal!" No, not to the Prince but to the Baron, misguided loyalty, should have stayed alone. "I went-"

"The witnesses talked," Sebastian murmured, he looked at me woefully, "a babbling, pasty faced girl with dark hair. It could be any one of the Kindred in the city I suppose. Then again, you have come here covered in blood, very reckless, anyone could have seen you. I would ask if you had lost your mind, but your kind is quite unique when it comes to one's mind." He sighed, touched his brow briefly with his left hand and looked to me again, scrutinising me with his grey-blue eyes. "For the moment you will remain here, I will see that you have nourishment and quarters to rest in, a precaution until I can get to the bottom of all this." He turned to his Sheriff and commanded, "Sheriff, see that she is escorted to a suitable resting place."

"Can we not feed together?" I croaked, too puzzled and worried to even attempt playful seduction with the Prince. "Please highness, I went to the Giovanni for you, I found the terrible secret of the box, I am loyal."

"Tomorrow night," he assured, "if I have time. I will reward you for your loyalty, do not worry. I just need time to solve the chaos of this city and then you can tell me about the box. Go now, it is growing late and we all need rest."

I nodded as I stood and felt the Sheriff's shadow upon me. He gripped my right arm tightly in his large hand and began to escort me out.

"I am certain you have done well," Sebastian called after me, "and I have no doubt that I will be pleased with your efforts."

His words give me a little cheer, but it was not enough to shake the horror that clung to me.

The Sheriff led me down, deep beneath the building to rooms and corridors dark, cold and clean, without cameras and only a little lighting from small bulbs hanging behind frosted glass against the walls. There were small rooms, some for rest, some for interrogation and some for prison, all behind windowless walls with a single, heavy door to grant entry. I saw a few Ventrue walking in and out of them, they were purposely ignorant to the Sheriff and I, probably wary of catching the giant's fearsome gaze. He paused outside one of the doors on the right, unlocked it with a key, pushed me inside and then shut it behind me. I heard the lock click and knew that Sebastian feared too, but what? My knowledge? My deeds? My safety? Two voices laughed and scorned at the latter thought as I lay down slowly and miserably upon the single bed sitting against the back wall.

I lay there, trying to be quiet, purposely snubbing the voices, despite the vehement cries of the old one on the web. There was a flash of fire, an image of an undead child, and then I felt my flesh burn. I screamed, shook, lashed out at the walls, kicked, rolled and roared until the dawn sapped my consciousness from me and blissfully ended the burning.

For three nights I remained in the room, fed by a single blood pack of a mediocre vintage pushed through a slot in the door. Ravenous I tore at it and gulped it down, before crying out that Sebastian had promised a shared meal. No one answered me and my thirst remained barely sated.

On the second night I grew fed up of my confines and wondered what Sebastian was waiting to hear. Did he think me traitor? Had someone wrongly accused me? Perhaps a fearful Bruno had come to the Prince for protection, using lies against me to win aid. "He drove me to it!" I shrieked as I grasped at my skull and smacked my head against the walls. "He will burn us! HE WILL BURN US!"

It was a dungeon, one without light, without comfort and without company. I howled, screamed, cried and laughed through the evenings until dawn took me. I did not know why I was here, I did not care. It was out there somewhere, it would come, it would burn.

I awoke confused on the fourth night, the burning thirst returned, my right eye still blind and clogged with pus, my left knee more swollen than usual, stiff and refusing to straighten, and the claws of my right hand, long, sharp and digging into my palm uncomfortably, drawing blood that tormented my nostrils. I was a freak, abandoned by both men I had tried to be fair and loyal to, used and abused like poor Kent. Cast out twice, the pawn had been played and lost.

I found my memories hazy, blurred images of three victims publicly slaughtered and drained by me in Downtown. The police had been called, sirens had buzzed in my ears but the flashing lights had not found me. What a mess for spiteful Sebastian, I hope it caused him grief, let him be caught up in my chaos and blind to the real trouble, ignorant to the ancient I had found for him and tried to warn him off. Let it be his punishment, let him burn for his crimes but not me. Not us. "So close," a voice babbled down the web, "I felt it, I remembered. I was older. Am older. More powerful." I groaned and shut it out.

After several hours, I could only guess at how many, a crack of greyed light appeared as my door was slowly opened. Two male Ventrue came in, picked me up and roughly carried me out between them. My hands and feet were chained together before they lifted me out, perhaps they thought me vicious, perhaps I was. I snarled at them moodily until we entered a lift, then I hummed along jovially to the music until we reached the Penthouse floor and I was bundled out and into Sebastian's large, luminous office.

I had given him the relic, I had trusted him to be kind to me when Isaac had not, to overlook my flaws and appreciate my worth. It seemed I had no worth anymore. I was ugly, weak and unfortunate, spurned and loathed by all I went near save dearest Rob and fond, odd Romero. Perhaps an end to my existence was for the best. Yes, let the voices finally be silenced and the thirst ended, let me have that peace denied to all Kindred. Why had he imprisoned me? Why no reward for my services?

I looked up to him accusingly and tensed in surprise. Sebastian had more than one companion.

"Leave us," the blonde commanded with a careless wave to the Ventrue.

They nodded before exiting swiftly. Sebastian then faced me with an apologetic expression. "Forgive me but you have been well...quite wild the past few nights and I feared you hurting my guards or yourself," he explained. "It is why I kept you confined you must understand, you have not been yourself and your kind is unpredictable at best, so I had to take precautions."

I shrugged and turned to his silent companion, a broody, all too familiar male standing awkwardly to one side, clad in black, handsome as ever with those soft, grey eyes filled with unease. Sebastian turned to him too and queried, "is this her then?"

Kent Alan Ryan, friend, foe, would be brother and constant traitor, nodded. "Yes, my...sister, Sarah."

"I thought you only had one sister," Sebastian mused, "I suppose that was my error."

Kent grimaced at the reminder and I saw a flash of hate in his stare. I marvelled at how he held back his rage and wondered the why of it. The poet could be murdered here, found out as an Anarch and executed for it, he was foolish coming alone. And what of his shattered heart? How could he face the one who had toyed with it so cruelly? "Abbey," he muttered, "Sarah is...was a year older, she disappeared. I thought...we all thought...then I heard rumours and I saw her, a Malkavian. I couldn't believe it, couldn't deal with it either but then I realised I had a second chance to at least have one sister back again so I had to take it."

"It is strange how some people can come back from the dead," Sebastian spoke up bitingly as he smiled snidely at Kent. "I thought you were dead, I thought the Sabbat had destroyed you, one of my finest workers. I did grieve for you, and now I see it was vain."

"Well when the troops didn't come," Kent grumbled, "I realised I would have to help myself. Since no help was on the way the Sabbat relaxed with their guard and I saw an opportunity and took it."

"You know I couldn't have risked so many for you," Sebastian murmured apologetically, "I wanted to of course, you were so useful, but in the end I realised it would be a bad decision."

"Of course," Kent grumbled, far too restrained for my liking. Where was fiery, no nonsense, kick the crap out of the snaky Prince, Kent?

Sebastian turned back to me at long last, perhaps realising that my chains were starting to itch. "Ariadne, or is it Sarah? Do you recognise your brother? I know it is hard for you Malkavians to sort out one persona from another but he has gone to such effort to find you."

I looked to Kent with what I hoped was a merry and shocked expression, yes I got the game and I did so love to act, one day Isaac would see my potential and allow me in a movie. "Big brother Kent, he used to steal my toys and lock me in the cupboard!" I squealed happily.

Kent grumbled a curse whilst Sebastian twitched slightly and clasped his hands behind his back. "So you are related then, or at least you were in life," he murmured.

"Yes," Kent spoke up hastily. "Now, might her chains be removed? They seem unnecessary for one in your service."

Sebastian cocked his head slightly to face Kent and grinned at him. "As I said, I am apologetic for her state, and most guilty over it, but she was turning violent and needed restrained. It was as much for her own good as anyone else's."

"I'm calm now," I insisted, "and I will be calm for big brother, still, quiet and good, just like mother asked."

Sebastian turned to the Sheriff at last and ordered, "Sheriff, remove her chains."

He came towards me, quiet despite his size, produced a ring of keys from within the folds of his long coat and unlocked the claps that held the chains about my wrists. As he leaned down to unfasten the chains at my feet I saw Sebastian grasp Kent's chin suddenly and turn him to face him. "Tell me," he commanded in a tone I was only too familiar with, "if you missed me, if you missed being my dog, tell me why you did not come to me. Tell me where you were hiding."

Kent shuddered and closed his eyes briefly as he tried to fight the Domination. "I am free now Kent!" I cried out as my feet came free. I waved both my hands rapidly and called out, "we can get ice-cream now!"

He whipped his head round to look at me; his grey eyes filled with distress, and then glowered back at Sebastian before taking a deliberate step away from him. "Let's go," he murmured.

"It's not so easy alas," Sebastian commented sadly, "Ariadne is indispensable to me and I still have not got her reports on a recent mission. You may talk here with her all you want Kent but she cannot leave until our business is finished."

"I would rather my reunion with her was private," Kent murmured. "She will return to you soon, she is loyal to you after all."

"Indeed," I enthused. "We shall not go far and I do have many words for the princely ears only, of the battered box."

Sebastian's lip curled up slightly as he considered a protest. If he argued too much it would become obvious that I was a prisoner to him and not a friend, not a very diplomatic manoeuvre and not a way to earn truths from me, yet if he let me go...

"She's a Malkavian," Kent reminded him, "though I am sad to say it about my own sister, how reliable can she be? Loyal certainly but they rant madness whether they can help it or not." He turned back to Sebastian, risking his gaze and pleaded, "Please, grant me some privacy with my remaining sister. I thought her dead with Abbey and gone to me, let me have this much Sebastian." I knew it was burning him inside to beg the Prince but it was a good ploy, Sebastian liked to at least appear generous. Yet it was a gamble, there was no audience for the Prince to impress save myself and the Sheriff.

"I will tell how you reunited us," I chirped up happily, "a kind highness who even during troubled times finds a chance to grant miracles to his subjects, reuniting lost siblings in the chaos." Ah it was a good deception; I hoped poor Rob would not be offended to be temporarily usurped by Kent.

Sebastian frowned before forcing a smile to his face and nodding. "Of course, you have been parted for a while and it is cruel to delay your reunion. Still, it is dangerous out there, for both of you, you must not go far, and you must take a guard. Yes, with all the trouble, I must insist, it is the least I can do for you. I will call four of my most trusted guards to accompany you."

He smiled once more at Kent before stepping to his desk and pressing the intercom. "Cheryl," he addressed his secretary, "please send Bartholomew, Rodger, Grant and Harrison up, I have a job for them."

"At once," came the retort.

"Now we need not concern ourselves with further disappearances," Sebastian said to us both.

Kent nodded uneasily whilst I grinned.

Ten minutes later the four Kindred arrived, all of them tough and tall looking, formidable foes though nothing compared to Andrei and his brood. Two were Ventrue, both blonde and blue eyed, and two were Toreador, one copper haired and the other dirty fair, both chosen purposely so Kent could not use his Celerity so easily. They accompanied us into the lift and then outside to the noisy streets of Downtown, two in front of us and two behind. They were no more subtle than a singing cat at a dog show.

I thought it would be a challenge to lose them and I felt Kent, unusually quiet, might have felt the same. He directed us up the street, down an alleyway, round several corners and down several streets, distracted and nervous, I thought he had no plan. Then the boom came.

It was a minor explosion from our left that blew chunks through a heavy brick wall belonging to a closed shop. It was enough though; enough to cause a panic amongst our guards, enough to give Kent a chance to pick me up and flee.

I was carried in a blur, down a narrow alleyway, round a corner, down another street at a less attention grabbing pace, and finally outside to an alleyway where a familiar, beret wearing redhead looked at me scornfully before raising a walkie-talkie to her red lips. "He's out," she snapped into it, "let's fall back." She lowered the walkie-talkie and glowered at me once more. "Hope you're worth the fucking trouble," she snarled, "though I doubt it. Luckily we planned several points of rescue," she grumbled, "you really took your time getting out of his royal arsehole's palace."

"Damn sail," I murmured happily as I leaned back against Kent, "take me to calmer seas. Ah the thirst is burning, take me to pirates I can bite." I could not believe the Toreador had dared to touch me or lift me so swiftly, had panic overrode disgust? Was this willingness to touch me only temporary?

"Fucking nut job," she cursed before leading out to a busy road and over to a parked, battered blue car. I was bustled into the back and only when the car started to drive was I able to look at dearest, misguided, foolish and wonderful Kent.

He regarded me carefully with guilty grey eyes; he was uncertain, worried and yes, still disgusted. I saw his hands twitch, they were gloved, was it enough protection from my deformities? "Why?" I wondered aloud.

"Ah kid," he murmured, "who would I build sandcastles with if I let that fuck keep you?"

I laughed and laughed until the tears returned and then I cried, bitterly and fearfully. There was a monster in the night, a bogeyman for the Kindred. I had killed Samantha. I had angered Rob. I had betrayed Isaac and been betrayed by him. I had been spurned by every friend I had. I had suffered scars and deformities, and encountered an ancient who had taken my blood, poisoned my mind and driven me into a burning thirst, and my thanks for all this? Mistrust and imprisonment, and a risk of being silenced forever. The voices whispered of the paranoid Prince's intentions, couldn't have me blabbing, could only play the 'she's insane' card for so long. What did I have to do to earn friends and affection? What did any of it matter now that the ancient was awake? We were all going to burn; poor Kent, loving Rob, dearest Isaac and kind, strange Romero were going to become ash.

I felt Kent reach for me, hesitantly and pull me into a tense hug. He said nothing and released me quickly, shrinking back against his door and staring pointedly out the window. I still revolted him but he was trying.