This story is coming to its painful end soon :( not yet but within two chapters. There will be an epilogue to look forward to though ;P thanks to all those who reviewed! Enjoy this chapter and review…..

Valkyrie just stared in horror at Mr Bliss. His chest moved slowly up and down as he breathed. Was he truly alive? She clearly remembered him being turned inside out. His insides becoming his outsides as he charged at the faceless one.

He was dead. He was meant to be dead but there he was, breathing.

His eyes snapped open and she jumped backwards in shock. She'd forgotten how icy blue they were. Coughing racked his body and he sat up, clutching his chest.

Valkyrie just stared at him. He was dead. He was meant to be dead.

Ryu squatted next to him. "Do you know who you are?"

Bliss groaned and brushed him away like a fly.

"What is your name?" Ryu demanded harder.

"Bliss." He growled and clutched his head.

Ryu stood up and smiled, leaving Bliss sitting there like a confused child.

"This, my brothers and sisters, is our future. We are about to be free." He cried out, cheers echoing around the cavern.

He turned back to Valkyrie and she stopped staring at Bliss and began worrying about herself.

"I'll need more blood dearie." He ripped the cloth from her arm and squeezed the blood from her arm until it was flowing quickly. She breathed deeply as her life blood gushed from her arm and into the goblet, trying to keep herself calm.

Ryu began chanting. When he finished he raised the goblet to his mouth and drunk it all in one go. He shuddered and smiled, blood dripping down his chin.

"Your blood is truly the sweetest I've tasted." His grip on her arm tightened and he began collecting more blood. Over and over he drunk deeply from the goblet. More and more her blood slipped down his throat and she got more and more dizzy.

How much blood had he drunken? How much did she have left? Her mind was beginning to fog up, she could no longer stand properly and her legs gave way.

"Hey! Leave some for us!" A vampire yelled and finally Ryu did stop.

He let her drop to the floor as he stood up straight. He wiped the blood from his face and smiled. "There will be enough for me but I doubt enough for you. You are all truly stupid. Did you really think I'd bring you back?"

"It doesn't really matter anymore." Valkyrie found a smile somewhere as the velvet smooth voice bounced around the cavern. "You are all under arrest for assaulting a sanctuary detective and kidnapping detective Cain like a damsel in distress."

She frowned. She wasn't a damsel in distress. She was about to shout that back at him but was too dizzy to say anything.

"It's too late Pleasant. You're too," Ryu grunted and clutched at his stomach. He was smiling though. He reached to the top of his head and began ripping off his skin.

Valkyrie shuffled away from him as skin dropped to the ground.

He didn't stop at the first layer however. He kept pulling them off. Layer after layer the skin got tighter and tighter and the man underneath got younger and younger. Everyone watched in horror as all the layers were removed.

When he stopped Ryu was a young man in his mid-twenties. His hair was glossy and new, his skin glassy and fresh, his eyes brighter than ever. He smiled.

"Are you afraid skeleton?" Ryu demanded to the room. "Are you afraid now that the chances are even or are you tempted to use Miss Cain's blood to return yourself to flesh and blood?"

No answer.

Valkyrie scanned the cavern like everyone else. A gloved hand clamped over her mouth and she jumped. Skulduggery tilted his head to show he was pleased with himself. She rolled her eyes but smiled and he pulled her silently to her feet.

"Do you really think I wouldn't notice her change of breath Pleasant?" Ryu demanded angrily and spun around scowling.

"I actually hoped you wouldn't notice." He admitted.

"I notice everything." Ryu growled. He moved with incredible speed and strength. He backhanded Valkyrie hard across the face. She fell off the stage and into the crowd of vampires.

They converged on her like the animals they were. They grabbed at her, sunk their teeth into her flesh and desperately tried to drink her blood. The weight on her was too much and she collapsed to the ground screaming.

She was about to die. It was funny, she'd never thought that she'd be eaten alive by vampires.

Let me out.

She panicked and screamed for another reason now.

"VALKYRIE!" Skulduggery screamed for her but all she could do was desperately thrash in fear.

A vampire smiled and leaned in closer, this one going for her throat. Suddenly it was wrenched away from her. The other vampires were pulled away too.

Tears rippled down her cheeks mixed with red blood from the numerous wounds of hers. She gasped, her right ear ringing painfully, and looked up at her rescuer. She expected Skulduggery but it wasn't him.

Mr Bliss pulled her gently to her feet.

"Can you fight?" He asked her. Mr Bliss asked her. The man who was meant to be dead asked her in his strong, familiar, intimidating voice.

"Yes, yes I can." She nodded and he turned away from her. They stood back to back facing the vampires.

She let her instincts take over and she poured her strength into the flames she sent into the enemy, sending them flying backwards. Now days she didn't care about killing vampires.

Slowly the enemies started to thin and eventually the vampires actually turned and ran. Valkyrie's legs began to shake and she collapsed only to be caught by John.

"When'd you get here?" She asked as he lowered her to the ground.

John frowned.

"We've been here the whole time." Sherlock told her.

"Oh," she frowned. "I didn't notice."

"You're going to be okay Val." Skulduggery told her. "Just stay here with Bliss."

"What? No, wait, where are you going?"

"Ryu escaped. I'm going to arrest him." He explained.

"I'm coming too." She struggled to stand.

"Valkyrie no." His voice was hard and hollow and she sat down again. "Good, Bliss keep an eye on her."

Skulduggery fixed his tie and walked off.

Valkyrie tried desperately to stay conscious but the loss of blood made her eyes heavy and darkness clouded her mind.

xXxXxXxXx

He'd clung onto his thoughts, thinking as clearly and as logically as he could. But Valkyrie's screams had made his blood boil.

He deserves to die.

Yes he did. He really did. He walked away from her relieved that she had strong people watching over her. Now he was free to arrest Ryu.

He deserves to die. It would be easy, just slipping a shadow up his nose. Send it into his brain, cut open his trachea and watch as he chokes on his own spoilt blood.

Skulduggery was disgusted. He was disgusted that he agreed with Lord Vile. Ryu deserved to die and he deserved to choke on his own blood.

So, what did you think? Please leave a review and I'll try not to keep you in suspense :D