A/N: I don't own Tesseract, Springheeled Jack, Lord Vile, Skulduggery, Valkyrie or Billy-Ray Cain and Valkyrie are both in their 20s and have partners. Chapter will be from Val's point of view, and I mean the daughter not the mother. Guess who she is partners with? I don't speak a word of Russian, so please forgive the errors you'll no doubt find. WARNING: This chapter tends to get a tad violent.

I sat back with a happy sigh, letting the buttery leather of the heated seat soothe my tired bones. We'd been traveling for hours now in a RV outfitted with everything we'd possibly need. I felt sleepy and happy, safe, secure. Even if we were deep in the spooky woods late at night and bumping over a rutted road.I looked over at my partner and best friend sensing his smile behind his mask. I thought back as I fingered the necklace that projected a human form to mortals about how I'd always known him. About asking my mom the day I turned twelve if I could be partners with him and her saying 'yes'. About all the adventures we'd had ever since then, all the crimes we'd solved and the bad guys we'd caught.

And there were a lot of bad guys. New ones that the old ones still with the Sanctuary had to fight. It made me wonder if Tesseract regretted staying on the side of the good guys. He spoke interrupting my thoughts. "Why are you so worried, Kyrie? Perhaps there is nothing to this case. Besides I am with you."

"I know. I was just thinking Tess." I smiled to myself. We'd gotten closer and I was the only one who could call Tesseract Tess, mainly because he knew it meant Harvester. He was also the only one who dared called me Kyrie since I knew it meant Lord, but it was a short version of my name and I really didn't mind it.

"About?" His warm voice was encouraging and his slight Russian accent sent chills through me.

"About how much has changed. All the new bad guys. I think everyone expected world peace or something when things changed." I replied, trying to avoid hurting his feelings. I plucked nervously at my black blouse and smoothed my jeans, a habit I'd picked up from dad.

"They haven't changed that much, Valkyrie. I still kill people, but now they deserve it." He shrugged and I could sense his grin behind his metal mask. I knew Tesseract scared people, that his red eyes, giant size and relentless pursuit of his targets when he'd been an assassin terrified them. When he'd come back the night my parents fought the cave spirit he'd been slightly more mellow, or so people said.

He pulled over to the side of the road and parked. "This will be a suitable location. We can camp here for the night, perhaps later we can scout ahead. Would you like dinner over a fire tonight, Kyrie?" I nodded. Tesseract had seemed tense and sad the whole trip and I wasn't sure why. Things had changed between us lately, and not for the better.

I felt confused when I was near him. I found myself wanting to impress him, my best friend and partner. I knew I liked him, maybe a little too much. I knew the rumours had to be flying back at the Sanctuary. I'd never went out with any of the young detectives, they never interested me or they only wanted one thing. I knew they thought I was seeing Tess, but I wasn't.

He didn't seem interested. And as much time as we spent together I always got the sense he liked his privacy. Even in the RV he'd installed a screen so we could sleep separated at night, telling me it was respectful. But I liked being able to look over when I couldn't sleep and see his huge form, to see the red eyes that seemed to almost glow watching me. It made me feel safe. Of course Tess slept so lightly he always knew if I was awake and talked with me for hours about anything and everything. He was my best friend, even closer to me than my brother Cain and I adored him for it.

Tesseract insisted on building the fire himself, even though he'd taught me how in case we ever got separated. He even got logs for us both to sit on and put them on opposite sides of the fire then left for more firewood to last through the night. I knew he worried about me, and hoped it would be enough to make it through the case. But it was so hard not telling him how I felt for him and I jumped guiltily when he returned with more wood. I'd forgotten that he moved without making a sound and now I could tell his expression was aghast behind his life-sustaining mask.

"I am so sorry, Valkyrie. I did not wish to startle my little friend." He apologized. I laughed, but at myself, not at him.

"Apology accepted, Tesseract and not your fault. I was wool gathering. I'd say I'm not the little anymore, but I suppose to you most people are." I said and he nodded as he sat.

"Yes. I love being much bigger and stronger, a stereotypical Russian bear. But it makes me strong enough to protect you, which is good. Still most people do seem small to me, fragile."

"We could name you Misha, that might help." I teased and he laughed.

"Da, that would help. Did I just speak russkij jazyk? Russian? Yes I did, twice now. You are a bad influence, Valkyrie Pleasant." He teased and I blushed. I wondered if he could see it because he titled his head slightly and his eyes shone with amusement.

I blushed again. "I think I better get started on dinner." I said, looking for a chance to escape.

"No rush. They are only MREs. I still cannot believe you will eat them with me. Even ex-soldiers avoid them." I knew what he really meant. He could believe I ate with him wearing the specialized mask that let him eat. It had a hinged jaw and was Dr. Doom scary to most people, but it had never bothered me. I had a hinged jaw and as a skeleton I terrified most people.

"Tesseract, why aren't you afraid of me?" I asked suddenly and he sat up in surprise.

"Why should I be? You would never hurt me. Besides, there is nothing scary about you, Kyrie. You have a very sweet face." He said and I purred in response then put a hand to my mouth. I wasn't sure how I even made the happy sound but dad and Cain could do it as well.

"That is sweet, you remind me of Cat. You know, maybe it is time for me to get a new cat. What do you think?" He asked, tilting his head curiously.

"A sweet little girl cat would be nice." I admitted and he smiled.

"Yes it would, to keep me company when you are not around. That way you do not worry about your Russian bear so much, da?" He looked away, clearly embarrassed he was slipping back into Russian again.

"Tess, I think you're homesick. You must miss your country so much."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps. But I feel at home with you, Valkyrie. I can relax not be so careful. Ya lyublyu tyebya, Kryie." I love you. He said, then looked away again, his whole body tense. They were the words I'd been longing to hear from him, even though I knew he'd pretend he'd forgotten what they meant. It was a good thing the only other Russian phrase I'd ever bothered to learn was the response.

"Ya tozhe tyebya lyublyu, Tess." I said softly. I love you too. Then we were both standing, looking at each other. Tesseract approached me slowly, seeming unsure of himself. "But I'm a monster, Valkyrie. Behind this mask, there is nothing." He touched his mask sadly.

"Behind your mask is the man I love." I said, daring to wrap my bony arms around his neck and thanking the heavens above I'd grown to be tall like my parents.

"But I cannot kiss you." He said helplessly, his strong arms gently enfolding me.

"Yes you can." I whispered, then tilted my head slightly to touch my teeth to the mouth of his mask. Tesseract met my kiss, pressing forward ever so gently and the sensation was wonderful. I could feel the cool metal beneath my teeth, but I could also feel Tesseract responding behind it, doing all he could to make me feel the love he had for me.

Then we were parting and he was smiling. I knew he was. "I love you so much, Kyrie. I have wanted to tell you for some time but-" He shrugged.

"You didn't think I'd feel the same way?" I asked gently and he nodded, smiling again. "We should have both been a little braver, I guess. I love you so much, Tess. But I didn't think you were interested in me. Dumb question, but you do realize I'm a skeleton, right?"

"Yes, Valkyrie. You're necklace has never worked on me. I choose to see the real you. You are much prettier than any illusion. Now come, we will pick out dinner together." He said taking my hand and I followed him back into the RV. Tesseract took me into his arms again inside, kissing me gently. He pulled back to rest his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. "You are the most wonderful partner and best friend I could have ever wished for. You are also the woman I am in love with. I hope you know that." He said.

"And you're the man I love, Tess. I'm so happy to be here with you, my best friend, my partner. I can never remember a time you weren't there for me. I love you." We picked dinner and Tesseract changed into the mask he wore to eat in front of me for the first time.

I watched as he undid the straps of his mask, then looked at me. "You are sure?" He asked holding the mask in place with one hand and I nodded. He changed masks swiftly, something he needed to do to preserve his life, but I saw his face for the first time and my heart melted. Tesseract suffered from a disease of magical origin that had eaten away his face and would claim his life in minutes if he wasn't wearing a mask. The metal masks injected the drugs that kept the ravaging disease under control and although our best doctors had worked with him there was no cure. Yet.

"I love you Tess, to me you're still the most handsome man in the world." I said and I could sense his delighted grin as he finished strapping the mask into place.

"You make me very happy, Kyrie. My sweet skeleton, my wonderful woman and friend." He replied, leading me back outside gently. We sat together on one of the logs and I was excited to be that close to him.

"Tess, what made you come back?" I asked as we put our entrees into the heating pouches with heaters and added water to activate them.

He shrugged slightly. "I wanted to. I had never found a companion before. Never someone beside my poor little Cat who wanted to be close to me. Perhaps too I wanted a chance to fight the evil that threatened the world. I am not a heartless man. I saw how things were."

"That was brave of you, Tess. I don't know if I could be that brave."

"Mmm. I fought mostly zombies and all these drugs give me immunity. But do not see me as a hero, katyonak. I also wanted a chance to live once more, to use my powers again." I could sense his grin. As a skeleton Tesseract's adept powers of bonebreaker frightened me when I'd first learned about them. With the slightest touch of his fingertips he could shatter bones. But I was happy he had them now, being none too far from the criminals we were seeking.

I knew I should be thinking about the case, but with Tess beside me now all I could think about was him as we prepared our MREs. I loved Tess and trusted him because of his honesty. Although everyone else, my parents included had been vague at what our former bad guys had done, he hadn't. Not many years into our partnership he told me exactly what kind of people they had been and still were. Exactly the kind of person he was.

Then he'd held me as I cried. He'd understood my tears. How hard it was for my to think that the people I loved and cared about, my parents and the former bad guys had tried to kill one another at one time. That Tess himself had tried to kill my parents and that Vile had killed him was simply too much for me.

Tess had rocked me, and as I recalled sang something to me in Russian. That had quieted me because I'd never heard him speak Russian before or since then. Not until now. The thought that this could be the case where I lost him made me shiver. Tess noticed and put an arm around me, drawing me closer. "Are you cold, Kyrie? I can get you a blanket."

I cuddled in close, burying my head in his broad chest before responding. "No, Tess, I'm just worried. I get afraid that I'm going to loose you on every case, you know I do. I love you so much, Tess, but it is more than that. You've died before-" I trailed off helplessly and he nuzzled me affectionately.

"I fear loosing you and every case as well, katyonak."

"Katyonak?"

"Little cat, kitten." He replied with a smile, drawing me into his lap. "You are cuddly and sweet like a kitten." He said and I purred again, unable to help myself. Tess laughed softly, kissing the top of my skull. I felt him gearing up for another kiss with me when my mobile rang. I checked and saw Cain was calling. "Go on, answer, my little friend." Tess encouraged, shooing me from his lap so he could add the heated entrees to our plates.

"Hey, big bro, what's up?" I asked and Cain purred in response. I giggled. We had been born at separate times but we often acted more like twins and he seemed to be sharing my good mood.

"I'm taking Melody out for dinner tonight, and God, she looks amazing, sis. I know it is really soon, but, well, I think she's the one for me. Oh, she's coming back gotta go." He hung up and I smiled to myself. I thought it was wonderful that he had Melody. True, people had finally figured out she'd been claiming to be in her twenties since she fought in the Sanctuary war decades before we were born, but she was extremely wonderful to know. I was happy she and Cain were in love and couldn't wait to see what happened next for them.

"Thank you, Tess." I said accepting my plate. "That was Cain, he's taking Melody out tonight." I said happily.

"That is wonderful news, Kyrie. They were both so lonely, so sad at times, they seem happy now. It is also good for him to have someone older. I know it bothered him she lied about it, but well, many mages do not like to admit our ages."

I nodded. "The best you've ever told me is 'older than you'. But I understand, Tesseract, I really do. It might seem silly to you but I already feel old in my twenties. I'll never be a teenager again and I miss that."

"Da, but youth is not everything, my sweet Kyrie. You have blossomed into a beautiful young lady. Besides, you are still very young. There are things older than you. Dirt, for example." He teased and I swatted him one. He laughed, his red eyes shining with mischief.

I hadn't wanted this case from the moment we had gotten the file. Two magical serial killers was all we needed. I thought the sensible thing would have been to sent in a team of Cleavers and maybe some hired Rippers, but the Sanctuary was sadly understaffed. We'd lost several of our detectives and nobody would explain why. I'd been heartbroken when Springheeled Jack had left suddenly. He was my brother's best friend and one of mine as well. Most of the people at the Sanctuary had grown to like him as he was always friendly and he had found a home there. But he'd given notice one day and never returned.

After him Billy-Ray and Calamity had left as well, taking their family back to America. At first I had thought it was homesickness, but the more I thought about it that didn't seem right. They'd all seemed ashamed of themselves shortly before they left and I hoped someone hadn't made them feel that way to make them leave. We could have used Jack right then. Twenty young men and women dead, most likely more. Two known suspects and we actually knew nothing about them. No prior crimes, no escalating violence. Just a sudden blossoming into killers. Usually killers, especially serial killers, had reasons.

The victim represented someone. A mother, a lover, an ex-spouse and they killed him or her over and over. But these killers hunted as a team and killed both men and women with no regard to race, exact age or anything else. We could find no ties that linked the victims, no prior relationships to the killers that we knew of.

And we knew almost nothing of them. One called himself Mr. Rictus and the other called himself Mr. Shroud. They favoured straight razors like Billy-Ray's. They were violent, unbalanced, and rather lucky the Sanctuary was stretched so thin. Tesseract frowned at me. He knew me well enough to follow my thoughts. "They are only two men, my sweet Kyrie. We will find them and we will stop them. For a woman who can command Lord Vile's armour you worry too much." He was teasing, trying to make me smile and it worked.

"You're right, I can, can't I? I keep forgetting dad passed it down to us. I guess because I haven't seen him in ages. He and mom are always on the go."

"That and you moved into Gordon's mansion a while ago."

"True, but I wanted to be on my own like mom was at my age. And Cain was already there. I don't think dad has forgiven us yet for moving out. He wanted us to be a team. I think I broke his heart the day I asked mom if I could be your partner. I was scared you wouldn't want me, you know?" Tesseract took me in his arms. Our meals were finished and soon we'd go out scouting, trying to find out exactly how the bad guys came and went. What nobody could understand was how they got healthy people, magical people so easily. It was suspected they used magic to subdue victims, so Tess and I were on high alert.

I knew if he were alone he'd just have hunted them down and either subdued or killed them. I turned to him. "I'd feel a lot better if you, if we, just hunted these men like you used to." I said and he nodded.

"I intend to, Kyrie. I suspect we are not overly far from their lair. They will either come to us," he paused and I knew he was smiling, "or we will hunt them down. If they resist, if they refuse to be taken alive I will most happily kill them. And you of course will look away if I tell you to. Agreed?" I nodded. I could here the artic tone of an assassin creeping back into his voice, the hired killer whose record was flawless as far as I knew. The killers I knew, wouldn't stand a chance against him.

Hours later we'd cleaned up after ourselves and were walking, well, striding through the woods at a steady pace. Tesseract had gone into his hunting mode and was no longer speaking. Just walking, with that long stride that ate up ground so quickly and that he never seemed to tire from.

His boots made a menacing sound as he walked and in his dusty long black coat and armed with his knives he looked like something out a nightmare, or would to the killers. He'd also upgraded to a wicked-looking machete, and had laughed hysterically when he'd shown it to me before we left the RV. Tess had a strange sense of humour and he found being armed with the weapon and wearing a mask endlessly amusing, where I'd been afraid it would hurt his feelings.

Now as I walked beside or sometimes followed the big man where the path became thin I couldn't help but smile to myself. I of course wanted in on this hunt as badly as he did. The thought of tossing the bad guys around by his side made me so happy that my armour flowed over me. Or at least I hoped it was happy and not a danger signal. Like mom's it came on when I needed protection.

I touched Tess softly and he looked over at me and nodded. We slowed slightly, his steps falling silent. I started to gather shadows. I could feel the killers were near. We'd never figured out how they got the jump on people but were about to first hand. There was a sound of something releasing and Tesseract's hand shot out, catching an arrow before it hit me.

I lashed out with my shadows finding nothing and the big man got a tighter grip on his machete. Then they stepped into view. Mr. Rictus and Mr. Shroud. They looked inhuman with black eyes, rather pale skin and dressed all in black. They're hands ended in nails that looked like talons and when they smiled the reveal mouthfuls of sharp teeth. Gists. Gist having taken over their hosts, the victim's trapped forever inside. I shivered, hoping Anton never met the same fate.

The one in the bowler hat doffed it to me, smiling evilly. "Good evening, madam. I am Mr. Rictus. This is Mr. Shroud. We're here to kill you. Nothing personal, you know. It just make us hap-" Tesseract had moved to fast for me to follow and the headless body of Mr. Rictus slumped to the ground. Shroud laughed.

"He always did talk too much." He said, backing away steadily. Tess stayed still, watching as Shroud backed all the way into a tree with a grunt of surprise. Tess moved again and Shroud was pinned by the neck to the tree with one of his bigger knives. Shroud tried to look down, to remove it, but it was firmly wedged it the tree. Shroud gave one last gasping gurgle and died.

Tess got the knife letting the body fall to the ground. I knew we couldn't leave them where mortals could find them and watched as he heaved Mr. Rictus up on one shoulder taking the head in his free hand. I picked up Mr. Shroud without a word, then stepped close. "Let me shadow-walk us back?" I offered and Tess smiled for the first time and nodded. I massed my shadows and we were back at the campsite.

Tess drew out a tarp and put the bodies and head on it, then added a magical powder I'd never seen before. The bodies and head turned to ash and blew away. I looked at him, impressed. "You're amazing, do you know that?" I asked and he smiled shyly.

"I thought perhaps I would scare my little friend away." He said softly, his red eyes reflecting back the firelight as he approached. "I have never wished to frighten you, Kyrie." He said reaching up a hand to touch my cheekbone. I closed what passed for my eyes to the sensation. When I opened them he was wrapping his strong arms around me and cradling me into him gently.

"I love you Tess, and it was wonderful seeing you in action as always. I still remember the flying lessons you gave to a Sanctuary doctor. Straight down and through a window you didn't bother to open first." I said with a laugh.

"He shouldn't have suggested that my darling Kyrie needed a full body facade. I love her for who she is, I'm in love with her for who she is. My most beautiful woman and sweetest skeleton." He said, his voice trembling with emotion.

He kissed me again and I was more than happy to return the kiss. When we at last parted he walked me back into the RV for the night, making sure to lock up securely before he called the Sanctuary to give a report. I laid down on my bed that was tucked into the wall of the RV in a sort of cubby hole and Tesseract drew the screen closed. I wished I was the kind of girl brave enough to ask him to leave it open, but I didn't want to seem needy or clingy.

"Kyrie? Are you all right?" Tesseract's voice drifted over to me.

"Fine Tess." I lied, trying to stop the tremors that were making my bones rattle softly. The screen was pulled back and Tess lifted me up and carried me to his much larger bunk. He got in first and cradled me into him.

"Hush, it is all right, my sweet Kyrie. You fought very bravely and I must have scared you. I'm sorry for that. I would never willingly hurt you, ever." He said, holding me while he stroked my skull softly.

"It wasn't that, Tess. Those me terrified me. I didn't know a gist could become a person like that. Then for them to become so evil."

"Da. That is the evil part of the men who they once were. It took over and now the good is trapped inside forever, if it is even there. Tomorrow we must try and locate their compound. If there are other victims they deserve a decent burial and to be acknowledged."

"I know and somehow that will be the best part of this case, getting to help them find peace. Well dad would say they are past caring but-"

"But you know that isn't so. How else did I and the others come back?"

"Good point." I turned around so I could see him. His metal mask and red eyes may have frightened some people, but I needed to see my best friend. "I'm glad you came back, you know. You are staying with the Sanctuary, aren't you, Tess?"

"Of course I am, Kyrie. I cannot say why the others left. Perhaps they were homesick or felt it was time to move on. The world has changed so much since you were little. But you know if Cain reached out to Jack and you both reached out to Billy-Ray and Calamity I think they would both return.

"I'd love that, Tess. I think someone ran them off and I miss then, I want them back." Tess cupped my chin and kissed me softly in response.

"Then we shall go find them if the Sanctuary will let us. But let's get some sleep for now. Morning will be here soon enough." Tess laid on his back and I snuggled into him. I trusted him to be a gentleman and being with him made me feel safer.

Early the next morning we located the place the gists had been hiding in and several more victims and called for vans. Tesseract mentioned my plan to whomever he was speaking to, and rang off smiling. "Erskine says we are free to go search, little one. But first a lesisurely drive back for us, nyet? We have earned that much."

I nodded happily and got in, Tess helping me up and I could see by his eyes that he felt rather smitten with me. I smiled, blushing, and he laughed. He could read me then, like I read him. I wondered if it meant we were meant to be, but tried not to worry about it too much as we started out journey home as a couple.

Translations:

Misha: Name of a teddy bear hero in Russian children's books, means bear, masculine

russkij jazyk: Russian

Da: Yes

Ya lyublyu tyebya: I love you

Ya tozhe tyebya lyublyu: I love you too

Katyonak: little cat, kitten a pet name for a girl or woman

Nyet: No

Yeah, I know Tesseract never speaks Russian in the novels. But it just seemed to fit him being more relaxed with Kyrie. I swear it will never happen again. Bad writer, bad. If you want a certain character to have the point of view in a future chapter let me know and I'll see if I can make it happen. I'll get back to the Valduggery next chapter but I hope you enjoyed it and feedback helps much!