We keep going in silence and dark puddles of sticky goo act as a reminder of the demons that had just been attacking. At least that was one down, now we only had three to go. It can't be that hard if she went like that, V could be right. Surprise attack, behead them and we'll home before midnight. 

Then again, someone was missing from all of this. "Where is Cain?"

"I don't know. He disappeared when the Van Helsings, well the eldest one, refused to listen to him and wouldn't stop trying to attack both he and Dracula."

"You're kidding. Tom actually went against Cain to try and kill him?" Tom deserved to be locked up for that stupidity.

"Yes." V sighed, and the second I saw my Mum I ran nearly as fast as I had to get to the Necromancer.

"Mum!" I screamed, and she instantly dropped her bow to meet me half way. "You're okay! You're here!"

"I am Ellie!" She held me tight, a sob of relief leaving her as I felt myself being crushed from behind.

"That's my girl!" Dad mumbled, just as emotional.

They were okay.

I was released and looking at them, they weren't okay. This was taking its toll on all of us and the only comfort I had was knowing that Alfie could help and wounds would heal. All around us, our side was regrouping. Vampires, shifters, werewolves and who know what kind of demons were hidden underneath human skins stood united, adjusting weapons and reloading guns. Our kind helped each other, and the creatures that stood with us. The injured were moved behind the strong and looking around, my people were missing.

"Where is Jordan, Logan?" I kept searching, "Penny? CJ?"

"I haven't seen Penny since we got half way here and CJ has been missing for even longer." Dad tells me softly.

And Logan, Jordan - he didn't mention them.

"Jordan is here, somewhere. Logan too."

That's it? That's all they have to say?

"Elise," Mum reaches out to hold my arm as I start to drift towards our dead. They were carefully being collected from around us, and kept out of harm’s way. "Don't."

Nothing else matters as instead I check the faces as they're all being laid down in a row. A young girl, barely sixteen and a white witch stands by them with tears staining her checks and one by one, the bodies are wrapped with vines as she calls them up. They're not there. I do recognise some of the ones from Zane’s' team and while I'm walking along, I bump into Ronaldo and Julios.

"Bunting!" Our Presidents' relief is obvious as he sees me. "I haven't you seen you around?"

"I just got here." I feel unworthy, turning up, practically healed - while the dead are prepared beside us.

"Elle? Ellie!" Jordan calls out, pushing past a leopard and a lioness who snarl at his actions as he passes.

Three down.

Where are you Logan?

I hug him like it's been months since we last saw each other. He isn't too badly hurt, not like the others anyway. He's limping though, and his shirt is stained with blood in the way that tells its coming from him. He's okay though. We're acting like it's over, but really it’s like the intermission before the next part. All around us the magic is holding strong, a sign that it's far from over. When I let Jordan go, everything from the night starts eat at me, worse than any injury as this is all mental and emotional and out of my control.

No it's not. 

Deal with it later.

"Where, where's Logan?" I ask them.

Ron looks at Julios, who literally looks at someone behind me and runs off. Jordan steps side to side awkwardly, coughing before he answers. "I don't know."

"Sir, something changed. I think the disappearance of-" Lily stops, looks at me and smiles. 

"What's changed?" Ron demands, switching into President mode.

"There are only three of them. One has left us. Look!" She points the green light I had seen on my back and the purple under currents are still there. "The magic of the dead has left this plane."

"How?” He gasps.

"Hunter?" Lily turns to me, her smile widening. She knows.

"I killed her." I admit.

"How?" He stutters again and I hold up my sword. "So they can be killed like any other?"

I nod, so does Lily. He leaves us, " Attention everyone! It has come to my attention this is not a battle to be fought only by magic. We have tried to get close to them, but the female had stopped us. She is dead!”

A cheer sprang up from those around us and I catch sight of Penny near Paytah. The relief at seeing them isn’t anything like the fear of not finding Logan.  Ron starts to order us around, setting up a new perimeter around our magic defence and instead I go to Paytah.

I’m nearly knocked over my Penny as she flings herself at me, and seconds later Chris is there too. Jordan comes over with my parents and for a minute, we’re all together. Almost. Paytah drops his head slightly, his knees bending as he seems to bow.

“You are indeed a mighty woman of your kind, Hunter.” He greets.

“Thanks, but have you see Logan?” His eyes meet mine, and I’m not sure if he is confused or uncomfortable. “My mate?”

Maybe if I speak in his terms, he’ll understand.

“No Hunter.” I don’t like his tone.

“Pay-“

“Elise!” Ron calls out and I nearly scream in frustration at being interrupted.

“What do you want?” I groan.

“You killed one of them, I want you to come with us when we go to attack again.” It’s not a request, it’s an order and as he starts to ramble on about the team he has just gathered to go with us, I can’t stop myself from looking over the crowd.

Logan isn’t here.

The people around me are a mixture of vampire and my kind, V stands by me, no longer nervous around Paytah while my parents argue about coming too. I let Ron sort that out.

“Focus darling girl. I’m sure your Tracker is fine.” V tells me.

“Why hasn’t any one seen him?”

“Maybe, he is at the academy, looking for you back there or at the house and he’ll make his way here soon enough?” He is talking too softly, his voice like cottonwool trying to cloud my mind.

“I know what you’re doing and it’s not working.” I warn, glaring at him.

Drac had done his little magic thing and thrown Logan from the fence. What if I’d ran past him to get here?

“I had to try.”

“Move out!” Ron orders and I’m passed around like a teddy as I realise none of my family were coming too.

What I did have was bad turned good vampire and an original werewolf to keep me company, which soon included a beaten, but furious Apopyht I liked to call Alfie. I didn’t look back as we crept into the darkness that wasn’t on the academies side. We split into three teams and I’m left with a Hunter I don’t know, V, Paytah, Alfie and two Trackers. I can’t help feel a little out of place as I’m the only female, but that changes as Lily appears. It gets better as Gason and his fallen angel appear out of nowhere. The Hunter and Trackers start to whisper out their strategies.

“Lily, why aren’t you with the others?” I ask her.

“My magic is weak, I am decades behind the others so they let us, teens, help where we can instead. I can fight!” She boasts and I think back to the young witch I saw dealing with our dead. Makes sense.

“The Presidents group will go first, it will give us an idea on what we’re up against.” The Hunter takes the role of team leader and signals it’s time to get into position.

“Who made him boss?” Gason whispers as we start to move.

We lose the light that magic glow gives us and go further back. Judging from how far down we’re going, we need to be careful.

“There is a small creek bed up here, the bank is steep if we hit the wrong section.” I warn.

“How do you know that?” One of the trackers ask.

“I know this place well. Start moving south and we should go along it rather than into it.”

I can’t hear what is said until they all stop moving. “You lead us then.”

Gason lets out a small laugh and I say nothing, taking over at the head of our group we’re all knocked off our feet as a rush of wind strikes us.

“Shit!” The same tracker blurts out and scrambling up, we look in time to see the sky light up with a bolt of lightning. One of the caped figures has broken away from where the trio were standing and it suddenly gets really windy. Dirt and leaves fly up from the ground making us shield our faces and I was right about the creek as the rush of water drips on us as it rises up.

“He’s controlling the weather!” The Hunter points out.

It makes sense. Once again I find myself knowing more than I should. Their gifts were all in relation to what we, needed from the gods. The one I had killed did more than control the dead, she had the ability to give promote life in all its forms. Instead, the priestess got it in her head to go the other way. This guy knew the elements and used them for his own purposes.

“He can control all the elements!” I tell my group. “One of the others can do things with sickness, either cure it or create it in plague proportions. It’s what they all do, as originally they were granted this gifts by the gods to help us when they, I dunno, left to do whatever it is they do.”

“The fourth?” V asks, while everyone else is silent.

“I don’t know!” I admit, and that can’t be good.

“How about we do not find it out.” Paytah suggests. I should give the guy I high-five, but I doubt he’d understand it.

Through the thin fabric of my shirt, I take a peek and the Warlock has a sand wall around him. Bits of trees and whatever else he has called to cover himself only make it more solid, but it all facing Ron’s team. Behind him and around him, there is nothing.

“Lily, can you zap us in behind him?”

“I am uncertain. Our abilities are not right at the moment. We could go anywhere around there!” She answers fearfully.

I remember the ring Ailin had given me, if helped against his, which was technically a bonus gift from his new friends, maybe it could help her now. “Here, put this on. We’re going to try.”

“Who will go?” The Tracker asks.

No one answers.

“I will.” I volunteer.

“No, I will.” V takes a noble stance and moves beside Lily.

I want to argue, but what scrap of self-preservation I have left keeps me quiet. Instead I hug him. “Good luck!”

They vanish and in seconds appear right where we need them too. Lily draws her weapon instantly and shifts into the Kasha demon form. V launches himself at the Warlock. The wind dies, everything falls and then we start to run forward. As I watch Lily is thrown backwards towards the other two and the magic cloud of dark magic reaches down and grabs her.

“NO!” I scream, running harder. Alfie keeps close, and Paytah is faster, charging ahead. Suddenly I’m not running, I’m flying at Gason’s girlfriend lifts me and swooping in low, drops me just out of harm’s way by V as he fights the Elemental Warlock.

I don’t bother going that way, I go for Lily just as she disappears, holding onto her ankle. Alfie is there, pulling me back and I refuse to let her go. Looking up, the demonic cat face smiles at me and with a flick of her foot, she’s no longer in my hold and disappears into the mass.

“No!” I don’t know how many times I scream, but Alfie takes me away, and I’m left struggling to get free while I see the three teams fight shadows and sand. “Alfie, let me go!”

“Safe Elise.”

“I’m safe. We need to stop them!” I scream at him. “We need to kill them otherwise we will never be safe again!”

He understands that and we move at the same time as we go to join the others. Again, hand like structures start to reach out and grab us, yet they seem to be going for the supernatural ones first.

“All demons and alike move back!” Ron screams, over and over until they start to retreat. “It’s using you all to feed itself!”

My kind start to lose. We can’t compete against these, things sent to destroy us. Our blade dissolves sand to then have it reappear seconds later and the stick creatures are like being hit with a baseball bat. Alfie keeps close to me, taking on anything that comes close, and then it starts to rain. The ground turns to mud, so now it’s not only slippery, it’s given way for mud blobs to rise up.

 I notice the green mist running along the ground the second it starts to hail, one of the Trackers that been with my group loses his footing and falls. The mist pounces on him and his cries are the worst thing I’ve ever head.

“Look out Alfie!” I yell, moving back as the mist attacks another Hunter.

Their skin bubbles and they throw up blood before going into a seizure. It’s worse than the zombie things from before and Ron demands we retreat. Our numbers are a barely a quarter to what they were coming over and we’re all cold, wet and beaten. The second we go back to a distance they are happy with, it all stops and the Warlock goes to stand by the other two.

I got real lucky with the woman.

“What do we do?” One of the female Trackers calls out.

“I don’t know.” Ron admits, as we all just stand there. Our magic can’t hold them forever. For now they are contained, and they won’t break apart because together, they are at their strongest.

“Elissse” Alfie nudges me and turning around, my mouth drops seeing Logan with Cain as they approach us from the direction of the Academy.

He smiles; that stupid half smile, half smirk that I hate because of how it makes my stomach do backflips. I drop my sword, and run at him. He catches me in his arms as I wrap myself around him and I am beyond relieved to see he is okay.

“I thought, I couldn’t find you and-“The words come pouring out, making no sense, but I can’t stop myself. I was really expecting the worse, yet here he is.

Then I remember who he is with.

“Hey Bunny.” Logan greets like this whole thing is no big deal and now being so close to him, I see the bruise on his neck. Instantly I step back, which makes him frown. “Not quite the reaction I was hoping for?”

Looking at Cain, he holds up his hands innocently. “Please don’t hit me again. That hurt.”

“Where have you two been?” I manage to ask, fighting for control of the tornado of emotion inside of me, yet my eyes can’t leave Logan’s neck. “You, your neck?”

He looks no worse for wear than when I last saw him, yet he doesn’t seem tired now. He seems, happy, and something doesn’t feel right. I try not to vomit and he touches the bruised area.

“It’s nothing, I’ll tell you-” Logan starts.

“Who are you?” Ron interrupts, looking at Cain.

“You may call me, god!” He laughs and turning to face the three Warlocks, he takes a deep breath and holds out his hands like he is pressing against a wall.  “Enough of this.”

Logan starts to urge everyone back and they all oblige, while I can’t move as a bright light surrounds and then explodes from Cain’s hands. It gets really crazy when Huntington appears in her true form and produces the ball she had told us was the treaty.

“Come away.” Logan tells me, and he drags me back a little bit so we’re standing with V who looks ready to collapse and Alfie.

Laughter echoes all around us, a horrible, chilling sound that has Alfie sliding back and the rest of us huddling together.

“There you are Sire. I see you come baring gifts?” The voice asks.

Cain’s light shoots up and surrounds both masses, until he suddenly stops. Huntington puts the ball away and her white, toga inspired gown is ruffled by the slight breeze that has appeared. Despite everything, I can’t help but appreciate how beautiful she is.

“I told you never to return to this world. You disobeyed me.” Cain growls.

“The time to take your orders is over Sire. You will fall with this realm and feel our wrath!”

What’s with everyone always with wanting to take over the world?

The magic disappears from the sky, and the three hooded figures step forward. Behind them is a chaos of movement as our side gathers themselves together, ready to make the final stand.

“You forget to whom you are speaking with.” Cain challenges. “I demand your respect.”

Just like that they fell to their knees.

“Fools!” Cain cried out, and I had no idea what he was saying after that. The trio did though or at least something within them as their skin began to glow with swirling lines taking over their bald heads.

Two were huge men. They’d rival Paytah in size, but the third was tiny; albino and looked like he could be knocked over if the wind was too strong. It was he who rose up, while the other two were stuck in place. Their eyes turned completely silver as Cain didn’t stop talking, no chanting, and as he stared at them, it was as if he didn’t see the third.

“Cain?” I called out, the second the guy took a step. “Cain?”

From behind, a wave of magic crushed down upon him, but he simply shrugged it off. Again and again and Huntington took a step back towards us. His eyes were trained on her and we all snapped into action.

“Protect her, if she dies, we all do!” I yelled.

We started moving to surround her. He kept coming.

Ron broke away first, and before he could even pull the trigger on his gun, he fell unconscious. At least I hoped that was the case. The others were rushing to help us, but it soon became clear something was stopping them and next the vampires ran forward. They all turned to dust with a wave of his hand and V slunk back near Alfie.

We could run, but I think we all knew it would pointless.

It was then he saw Alfie and he beckoned to him to come. I stepped forward, pushing Logan and V away and blocked his line of vision.

“No.”

“Silly child.” He hissed, “Come to your Master.”

“Alfie. Stay.” I ordered and daring a look back, Alfie was panting; stressed.

“You have no power!” He roared and the next group of four to charge at him fell like Ron. “Obey me serpent!”

“Fuck off and find your own.” I yelled back, raising my sword. He laughed and Alfie hissed, shutting him up.

“What magic do you hide?” He came striding over, past Cain and any in his way were simply shoved aside by invisible crowd control.

It was then I remembered the ring and looking down it was back on my finger.

“Oh you have no idea. I’m super powerful.” I lied.

A flicker of doubt passed over his face before he smiled a toothless grin my way.

“Elise!” Huntington called out, catching his attention.

We all turned to look at her as she began to glow and inhaling deeply she shot some kind of flame his way. He dodged is easily and looked back to meet my gaze with wonder.

“She is yours?” I felt like I was made of jelly as he grabbed me, and ripping away my shirt from my palm he bit into the cut making me cry out. “No. She is not of your blood Oracle. Nice try, nice try!”

Logan and V charged with Alfie and again it was like an invisible wall shielded him.

“They like you. They protect you. Why?” I fell to the dirt as he circled me in wonder, “Hunter. They call you Hunter. Hunter. Hunter. They protect the Hunter. The Oracle protects the Hunter.”

He mumbled repeatedly before bending his thin frame towards me and pulling my hair, lifted my head. “Why? Why?”

 “Elise!” Huntington is pounding against air with Logan and V. A few others join them, probably because they don’t know what else to do. “Get away from him!”

I kind of want to answer her, but it’s pointless and not really the time for my sarcasm. Does she think I’m sticking around because his company is just so delightful?

“I’m not like the others.” I tell him.

“No power. No magic.” He sings, “If I look inside you what will I find?”

I don’t know what he means by looking inside me, but it helps me find my strength and I grab his arm, digging in my nails. He looks surprised at the fact I draw blood and lets my hair go. I stand up and we’re practically the same height. He licks his arm where I made him bleed and as our eyes meet I reach for my waist where I have a knife strapped to my belt; it’s still there.

Lifting his arms, the cape turns into wings as he tries to smother me. I drop, roll and start to run, only the shield doesn’t stop the outside, but in the inside too and I run right into it.  A painful scream rips into my mind and opening my eyes, it’s not me who made the noise.

I scramble up, feeling Logan and my friends behind me, but hopeless to get to them as they all keep calling out to me. Cain turns, and the two men have vanished. He killed them, they’re gone. The want to be Batman doesn’t think that’s an issue for him though and runs, jumps and flies towards Cain, laughing like a madman.

“You okay?” He asks, unbothered by the thing flying towards him.

“Yeah, you?” I ask, the whole moment feels surreal.

“Could go for a drink after this. You?”

“On the house?” I joke.

“I think you earned it.” He braces himself and as the final Warlock attacks him, he doesn’t move quick enough and those large black wings consume him.

“Cain!” I run forward, sliding in the mud as something glistens silver beside me and reaching out, my hand finds the blade of a machete. I scramble for it, finding the handle as the duo fall down.

Smoke engulfs Cain’s body until the Warlock sits up, and dusts himself off. Turning, he grins and blood drips from his mouth and down his chin.

“The Oracle seems to like you, so you die first. I will kill you all and save her for last so I can taste her pain.” He says sounds more like Cain than the crackpot he was seconds ago.

“That’s not how these things work.” I tell him, bracing myself for his attack.

“You think you are different. You are not like the others of your kind?” He talks slowly, taking calculated steps as he walks around me. “Why would you think that? Let me look inside you, No magic, yet you have a serpent in your control. Your heart. I want to know what’s in there.”

“Death.” It comes out like a promise, and I hold the machete tightly.

 He hesitates for a microsecond, before charging forward and as I go to hit him, he snaps my wrist, quicker than I can blink and knocks me over. I grab the knife from my waist as I fall, able to think quicker than what my body can process the shock and pain of what he just did. He’s on top of me, ripping my shirt as he swiftly tries to remove it and as his hands transform into claws, he slices into my stomach and tears upwards.

I return the favour by leaning into his hit, and ram the blade into his neck as deep as I can manage, pulling it across with all the strength I can find. His head flops to the side, and Cain appears looking furious. He then finishes tearing it the rest of the way and with the head in one hand, he lifts the body with as much ease as the skull and throws them into the air. I fall then and above me the green wave has more than just purple in it now. It’s got red, orange and blue shining around it. I wish I could take a photo, it’s that beautiful.

I blink and it disappears.

I can taste blood; my blood. I know I should be hurting, but my brain has shut off; unable to cope with it. My eyes to the side to find Darius there. “I. Really. Earn. Ear. Earned that-drink.”

Looking up, the sky is clear now. It’s dark, darker than before now the magic is gone. When I was younger, or drunk, I’d sometimes stop out here just to lay down and look at the stars. I’d ponder the meaning of life, my life, a demons life and think about what I’d do tomorrow, next week, next year.

It hit me then, I might not have a tomorrow, a next week or even a next year.

“You’ve earned more than a drink, Hunter.” Darius smiles; there is just enough moonlight to highlight his face and I hope I’m smiling back at him now.

The serenity of the moment passes as voices, shouting - so much shouting, is heard around us until there just isn’t anything anymore and Darius, the sky and the paddock just disappear. 

                                                        -x-

I've been here before, the white room with the bright light full of peace and beautiful promises. I walk towards it, yet I don't want to go in there, not like I did before. I turn, to find no where else to go. Last time I had a choice, and apparently now I don't.

"Hello?" I call out.

Silence.

"I want to go back!"

I start to run from the light, but I get no where. I'm not even sure if I've moved.

"Is there a problem sweet heart?" Alistair emerges from the light, his shadow transforming into a body as he stops before me.

"I'm not ready."

"Sure you are. The battle is over, the war is won. Come, so many want to meet you!" He smiles, gesturing towards the light. "You've been fighting for so long. You don't need to anymore."

 Everything began to vibrate, trembling as if there was an earthquake. "What's happening?"

"They're trying to make you go back." He says sadly.

"Why didn't that happen last time?"

"You died, but not long enough to get here. We simply held onto you until you knew what you needed to."

"Once I go through there, that's it isn't it?" I already know the answer and as another tremor has us holding onto each other for support, he nods.

"It is and-" Alistair pauses, looking towards the place I know I should go. "And it's your choice Elise."

He lets my arms go and fades away. It would be so easy to follow him and then I think of all I'll leave behind. My family and friends will grieve, but eventually they will move on. They always do, it's just how the world works. Alistair is right, no more fighting. No more suffering. I close my eyes and feel the warm and fuzzy feelings waiting for me, calling to me.

Nothing bad waits for me there.

"I can't believe you're even thinking this over." Reece.

Looking up, he stands there like it's the most natural place for him to be. Nothing has changed, he still looks like that annoying, bossy Slayer that told me I'd had to much to drink and later stopped me from beating Logan to death. Good times.

"Go back to them!" He looks frustrated. "I'm serious. How are you thinking about this?

"But-" I can't talk.

Dracula died. I know he did. This has to be the real deal and he relaxes, slowly walking over.

 "Nice tattoo." 

He lifts my arm, my very clean arm, and reads his name. His thumb runs over it, making it feel warm and tingly.  "I promised you I wouldn't forget."

"I know. I didn't think you would. Thank you for helping Zane too." He smiles, yet my stomach drops.

"He isn't, he didn't?" I look towards the light.

"No, not this time. He'll be waiting for you to visit him though." Reece drops my arm and pulls me into a hug instead. "They all need you more than us."

Another tremor and I hold onto him tightly. "What if I don't want to go back?"

"That's the light talking." I open my eyes and it's all gone. We're now standing in my parents living room. The sun is shining and I am positive I can smell cookies and coffee coming from the kitchen. "This should help."

"Now I just want coffee!" He laughs and it's good to hear. "Are you happy now?"

"I am. I'm great. I've found my family and it took me a while to adjust to that world. I was in a bad place when I crossed over. I'm good now though."

I start to cry. I can't help it and hug him again. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

"You tried and that means something. Don't feel guilty, for still being alive, for feeling happy or for moving on." He hesitates, I can feel him tense up as I slowly let him go. "I know what the vampire told you. He lied. They do feel emotions, a lot of emotions. He just tries not to, so it doesn't hurt so much. Elise, I think you're amazing. I loved you, but-"

There is something every girl wants to here; I love you, but.

"The blood thing?" I finished for him.

"Yeah. You're special. You're beautiful inside and out, and I love you, but you aren't mine. I owe you a lot, despite what you might think. Everything I told you that night stands. Live the life you want, how you want with who you want. Be happy. Don't ever change!"

Another tremor has the glasses clinking in the cupboards and the whole house sounds it's being rattled.

"That bar tender is hiding a lot of secrets; never saw that coming. Good thing I didn't end up staking him that night for pissing me off when we first met." He laughs and I have to as well despite the fact I can't get control of my tears. "Between him, Alfie and all the promises Logan is making to anyone who will listen, I think they want you back."

 I nod. "I'm glad I got to see you."

"Me too. You won't remember any of this though, but thinking about me will be easier now; even after the vampires little game." He sighs.

"Any parting words of wisdom?"

"Be careful, stay safe and try thinking before you speak. It's going to get hard, but you'll get through it. I promise." He says, and I believe him. "Goodbye Elise."

"Goodbye Reece."

I feel his lips on my forehead as I hug him again and he vanishes in the same instant I do.

 - - - - - 

So..... what do you think about that?