Shakriella smiled to herself for a moment, in pity of course, but it showed that. "Love isn't all good you know, there is a bad side to love. But I'm sure you've heard that before."

Baptista nodded her head; she felt a little chill dance up and down her spine. It felt like the two weren't alone. She was just about to turn her head in Abivin's direction when Shakriella stopped her with her mighty glowing hand.

"You're right, we aren't alone, but don't worry... it's just a concerned friend." Shakriella removed her hand from Baptista's white face.

She was about to utter a name, but once again Shakriella stopped her. Her fingertip along Baptista's lip felt so cool, and water-rippling vibrations flowed from it. She had never felt such a sensation before, none that she could remember in this lifetime anyway, but in some way, it felt oddly familiar.

Abivin was a little worried, Baptista hadn't said anything, and when it seemed like she was going to speak, it was like she was hushed. He really hoped that Kasper wasn't there anymore feeding her mind with those thoughts. Because he knew that she wouldn't tell him anything, and he wouldn't be able to protect her.

Shakriella removed her finger. "Don't worry, it's okay. He's not going to interrupt, he's only watching because he's concerned for you. He wants to protect you."

Baptista smiled. "I know who you're talking about now. Anyway, what do I do now, knowing what I know, with Kasper telling me where Lance and Michael are?"

In a way she regretted saying that, knowing since Shakriella hushed her, that Abivin was in earshot. Now no matter what she was instructed, he wasn't going to leave her side, but for a moment she thought that that wasn't such a bad thing. She really did enjoy his company. She jolted away from her thoughts and looked upon the amused face of Shakriella, her roan eyes beaming.

"What?" She said.

"Nothing," Shakriella smiled sweetly. "I can't tell you what to do in this matter, unfortunately, but all I can say is be careful. You might end up dead from this battle. Lance has his fuel, his anger, and he will kill you inside before out."

"I know that, but I'll be careful. I think I should go now, before they get worried about me. I'm sure they're all going crazy right now looking for me. And besides I don't think this is the safest place in the world." Baptista said going back to Aloysia's house.

"Oh, you're just saying that because you know he's listening..." Shakriella shook her head. "I just really hope you meant what you said."

Abivin ducked down when Baptista was coming towards him, he didn't want her thinking he was trying to crowd her. He really wasn't sure how she would react on the fact that he had followed her. He meant the best intentions, but if she got upset, she might do something to threaten her life.

"Abivin... you can come out of there. I know you're there." She said, not seeming to be the slightest bit upset.

He moved slowly from his hiding place, not taking his eyes from her face, waiting for her expression to change. She came closer to him, and when she was as close as she could get she hugged him tightly. Now he was really confused, he thought that she would be extremely upset, and here she was hugging him.

"You're so sweet." She said as she let go of the embrace. "Did you see anything, or did it look like I was talking to the air? Do you think the others are worried about us being gone so long?"

He smiled, he couldn't help himself. "It looked like you were talking to the air, and yes, they are probably worried sick about us. Let's head back."

They headed back towards the house, they didn't say anything either. Baptista was already plotting how she could get rid of Lance and Michael. Abivin was worried about her thoughts.

"You're not doing this alone. I won't let you. Even if I have to tie you up." He said walking inside the front door.

Baptista was stunned by his tone. He was totally serious, and she didn't like being controlled, no matter what the situation, no matter who it was. At those words it made her drive towards killing them more. No one was going to get in her way, she was determined.

"Where were you two?!" Sam's voice boomed throughout the house.

"I was talking with a friend..." Baptista said. "A not-of-this-earth friend."

Abivin growled slightly to himself as he plopped down on the couch. She better not be referring to Kasper as a friend. He was going to get her killed. But he was totally serious; if he had to he was going to tie her down. He knew she'd hate him for it, but she would be alive, and that's all that mattered.

Baptista sat down next to Aloysia and put her head on her shoulder. Her perfume smelled so pretty, and her shirt was so soft. Aloysia was like the sister that she always dreamed of. Someone beautiful and lovely that she could look up to. Being next to her right now took away all the worries that swarmed her head. But she sighed knowing that they would be coming back all too soon.

Denise looked up and Lance, who was on top of her, staring down at her. She was sickened with the things he had done with her. Like she was nothing, it was worst than being fed upon. She would rather die, and she yearned for death more than she could ever yearn for anything at this moment. He was going to die.

"You can't kill me." He said. "I'm too powerful for you."

"Oh, one day, you'll drop your guard and you will die. Or has it already begun? Michael's planning to kill you as we speak. I know it." She said trying to push him off, but she couldn't.

"You don't think I know that?" He smirked, brushing some of his hair off his sweaty face and shoulders. "Everyone wants me dead. I don't trust anyone not to anyway. The thing is, I know he knows who burnt up my place, and he's not telling."

She tired again in a desperate attempt to get him off her, but once again, it didn't work. "So you know it wasn't me and my friends who torched your house?"

Lance laughed a little to himself, enjoying his power over her, and her naïve questions. "Of course. You think I'm honestly that stupid?" He sighed. "One thing that's always bugged me about Michael, I could never get into his mind psychically. So I don't know who did this to my house, but I have a pretty good idea."

Denise tried shifting her hips to slip from underneath him, it worked and she made her way to the door. Totally astonished by how fast she could move, she almost stopped in her tracks, but there was someone in her way anyway, Lance. He was by far faster than her, and she was a new vampire.

"I have a deal for you sweetie." He said, his green eyes gleaming with his idea.

"Like I'd ever want to make a deal with you. I'd rather die." She said, trying to get around him, but like her attempts on the bed, they failed.

"But that's part of the deal. I know you would rather be dead than be one of my kind. I'll offer you that bliss if you help me find out what Michael's hiding. Besides I know you want revenge on him as well after what he has done to you."  He smirked.

"And then some..." She said reminiscing about her dead friend.

"Then," Lance extended his hand. "Do we have a deal? I'll offer you the sweet bliss of your death, if you find out what Michael's doing behind my back? You can even kill him if you want. There's always another day, new vampires to follow me."

Denise looked at Lance's extended hand, considering the offer, and it seemed like she was making an offer with the devil. But what should she do? There was nothing for now, and she could always kill Lance later. There was no way she was going to let him live and cause more chaos. Even if that meant that she would have to live longer as a vampire. She took his hand, shook it and blocked her mind of the betraying thoughts. Even though she would expect him to think she'd betray him in the end.

Michael was now outside on the roof of the hotel. He couldn't stand the smell of death, although it was a scent it was used to. He knew Lance would call someone to take care of everything, and it would be forgotten like yesterday. So why was he feeling this way? He couldn't believe that he could be feeling some kind of remorse for the things he had done tonight. But he blocked out those stormy clouded thoughts with thoughts of Baptista. Once he got her, they were going to disappear, and with her power he was considering to start his own empire.

There were so many thoughts rushing in his mind that Baptista's presence in it couldn't wash them away. There were so many possible paths that he should take. But which one? At the end of all of them was his power, and Lance's death. But which one? Which was the right and golden path to his power, and which wouldn't get himself killed?

He jumped from the roof to the ground with a large thud that echoed throughout the street. He walked down the sidewalks looking for where he had parked his car. Once he had found it he zoomed off to think some more about his plots. He was going to have to pick one path soon before everything he had stressed himself on blew up in his face.

Baptista watched her friends from her spot near the window. She had moved since before, and now the vampires were dining on the thing that prolonged their existence. She didn't know how they could do it. She had sucked on a cut on occasion to stop the blood, but she didn't know how they could drink it in the amounts they did.  I guess it's an acquired taste, like beer... she thought.

Mark laughed to himself a little, seeing the way Baptista was curling up her nose to their drinking. He looked to the others who seemed to not notice her expressions. He wiped away some of the blonde mess of hair from his eyes and walked over to her.

Mark's movement brought attention to Abivin, though he thought he had no interest in her a spike of jealousy went through him as he made his way towards Baptista. Abivin remained motionless observing them. As Mark went over to her, and by a simple little comment he had her laughed up a storm. He quietly growled to himself and continued drinking.

The night had passed and the vampires all went down to sleep. Baptista laid herself down on the couch. Abivin was a little disappointed that she didn't come in to bed with him. But he didn't make any fuss about it and went to bed.

About a half-hour went by and Abivin knew just something wasn't right. Baptista would have gone to bed with at least him or Aloysia. She didn't like sleeping alone with Michael out there, even though they had to be in during the day. She had paranoid dreams about them having some people come and kidnap her.

He ran out to the living room and just as his thoughts were suspecting she was gone. He ran to Aloysia's room and he opened to door quietly, and she wasn't there either. Though in a way he didn't want her to be there, but in another he did, he ran to Mark's room, but she wasn't there either. Then he heard a sound, one he didn't want to hear.

The sound of a car engine, and it was leaving the property. He ran out to the garage, and Gemma's car was gone. He guessed she wouldn't have dared to take his after the fit he had made before.

She was already in the sunlight and he couldn't protest her actions. He ran back into the house and woke up his comrades, and told them what had just happened. They all shook their heads in disappointment, and said something under their breath. Or it was just that their thoughts were just so loud.

Baptista made her way into the city, she was going to stop by the Goth Nightclub. She knew it wasn't going to be open, but Holly or Trent were always there fixing, ordering, or having something cleaned in the morning.

A pound came from the nightclub's door. Holly jumped and had hit her head. She grimaced and walked towards the door with the pounding that became louder and louder as closer and closer she got.

She opened the door, and the sunlight beamed into the club's dark surroundings. She flinched from it and squinted her eyes, only making out the form of a young woman before her.

Baptista made her way into the club and closed the door behind her so the Queen of Black could make out who she was. And she did, and hardly recognized her with practically all her hair gone. She was honestly surprised to see her alive and kicking after knowing Michael was after her. Then again, she figured Abivin and Aloysia would protect anyone or anything from him.

"What are you doing here? So early in the morning?" She said fixing her messed up mascara in the mirror.

"Where are Lance and Michael?" Baptista demanded. "And don't pretend you don't know, because I know you know them quite well."

"Sorry sweetie, it's nice to see you're alive and all that, but I don't know where they are. But Michael was having some business with some vampire hunters though." Her smile looked just like a black crescent.

"Vampire hunters?" Baptista trailed off. Thinking the worst for her friends. "What business was he having with them? And you can knock off the attitude too. I'm not in the mood."

"Wow." Holly said, her smile splitting in half. "You've gotten one yourself."

Baptista just shot her a look, waiting for her to respond.

"Calm down, he was just stalking them down because Lance thinks they may have something to do with burning down his house. I gave him their address, and good riddance if he had killed the bastards, they were brining bad business." She said. "Are you ever going to finish that painting I paid you for?"

"Give me the address, and I'll think about it." Baptista said, thinking that Holly must have attention deficit disorder or something. Or she was just a monster and didn't care about innocent lives getting destroyed.

"Well, I guess so," She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote down the address. "Though I don't think you'll find anything there. I heard there was a bloodbath, but that's just what's in the rumor mill."

Baptista didn't say another word, but she didn't have to, her upset expression said it all. She snatched the paper from Holly's hands. She had a feeling that she truly did know where Lance and Michael were, but was afraid for her life. That she was only pretending to be so fearless as she seemed.

She arrived at the address. She thought it would be a good idea, not to mention she was friends with other vampires. Not that she didn't trust these people, it's just she didn't! And she wasn't going to take any chance on losing more friends. All she wanted was Michael and Lance dead, and that would solve her problems.

A balding man with intense brown eyes opened the door cautiously. He looked upon Baptista for a moment before saying anything. She didn't say a word either, almost taken back on this situation. His face seemed to be tear-stained.

"Who are you?" He uttered.

"I'm Baptista. I heard from someone a vampire named Michael ---..." She couldn't finish her words.

The man let her in without any other words, even though she tried to say some others, she was hushed until the door was closed. She saw the other three people grieving.

"Oh, God, what has he done?" She said bringing her fingers to her lips.

The balding man, named Eric, explained everything that happened. Though they didn't know Denise was a vampire, they just thought that she was dead. Baptista's hand didn't move from her mouth. In a way she felt like this was her fault. If it weren't for her those vampire hunters would be alive. But then again, they could've attacked her friends.

"So Lance and Michael are the only ones left?" Baptista said almost in an optimistic voice. "At least your friends didn't die in vain then."

The vampire hunters all nodded their heads solemnly.

"I need that address where those two monsters are staying at. I have to finished what I started." She said, a little rage filling her words.

"So you're the one..." Eric said. "The one Michael was talking about, that burned down Lance's house. Very good young lady. You killed a lot of murderous vampires that day. All those monstrous demons must die!"

"Do you believe that a vampire could be good?" She asked, trying not to sound like this was an experience of hers. Clouding her thoughts from her friend's faces.

"No!" He yelled, almost making her jump. "They are all demons. Spawns of hell, they must all die!"

Baptista nodded her head in slight agreement not to make her look suspicious. Eric gave her directions where the hotel was. He suggested for her to wait while they were preparing a plan, but she refused. This was something personal she needed to do, which the vampire hunters respected. Having their own dealings with revenge on a vampire or two. She promised to stop by if she had succeeded, if not, they should continue on with their plans on killing Lance and Michael.

She went to go get something to eat, she needed her sustenance before she was going to kill these two. Plus she needed to figure out how she was going to do it. She certainly couldn't just burn them all down, not with innocent lives in the hotel. Maybe she should go back to Aloysia's and have them help her in a plan and they could attack at night. But by then Michael and Lance could already be on the move.

Denise was contemplating on a way opening the shades, letting Lance burn to ashes, but she was tied to the bed. She couldn't move much, she was so hungry. Her hunger made her sick. Death must come to her, it must take her down.

Baptista walked into the hotel, it was so fancy. She noticed a lot of elegant artwork pieces, it would be wonderful if one day her work was in such places. But then again she thought about the monsters that were housed within the walls. Do they even know who's in their hotel?

She stood now in front of the door. The door where she knew where the murderers were. It was all here, but now what? What was she going to do? She just hoped what she had planned would solve everything. She just hoped it worked.

Michael's head perked up from his daily slumber. She was here and close, he could sense her. He could almost taste her flesh upon the air. He got up quickly and ran to the door. Before she could react she was pulled into the room.

"What are you doing here?" Michael asked in a shocked tone.

Baptista was more shocked by his reaction, and a little fearful that he just knew she was there. "You know why I'm here. To kill you and Lance."

"No. You've got it all wrong." Michael said. "I didn't want to tell you before."

"What?" She said very disbelieving.

"I never ever wanted to hurt you, and I never will." He stroked her soft cheek.

"Yeah, I know, you love me." She said pushing her face away from his fingertips. "But that doesn't erase what you did. Locking me up like that, hurting the people you did. And you know I mean those vampire hunters and whoever else I don't know about."

He hung his head down in some remorse. A bit of it was fake to try and somewhat win her over with his expressions. But some of it was real, and it was beginning to surprise him, and by Baptista's look she knew it too.

"Lance's got to die." She said just above a whisper.

He nodded his head. "Why do you think I involved the vampire hunters? They were supposed to kill him. Though they did get rid of the rest of his comrades, they didn't get him, and got killed."

"Where do you get off on this? I mean why are you trying to kill him?" She said raising an eyebrow. She knew there would have to be something in it for him. Otherwise why in the world was he doing this?

"You of course." He said. "You will be mine."

He grabbed her hand in his and held it tight. She squirmed the tiny hand from his cold one and backed away from him, but kept an un-fearful look on her face. She didn't want to give him any satisfaction of power over her.

"Sorry, but I'll never be yours. I don't love you. I love someone else, and I always will, and you'll never take his place." She stepped back from her words. She actually said it. She loved... him.

"Who is this person?!" Michael said loudly not thinking about waking up Lance.

"Like I'd ever tell you! You'll never know because you're going to be dead!" She screamed.

She leaped forward grabbing the knife she had in her pocket that she had stolen from Aloysia's house. She stabbed Michael in the shoulder, knocking him down to the floor in a feat of pain.

Then Baptista let out a shocking scream. She was picked up from Michael by her hair and tossed across the room. Hitting the wall with a tremendous speed. She sat there for moments stunned like a ran-over cat. Trying to shake out the pain and confusion.

From there she could make out two figures standing before Michael. One she was all too familiar with, Lance, but the other, the woman, Denise, she did not know. She could hear mumbled arguing but from the shock she couldn't make out what they were saying.

"Well, well," Denise said. "Now I know what you were trying to block from me."

"And you should be ashamed Michael, thinking you could kill me." Lance said digging the knife into his shoulder even deeper. "And even more so to think that I didn't know about it, and to utter things about it while I was in the other room."

Denise made her way towards Baptista. She reached down an ebony hand and grabbed her by the throat and lifted her to her feet. Baptista's dark ocean eyes bulged looking at the vampire woman before her.

"Lance if I'm to have anything last to eat, let me eat her. Let me kill her, to punish Michael for making me into a demon." Her eyes grew more intense with rage, as she eyed from Baptista to Lance.

"You may..." Lance began.

"No!" Michael yelled getting up on his feet, despite the pain, knocking Lance over into the wall. "You won't hurt her!" He came plunging towards her.

"If you would have let me finished... I would have said not yet..." Lance said steadying himself. "I need some bait to get my Aloysia to me."

Abivin could hardly sleep. He knew that Baptista was in danger and there was nothing he could do about it. Damn the sun, he thought. Damn vampirism. He paced through the hallways of Aloysia's house until he felt his legs were going to fall off.

"Calm down Abivin." Sam said, as if he didn't care, but he did. It was just the harshness of his being to talk like that. "She's going to be okay."

"Why couldn't she have listened to me? Why does she think she needs to do this on her own? We're her friends; we'll help her. Besides we want those two dead as much as she does." Abivin put his head in his hands.

"Don't worry man, it'll be sunset in a few hours. Then we'll go after her." Sam said. "Even though we don't know where to look for her... we'll go out there looking."

"Sam... you really know how to make me feel even worse than I was before." He said, looking out from between his fingers at his friend.

Baptista awoke in a dark room, but she could see somewhat with light coming from underneath the door. She could tell by the way things smelled in the air that she was still in the hotel. It was whatever they used to clean up their mess from last night. She was trying to keep her mind clear of the thoughts of hope. That the vampire hunters would be here soon and help her escape.

"It's about time you woke up luv." Michael said sitting close to her.

She jumped. Her eyes were now adjusting and she could tell where they were. They had been locked in the bathroom. There were no windows or anything from which they could escape.

"What are you doing in here?" She said with a sneer.

Michael scoffed. "Hello, my pet, I was formally discovered in trying to kill Lance. How do you think I got here?" He continued to mumble on. "Damnit, why was I such an idiot and made that woman into a vampire..."

"Who is she? And why did you do that?" Baptista said leaning herself up against the door. She made sure she didn't take her eyes off him.

"She's Denise, and she was one of the vampire hunters. I did it to punish her and make her understand about what it's like to be a vampire. Well, I guess she understands all too well." He laughed lightly. "And after she kills you, she's gonna kill me, and then she's gonna get herself killed. She'd rather die than stay as a vampire."

"Well, I'd understand that after the lies I'm sure you told her." Baptista looked intensely at him. "How long do you think we've been in here?"

"I don't know, but it's gotta be close to sunset." He said. "I'm sure your friends are going to be coming after you soon. They don't know that they're walking themselves into a trap you know. Aloysia's the only one who's gonna walk out here alive. With Lance of course."

Baptista shook her head. "Not if I can help it."

Abivin's head perked up when he heard the engine of a car. He almost attempted to look out the window, but Sam stopped him. Then there was a slight knock on the door. Gemma went to the door cautiously. She opened the door, and there was a woman dressed completely in black, with only shimmers of silver gracing her presence.

"May I come in?" Holly, the Queen of Black said. "I have some information about your friend Baptista."

Abivin pushed passed Gemma and pulled Holly in urgently. "What do you know about her?!"

Holly grimaced and pushed herself away from him. "You don't have to scream at me you know. Anyway, I thought I would tell you she's probably at this address." She handed him a piece of paper. "That's where Lance and Michael are."

"Did you give her this?" Mark said. "You know you have just about sent her to her death!"

Holly shook her head. "I didn't give it to her. I didn't want her to go there, because I knew that. She has gotten it from those damn vampire hunters who had killed the rest of Lance's comrades. All that remains is Michael and Lance."

"Really?" Aloysia said almost happily.

"Yes," Holly said beginning to leave. "Oh, it would be a good idea to try and hide your vampirism from the vampire hunters. Good or bad, they want all vampires dead."

"Um, Holly," Abivin began.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks. I don't need to hear it to know it's there." She smirked a little. She went to turn and leave, but he finished his words.

"No, I was wondering... why are you helping us?" He asked.

"As I've said this to her and Michael, she has work to finish that I paid good money for. Holly McPherson always gets what she wants. You can ask my husband." She smirked one last time and left.

The four vampires looked at each other for a moment. A little weirded out and stunned by the way Holly had just helped them out like that. Normally she would cater to Lance and Michael's bidding, but maybe they saw it all wrong. Maybe she wasn't such an enemy like they thought. But she definitely wasn't an ally, though they were absolutely very grateful for the information that she gave them.

As soon as the bright sun was set in the banks of the west, and the sky turned into a vast darkness, they were going to make their way to the hotel. They were going to save their friend, and get rid of their two nemeses' once and for all. And if need be, if they didn't survive, it wouldn't matter as long as those two were gone from the earth forever.