It was blazing hot, but there was no sun in the sky. In fact there was hardly any sky either; it was just crimson, like blood raining down. There were walls all around, corridors leading into corridors leading into corridors. They were a pale stone concreted together, centuries old, but strong. The floor was made of the same material, and like hot coals to stand on. There was a man, dressed in Vetala clothing - Louis. He was saying something, calling, but there was no sound. He was alarmed, looking around, as if something was hunting him. It was a hot atmosphere, but it was paced. A shadow loomed over everything, teeth like daggers, and fur matted with blood. It dived for Louis...

Lottie shot up, heart beating out of her chest. "What the Hell was that?" she whispered to herself. "Just a nightmare, just a nightmare". The curtains were fluttering in the wind coming from the open window, and she decided to just head downstairs. There was probably nobody down there; it was three in the morning.

Plodding down the stairs, she was surprised to see Robert, curled up in a chair with the Jezequel book.

"Bad dreams?" she asked, and sat opposite him in the other armchair.

"Bad reality", he answered and didn't look up from his page. "It's my fault she's gone".

"So you going to mope around for all eternity, or actually do something about it?"

"You don't get it, I've tried. I've tried...everything".

"You haven't tried the Jekyll Ring", she retorted.

"The what?"

"You know, the ring that's been sitting on the kitchen table for ages that can bend reality", she replied, and Robert's eyes lit up. "That one".

"That...might just work".

"Well, off you pop; no time to lose and all that stuff". He nodded, smiling for probably the first time in what seemed like forever, and plucked it off the table. Throwing the front door open he started to walk hastily down the road. Lottie was going to wait for him, and in the mean time just have a snooze by the fire, but soon tiredness caught up with her, and she fell swiftly asleep.

:/:

It had been nineteen hours and they still hadn't taken her body away. "Slow working undertakers", Robert thought to himself. Though the Empire had been closed for a few days, mainly because the landlady was lying cold just up the stairs, so Robert just figured no one had found her yet. And no one would have to 'find her', well, if this worked. Sliding the ring on his index finger, it glowed a vivid green, and he clenched his hand into a fist, holding it up to Bella.

"So, do I just think?" he asked himself, and guessed it was so. So he thought of all the times he had with Bella, and how much he missed her. It was more of a wish, rather than a command, but, all the same, he hoped it would work. But nothing happened. So he waited. Still nothing. Her hands were still as cold as ice and her emerald eyes were still locked tightly behind her eyelids. He could wait all night, but frustration got the better of him. Ripping the ring off his finger, he flung it so it hit the wall and went somewhere behind the dresser. In the fit of absolute sadness and rage, Hyde emerged. But this was different. This Hyde seemed furious, vicious... bloodlusted. Instead of normal coloured eyes, this one sported eyes as red as blazing fires. His lips curled into a snarl. "If I can't do anything for Bella, then I will make her proud instead. I will embrace my Hyde", he chuckled. "I will certainly do that".

:/:

Lottie hadn't slept all night. The nightmares had meant she hadn't slept a wink. Maggie and Ravi were still upstairs, Garson was in the kitchen, and Olalla was looking out the window, waiting for her brother.

"Olalla, come with me a second", Lottie asked.

"But I haven't had my morning cuppa' yet", she whimpered, sipping a mug of coffee. Lottie picked Olalla's bloodspike from the mantlepiece, and spun it between her fingers, knowing that her sister had been looking for it. It made Olalla put down her mug and go with her, rather reluctantly to say the least. She followed her down into the laboratory, and Lottie blinked, adjusting to the low light.

"So?" Olalla asked. "What is it?"

"Why does this seem all too familiar?"

"Don't know. I've got the same coffee mug?"

"Yes, yes, because that's why we're hiding down here, over a coffee mug".

"Glad we're on the same page".

"No, I'm on about Robert", she whispered. "He's already lost Max, almost lost me, and now Bella's gone, as well as loads of other people he's associated with. And they're all linked to Tenebrae. They're...messing with his head, trying to hurt him. See, the thing with Robert is that you can't hurt him physically, but damn, you can hurt him mentally".

"What, so you think they're planning something?"

"No, I- I know".

"How?"

"I... saw someone. In my mind I mean".

"Look, if you're going to go complete 'secret squirrel' on me, then I'll just go back upstairs. Tell me straight, or don't tell me at all".

"I saw our father. In a maze, of sorts", she started. "He was frightened".

"Don't pull my leg now. Our father's dead; I saw it in the Tenebraen records", she sighed. "Threw himself off a bridge. Seems to be the curse of our name, suicide".

"But I saw him", Lottie replied, slightly frustrated.

"It was just a dream. And don't go blabbing about it to everyone; might ruffle a few feathers", Olalla advised, and started to walk back up the steps. "Now I'm going to get back to my cold coffee". Lottie couldn't quite get her head around it all. She was sure she had seen her father, and she knew it wasn't 'just a dream' as her sister had put it. The shrill ring of the telephone rang upstairs, closely followed by the clicking of Garson's shoes on the steps.

"It's for you, lass", he said, passing the telephone over to her.

"Did they give a name?"

"No, just said you'd know who they were and that they needed to speak to you".

"Oh, um, t-thank you... Garson", she answered, stuttering. Funny. She had never had any problems with her speech before, so why now? Curiously, she put the telephone to her ear and watched as Garson left the room. "Hello?" The person on the other end of the phone drew in one shaky breath.

"Hello Fedora", she said in a tearful voice.

"Who's this?"

"You haven't figured it out yet, have you?"

"Who's talking? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying, I am writing", she sobbed, and in the background she could here the click of a gun. "And this... stupid...mortal is reading it out".

"What do you want?"

"To...show you the truth about this...funny business".

"How?"

"The truth is always in your reflection. And my, have you got into character. So... much so you have forgotten who you are. I guess that's...something we need to improve". Gritting her teeth, she turned to look at the mirror behind her and almost dropped the phone. Gulping she put it back to her ear, not taking her eyes off the person staring back at her.

"I'm not really here, am I?"

"The penny...drops", the woman answered. "And so...does the bullet". Lottie's forehead furrowed into a frown, and she heard a gunshot on the other end of the phone. But instead of recoiling in horror like she would usually do, she just stood there, telephone still to her ear.

"If there is anyone associated with Tenebrae there, which I would guess there is, tell Dance that I've clicked back into reality. And the bait's been set". Smiling she looked back at mirror to see twisted horns poking out through hay-blonde hair, and an aubergine coloured dress sweeping her knees. Lips painted red with blood and cheekbones prominent in her face, making it look angular and mysterious. She shapeshifted, making her borrowed face melt and meld, so both reflection and reality matched. With her original face came the memory of who she was.

"I am Semira".