((This is a pretty information and dialogue-heavy chapter, but I tried to make it exciting. Please let me know what you think! Only about 4 or 5 chapters left!

I absolutely LOVE the cover on the side, thank you to the_aristocrat for making it. :)

Song by Audiomachine can be listened to whenever.

Thank you Belle for editing this ridiculously long chapter!))

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Rebekah’s beautiful eyes blinked once, then twice as she slowly focused on her surroundings while Raziel and I stared in complete bewilderment.

“Rebekah,” Raziel breathed, and my eyes were drawn to his face. His expression contained relief and tenderness so profound that I almost felt like an intruder. I knew Raziel cared for Gabriel, but I had never seen this intensity on his face before. Slowly, the Angel stepped toward his daughter, almost as if he was scared she would fall back into a coma with any sudden movements.

“F-father?” Rebekah stammered, her melodic voice rusty with disuse. I turned back to stare at her, still caught in my state of disbelief. As Rebekah’s brown eyes found her father’s approaching figure, she began to try to sit up. Her movements were awkward and stiff and she looked as if she were about to collapse back into the coffin, but in a nanosecond Raziel was there, his arm around Rebekah’s shoulders as he lifted her into a sitting position. “Where am I? What happened? I . . .” The woman trailed off, blinking yet again as she gazed around the room and her brow furrowed in confusion.

I couldn’t imagine what she must've be feeling, waking up in the middle of a mausoleum. Her searching gaze stopped before she saw me huddled in the shadows as Raziel got her attention.

“We’re near my house,” Raziel spoke softly, soothingly. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“I don’t . . .” Rebekah shook her head, soft curls tumbling forward and hiding most of her expression from my view.

“It’s fine. We can get you inside, talk then. I’m just…I’m so glad you’re awake.” Raziel’s love for his daughter laced his tone with warmth. His head turned then, bright blue eyes connecting with mine. There were pools of hope and gratefulness, and I knew he was thanking me wordlessly. I smiled back, still feeling out of breath and not quite trusting my voice yet.

Bracing myself, I stood up from the wall, catching my balance as the world tilted slightly on its axis. Rebekah must have heard my movement because her head whipped around an in an instant, her penetrating gaze was on me.

“Who are you?” She croaked out, and I detected a hint of authority in her tone. She’d been a Luna, after all. I opened my mouth to reply but Raziel spoke for me.

“She’s a friend. I’ll tell you more back inside. I’m going to lift you out now.”

The woman nodded, and Raziel had her in his arms seconds later. It was something I’d never expected to see. Rebekah had a strange expression on her face, and I got the impression she did not like being carried around but she didn’t have much choice.

“Skylar, lead the way,” Raziel ordered, and I shakily walked towards the exit of the mausoleum. Some of my fatigue had thankfully abated, but I knew I needed to sit down as soon as possible. “Can you walk?” Raziel asked, and both of their eyes were on me.

“Yeah, I think so,” I breathed out heavily.

“Did you heal me?” Rebekah asked suddenly, eyeing me keenly. Her voice was a bit stronger.

“She’s a Pack Doctor, more or less,” Raziel said, once again answering for me.

“I thought I heard a voice in my mind . . .” was her quiet reply. She was gazing at me with renewed interest. There was a vivid intelligence in her eyes that I found quite intimidating. Or, it could’ve just been the fact that she was my Mate’s mother.

We began the trek up to Raziel’s house, me keeping my breathing even while my Wolf whispered encouraging words in the back of my mind. To my surprise, when we were almost there Rebekah demanded to be put down. Raziel protested, but his daughter would not take no for an answer, and soon she was stumbling along with her father’s arm supporting her. I couldn’t help a small smile from gracing my lips; she was as stubborn as her son, and had a lot of spirit.

Minutes later I plopped down on an armchair with a relieved sigh while Raziel helped Rebekah onto the couch. She lay back, and I could see a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Despite her stubborn insistence on walking, it had tired her out. She’d been in a coma for years, after all, and I was surprised she’d even managed to stay upright.

I could feel her intense stare on me as Raziel fetched some water and food. I knew I was Luna now and was supposed to hold my head high with authority but I couldn’t help but feel intimidated. It was likely because she had Angel blood, and held herself regally, like a queen. Even in this state she looked noble and proud.

Raziel returned, placing a water bottle in front of me and then going to tend to his daughter. The way she gulped down multiple glasses of water and ate an entire plate of crackers gave away just how weak she was despite her demeanor. I watched with avid interest at the way Raziel had treated her. I’d never pictured him as a doting parent, but after his daughter had been close to death for so many years, could I blame him?

“Okay, okay, I’m fine,” Gabriel’s mother eventually said, hoisting herself into a sitting position despite her father’s disapproval. “I have to know…the way you’re treating me, I must have been asleep for a long time.” I thought I saw a glimmer of trepidation in her eyes before she continued. “Tell me…how many years have passed since I last saw you?”

Raziel closed his eyes, dreading her reaction, I assumed. “Almost ten years.”

A gasp escaped Rebekah’s lips and her eyes widened in horror. “Ten . . . ten years? But I-“ She shook her head furiously. “No. It can’t be true.” Her head snapped up as she fixated on Raziel. “I’m remembering everything now. The vampires . . . Cain . . . please tell me he isn’t still out there. He isn’t still hunting for my son.”

Something in my chest tightened as she mentioned Gabriel and I looked away, trying to hide my expression.

Raziel’s jaw had clenched, his eyes hooded. “I wish I could tell you that, Rebekah, but I can’t. I tried everything to wake you up, but nothing worked, until Skylar used her Affinity. If I could’ve woken you sooner-“

“Where is Gabriel?” She cut him off, stone-faced.

“Gone.” To my surprise, the words escaped my lips before Raziel could speak. My voice was weak and pathetic, but for once I didn’t care. Having to think about Gabriel was excruciating. “He went after Cain, to protect the Pack.”

Rebekah gazed at me incredulously, but she must have seen something in my expression, for her eyes wandered down to the vivid Mark on my neck. “You . . . are you Gabriel’s Mate?” She breathed out after a moment.

I bit my lip and nodded, not trusting my voice. The shock in the room was palpable. “How long ago did you Mate?” She asked me. I wondered if she was really asking if Gabriel’s Mark had faded.

“Recently,” was my whispered reply. “He left the morning after. He went after Cain, thinking it’s the only option.”

Her eyes closed and she breathed out heavily. Worry was etched on her features and it only served to increase my own fear for Gabriel’s safety.

“I’m not sure how I woke you up, but I was desperate. Raziel said you’re the only one who knows about the Ritual. I can’t let Gabriel risk his life like that. You’re our only hope.” Rebekah’s eyes snapped open as I spoke. The words were rushed, pleading, and I stared at her, hoping she’d perceive the intensity of my feelings.

“You all had better catch me up on the last ten years, then,” she said after a moment of tense silence. “We don’t have any time to waste.”

---

Half an hour later, the three of us were seated at the kitchen table, eating some chicken Raziel had hastily heated up for us. The situation may have seemed normal, but for thirty minutes Raziel and I had been explaining everything that had happened since Gabriel and I met. I left nothing out about my kidnapping, Anne’s death, Cain’s haunting messages for me or the way Gabriel had blocked me out after he left. Raziel covered everything else including what we knew about the vampires and the Ritual.

Rebekah was silent for a long time, absorbing all of our words. Her regal features were grim as she realized that the vampires had found her pack and her son, and I could see worry lingering in the depths of her eyes.

“Therefore, because Cain’s life force depends on Gabriel’s, Gabriel will kill him as soon as he completes the Ritual and is incapacitated,” Raziel finished outlining Gabriel’s plan. I glanced at Rebekah, wondering what she would think of Gabriel’s rash decision-making.

To my shock, her countenance had morphed into one of absolute horror.

“He’s going to kill Cain AFTER the Ritual?” She demanded breathlessly.

Raziel nodded. “The book said-“

“No,” she snapped icily. The two of us froze in confusion. “He can’t. If Gabriel kills Cain, Gabriel will die, too.”

“What?” I gasped.

“The book you read may say otherwise, but I looked into all of this and studied everything I could about the Ritual for eight years. Cain isn’t going to have a vulnerability like that. He has a few tricks up his sleeve, a few secrets not in the book. He is tweaking the Ritual to his liking . . . and one of his tricks is to tie Gabriel’s life force to his.”

Horror struck me as the realization dawned, and I suddenly felt sick. Raziel’s face had paled considerably.

“I thought Rituals can’t be altered-”

“The oldest vampire in the world has the power to do so,” Rebekah replied. “Gabriel can’t kill Cain after the Ritual. They will both die.” Her eyes met mine, and I saw something flash in their depths. “It isn’t just that. Skylar, you Mating with my son actually worked in Cain’s favor. You see, the Ritual links Cain to his coven. Who do you think it will link Gabriel with?”

I sat there, frozen, my Wolf whining in the back of my mind as she came to the same conclusion I did. “Me. If Gabriel kills Cain, Gabriel and I will both die.”

Raziel stood up abruptly, shoving his chair back. The harsh screeching made me wince and I balled my hands into fists.

“No, it isn’t possible. “

“Trust me. I had a very reliable source.” Rebekah’s eyes glinted and I wondered who she was referring to.

“This is my fault. I encouraged him with this plan, I told him it was the only way! And now you are telling me that for Cain to die, Gabriel and Skylar have to die, too?” I’d never seen him this distraught. His electric blue eyes were snapping with guilt. I could only sit there, feeling a rush of misery as I realized just how fragile my life was, how I hung in the balance.

“It isn’t your fault. You couldn’t have known; it’s practically a miracle that I know. Cain is counting on the fact that we don’t know. He’s twisted, Father. He always has a back up plan.” She sighed heavily, resignation forming on her beautiful face. “That isn’t the extent of what I learned that you don’t already know. Cain will be vulnerable during the Ritual, that’s true. Even if he is willingly given Gabriel’s blood, he will be in some pain.” Her mouth twisted in a grimace. “But Gabriel will, too. That’s how the Ritual works. BOTH of them will be in pain until the Ritual is complete. So you see, there’s no way for Gabriel to kill Cain when he’s at his weakest.”

You could’ve heard a pin drop. Raziel placed his hands on the table, arms taut with anger and frustration.

“So what do we do?” I whispered, staring off into the distance. Some part of me screamed for me to get it together, but I was still struggling with the concept of life and death. I was a flickering candle flame that Cain could blow out at any second. Hell, they could be performing the Ritual now! And the thought of Gabriel dying, too, was unbearable for both me and my Wolf.

“We have to stop him before the Ritual starts,” Raziel answered, beginning to pace like he usually did when he was in deep contemplation. I clasped my hands and stared down at my intertwined fingers, trying not to panic. A Luna wouldn’t panic in a crisis. I had to be strong.

We don’t even know where this Ritual is! Or when it will be taking place! My Wolf howled, and I knew she was right. Trying to find Cain when we couldn’t hardly catch his scent would be like finding a needle in a haystack. It all seemed so hopeless.

Bringing myself out of my internal monologue, I glanced at Rebekah. She appeared to be in deep thought like I was, but to my surprise, there was no confusion on her features. Instead, it seemed like she had decided on something. The woman was silent for a few long moments, and I aimlessly wondered if she was talking with her Wolf. Her Wolf was alive again, obviously, since I had brought her back . . . right? The complicated mess my life was becoming was giving me a headache.

She suddenly straightened her shoulders, tilting her chin up with defiance. I marveled at the strength of this woman’s spirit, her resilience even after a decade of slumber. “Father, I have a plan,” she said, determination ringing in her voice. I felt hope unfurl in my stomach and I watched her wordlessly.

Raziel stopped his abrupt movements and turned to face her. “What is it?”

She glanced at me, a brown curl falling forward and framing her face. “I’m sorry, Skylar, but would you mind if I talk to my father alone?”

I bit my lip, hesitating. I didn’t want to argue with Rebekah but I desperately needed to know how we were going to save Gabriel.

“I’ll tell you everything, I promise,” the woman continued. Was that compassion I saw in her eyes? “I just need to talk to him first.”

“There’s a guest bedroom upstairs, and your bag is by the door. Make yourself at home and we will find you,” Raziel said.

“It won’t take long.”

Sighing, I nodded in resignation. It wasn’t really my place to come between them, and we already owed Rebekah for telling us some aspects of the Ritual that we never would’ve known. I was already going stir-crazy but I knew I couldn’t be rash in this situation. I had to trust Gabriel’s mother; she wanted her son back as much as I did.

I trodded upstairs, my bag of necessities slung over my back. It was now dark outside, so I couldn’t go anywhere tonight either way. As I opened a nearby door and found the guest bedroom Raziel mentioned, I slowly walked to the window on the room’s far wall. Normally the moon was a reassuring sight that brought out my inner Wolf, but tonight all I could do was hope that the Ritual wasn’t taking place. Gabriel would have no idea that he’d be completely helpless during the Ritual, and even if he found a way to take Cain out once they got their strength back, he would still . . . I couldn’t think about it.

Was it worth the sacrifice, to stop Cain’s coven forever? Was it worth it for my pack to lose both their Alpha and Luna? Realistically, I thought that the number of werewolf lives we would save would make it a worthy sacrifice. I wished that I could be selfless and brave and willingly give my life up for my pack. I couldn’t, though. I was completely terrified of dying and of losing Gabriel. I knew I should be nobler, but I couldn’t help the pervading fear of death and consuming darkness. If there was a way to kill Cain without dying, if Rebekah had a plan, we HAD to try it. Dying in sacrifice to save other werewolves would be a last resort. I still had so much to live for.

My thoughts continued to repeat on an endless cycle as I unpacked my bag, although I planned on staying only a night. I was exhausted from my running all day and the effort it had taken to awaken Rebekah. I needed this nights’ sleep, but guilt continued to claw at my insides. Every second I spent in Raziel’s house was a second I could be chasing Gabriel down.

He needs us, my Wolf whined softly.

I know, and I want to be reckless and follow him, but we don’t even know where he is. And we’re no good to him dead.

He won’t die, she replied vehemently.

If we want to keep him alive, our best chance is to work with Rebekah’s plan, whatever that is.

My Wolf was silent for a brief spell. She was a great Luna. I can tell, she said softly.

I agreed with her. Rebekah had just woken up from ten years of sleep, yet she was already thinking proactively on how to save her son. She was driven and strong; everything a good Luna should be. Even though I had just met her I felt like I knew a lot of aspects of her personality. Perhaps it was because I’d been inside her mind whenever I’d awoken her, or maybe it was just my intuition.

She had left Gabriel, though. She did it to help him, but I knew her absence had a lingering effect on her son. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Would I do the same thing to help my family?

Shaking off my deep thoughts, I realized I’d been up here for half an hour, lost in my own mind, but Rebekah and Raziel were still downstairs. I had refrained from eavesdropping out of politeness, but shouldn’t they be done conversing by now? I quietly walked over to the closed bedroom door and put my ear up against the wood. Utilizing my werewolf hearing, I decided to just catch a snippet of their conversation to determine what was going on.

At first, I heard nothing. I frowned in confusion. Just before I was going to open the door, though, Raziel’s voice drifted to my ears.

“I missed you so much, Rebekah,” the Angel said. I detected a wealth of emotion in his tone, and for the dozenth time I was struck by his change in behavior. I could tell that despite his cool façade and his immortal nature, he really could love. Even a Holy being was capable of human feelings. It was relieving and disconcerting at the same time.

Rebekah murmured something that I couldn’t quite catch and I decided not to intrude. He hadn’t seen her for ten years, after all, even though Rebekah had mentioned at dinner that while she slept, time had felt indeterminable.

A scant few minutes later I heard footsteps approaching. I sat up, expecting Raziel, so I was completely caught off guard when I caught a whiff of Rebekah’s flowery scent and heard a light rapping on the door.

“Come in,” I said hesitantly. I still wasn’t quite sure how to behave in front of Gabriel’s mother. In different circumstances, we could’ve had a happy first meeting, but our encounter so far had been grim. Rebekah opened the door and walked in gracefully, most signs of fatigue gone, although she looked a bit pale. That Angel blood must’ve ensured an even swifter recovery than the average werewolf’s healing ability would’ve allowed.

To my surprise, she looked . . . calm. I took this as a good sign that they’d worked out a plan. Rebekah studied me a moment before a light smile tugged at her lips. “Do you mind if I sit down?” She gestured at the bed where I was sitting.

“Please do,” I replied politely, wishing I could be less formal and awkward.

She sat down fluidly on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. “Good news. Raziel and I worked out a plan.”

I released a breath I hadn’t even been aware I was holding. “That is good news. What’s the plan?”

“Well, there are a lot of parts to it. First, we’re going to go see an old friend of mine.”

“Old friend?” What friend wouldn’t mind her showing up on their doorstep ten years later?

“Well, I guess you could say . . . source. She helped me find out a lot of information about the Ritual.”

“Where is she?”

“Several hours by car. We’re leaving tonight.”

“Oh.” I looked down, relieved that we were implementing the plan as soon as possible but not excited to be traveling at night. What if there were vampires on my trail? Then again, I’d left during the day, so there was no way they could’ve tracked me already. Their noses weren’t made for tracking scents, or so I’d been told.

“You look tired,” Rebekah said softly. I looked up to see her watching me, concern knitting her brow.

I gave a half-hearted smile. “I’m fine. I just did a lot of running today.”

Gabriel’s mother watched me for a moment, and I felt that she was perceiving more about me than I wanted her to. It was like the walls blocking out my emotion crumbled when she gave me that piercing look. I quickly tried to change the subject.

“What more can your friend tell us that you didn’t already know all those years ago?”

“I’m hoping she can tell me what she promised to tell me all those years ago…the location and timing of the Ritual.”

My eyes widened. That would be most fortunate indeed. “How do you know she’s still around?”

Rebekah sighed softly. “Trust me, Skylar, I’m sure she hasn’t moved far from where I last met her.”

I blinked in confusion, feeling as if her answer did not satisfy my question at all. Rebekah was studying me again, her eyes trailing down to linger on my Mark. There was kindness in her gaze and I realized that right now, I was her closest link to Gabriel.

“I’d always hoped my son would find someone.” Her eyes closed briefly. “It’s just . . . I’m sure he’s told you what happened to me.”

“Yeah.” What else was I supposed to say? That her Mark faded, Gabriel’s father went crazy, and she abandoned them? She had good reason, but still.

“I would do anything to save you that pain, but you knew the risks, didn’t you? When you let him Mark you?”

“I did. I know what can happen, but he’s worth it,” I responded honestly.

She smiled ruefully. “You’re very determined to get him back, I can sense it. I know you’d go to the ends of the earth for him.”

I looked down at my hands, feeling my cheeks reddening. “I just feel like there isn’t much I can do. I don’t have Angelic strength, and I’m clueless about the Ritual.”

“You’re strong, though,” was her reply. “Raziel told me that he tried using a Pack Doctor before. He threw caution to the winds years ago and brought one here, but they couldn’t wake me up. Their Affinity wasn’t powerful enough.”

I stared at her, my Wolf and I struck with surprise. So Raziel really had tried my tactic before, then. “I don’t understand. I just recently got my Affinity.”

“Yes, but my son Marked you. You have the power of a Luna, but it’s even more than that. You’re directly linked to one of Angelic ancestry. You may not have Angel blood yourself but your bond with Gabriel strengthens you.”

It made sense, how I was the only one who could wake her up, or at least it made more sense now. “There’s never been a Luna Pack Doctor with an Angelic Alpha as a Mate before?” I replied, smiling slightly as I tried to make light of the situation. Rebekah responded with a slight smile in return.

“I wish I could’ve met you under different circumstances,” she said softly. Her eyes flashed with some emotion that I couldn’t place, but I assumed it was worry for her son.

“Yeah. Me too. I could learn a lot from you.” The last part came out without my consent and I blushed again.

Rebekah laughed, but there was an edge of bitterness to it. “I wouldn’t encourage you to make my mistakes, Skylar. I abandoned my family, fell out of love with my Mate, and even craved human companionship.” Her expression transformed into one of guilt and self-loathing, a certain hollowness in her voice. I realized she truly did regret her decisions.

“It wasn’t your fault, it was your Angelic blood. And you left to protect your family, right?”

She gazed at me wryly. “You’re very understanding, but I know that Gabriel suffered because I left. I thought I did the right thing, but in the end, my sacrifices were for nothing.” Rebekah pursed her lips and again, I saw that undecipherable emotion on her face.  A certain darkness flickered across her features, and I was sure she was partially referring to when she tried to kill her Wolf. I wondered what it was like sharing a consciousness with the being you tried to destroy. The thought was so alarming that I pushed it away.

“Well, you can apologize to Gabriel when you see him. Because we’re going to find him,” I replied, determination laced in my tone.

Rebekah glanced at me and I saw a glint of admiration in her brown orbs. “You have spirit, Skylar. I think you’ll be a great Luna.”

With the compliment coming from a beautiful, former Luna, werewolf-Angel hybrid, I blushed furiously and ducked my head shyly. I could only hope she was right. Rebekah smiled at me, and this time there was a gleam of white teeth behind it that indicated her emotion was sincere.

“Now let’s get going. There is a lot to tell you about my friend we’re going to meet, but it can wait until later. You can sleep on the way, too. Raziel’s driving.” With one last glance at me she departed and I let out a heavy breath.

Well, at least my first one-on-one meeting with Gabriel’s mother hadn’t gone badly.

---

I was so exhausted that I dozed off almost immediately upon getting in the car despite my interest in where we were going. Rebekah said it would take us all night to get there, but as long as we were moving, I was happy. Raziel had packed a stack of dusty old books for us to ‘study on the road for more clues’, and before we left the house I even contacted my parents. Apparently they hadn’t heard that I had left the pack, and I wanted it to stay that way, so I gritted my teeth and lied through the whole encounter. Lying went completely against my nature but it had to done. They didn’t deserve to worry.

I did, however, make sure to tell them just how much I loved them. For all I knew, Cain could be conducting the Ritual tonight. I didn’t want to leave anything unsaid.

The dreams I had during most of my fitful sleeping did not leave me feeling as rested as I would’ve hoped, but after a while, I was able to achieve a dreamless slumber. I could’ve sworn that the car stopped at one point for a good amount of time, too long to just have been just a gas stop. However, I was too exhausted to care, and I figured I could ask Raziel and Rebekah later. They would wake me up if it was important.

When I grew tired of the disturbing dreams and blearily blinked my sleepy eyes open, sunlight filtered in through the windows of the luxury SUV and it looked to be early afternoon. Raziel and Rebekah were both wide awake; again, I considered the possibility that Angels didn’t really need sleep.

“Where are we?” I mumbled almost incoherently. Rebekah glanced over her shoulder at me and gave a half-hearted smile.

“Almost to Chicago,” was her reply. I looked out of the window, curious, as I’d never been in this region before.

“Where does your friend live?”

“Right by Lake Michigan,” Rebekah said calmly, but I detected something in her tone that confused me. I returned to my staring, eyeing the big city fast approaching. There was definitely something she wasn’t telling me, but I figured I’d have my answer soon. Something was bothering me, though. Every now and again I got a whiff of some musty scent. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck pricking and I glanced around the car, trying to place it.

“What is that smell?” I finally asked as we entered the bustling downtown area, Raziel attempting to navigate the crowded roadways. “It almost smells like…” I didn’t even want to say it.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Raziel answered calmly when Rebekah didn’t reply.

The city was huge, and it took us a lot longer than expected to get to our destination, but I actually enjoyed taking in the massive skyscrapers towering nearby. Rebekah had a map on her lap and was muttering something, directing Raziel every now and again. After another fifteen minutes, she pointed  out a narrow street and the Angel strategically maneuvered the vehicle to fit between the nearby buildings. We drove down a few more narrow streets, and I tried not to let the scenery get to me. The last time I’d been around warehouses was when the vampires had kidnapped me.  It did not take me long to notice that we were in a pretty seedy area, the buildings growing increasingly decrepit as we continued.

“Okay, we can get out here. It’s only a couple blocks now,” Rebekah said quietly and we obliged.

Some of the buildings around us were abandoned, and I had the creepy feeling that someone was watching me as we weaved our way between warehouses. “This doesn’t seem like a nice place to live,” I remarked, my voice a bit higher than usual.

“It’s not her choice.”

I cocked an eyebrow but let the reply slide. Beside me, Raziel had a backpack slung around his shoulders. I watched him from the corner of my eye, and it only took me a few seconds to determine that the backpack was the source of the smell. I felt a wave of queasiness and I looked away. If I was right about the backpack’s contents, this was a more dangerous trip than I’d anticipated.

After a few more turns down increasingly narrow alleys, we came to a small shack, for lack of better word. It could’ve been a home or small business once, I wasn’t sure, because it was so run-down. Boards covered the windows and there was a massive pile of rubbish nearby. The whole thing stank of decay and I wrinkled my nose. For some reason, the fence around the property was completely intact, and there was a padlocked gate. The front door of the property was adorned with a lock as well.

I wondered if they were keeping people out or locking someone in. The thought sent a chill up my spine.

“Trust me, Skylar,” Rebekah said quietly. She didn’t look unnerved at all by our dilapidated, unusually quiet surroundings. The pavement had grass growing through the tracks and I wondered the last time someone had even been here. The tall buildings nearby likely hid the shack from view.

With one fluid motion Rebekah jerked the padlock so the locking mechanism broke, before opening the gate. It creaked ominously and I chastised myself for acting like a child.

“Normally I would pick the lock but we don’t have time,” she commented. I tried to picture Rebekah picking at a lock like some kind of common criminal and failed miserably. Gabriel’s mother had a lot up her sleeve.

We approached the front door, the handle of which was also chained and locked. Rebekah made quick work of the barriers before turning to face us. “Trust me, she won’t hurt you.”

I nodded, trying not to let me apprehension show. Raziel indicated that we keep moving, and I noticed he was unusually quiet. I assumed he knew why we were here and I was beginning to regret not asking more prying questions.

The blackness inside the building was thick and near-impenetrable. Rebekah shut the door behind us and it took my werewolf vision a couple seconds to adjust, as the only light came through tiny cracks in the boarded windows. We walked in a single-file line through the entry hallway and into a large room with heaps of smashed furniture. The air stank of dust and grime, but I thought I detected a different smell underneath. I stopped, tilting my head up and inhaling deeply. Instantly, I froze. “Blood!” I hissed, my lip curling up in an automatic snarl. The scent was very stale, but it was almost overpowering.  It hovered in the air like some sort of plague, and I spun around to face Raziel. “The blood smell . . . the backpack . . .”

I felt a reassuring hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Rebekah’s resigned face.

“I know, Skylar. It’ll all make sense in a second.”

If it were anyone else, I’d be worried that I would be taken into a back room and murdered, but these were extenuating circumstances. I was willing to do anything for Gabriel, so I squared my shoulders and attempted to ignore the overpowering stench. Rebekah led us down another narrow hallway, which had numerous holes in the walls. I didn’t even want to think about what kind of vermin lived in them. Ahead was a door that had dents and chipped paint across the entire surface. I bit my lip, wondering if this place could possibly get any creepier. If Will and Maria could see me now, skulking through a shack with not a shred of dignity left . . .

Rebekah paused in front of the door, reaching out to grasp the knob. “She’s still here,” she remarked quietly. I was prepared to scent the air again but before I could, she thrust the door open and we stepped inside the dingy room.

There was a partially boarded-up skylight that allowed small beams of sunshine to stream into the room, further accentuating the decaying state of the building. My eyes flickered from wall to wall, and it was then that I noticed three things.

One, there was a small huddled figure in the corner.

Two, it was a woman, with matted dark hair falling down to her waist.

Three, she had chains around every limb that were bolted to the wall.

“Vivian,” Rebekah murmured. Despite the woman’s current position, her head snapped up unnaturally quickly, and I saw her face for the first time.

Vivian’s face was thin and pale, her white lips parted slightly with surprise. What caught my attention, though, were her eyes: there were a deep reddish brown, and I had no doubt that in pristine condition, her orbs would shine a brilliant red.

She was a vampire. My Wolf and I knew that immediately. A tortured, weak, and severely underfed vampire. Her clothes were mere rags, putting her bony frame on display. I could tell that she would once have been beautiful, with lustrous hair, high cheekbones, and full lips. A seductress. I’d never seen a female vampire before, but I could tell all of this from a quick glance.

Whoever had left her here, though, was assuring she would suffer. The woman was completely emaciated and there was a hunted look in her eyes. The stench of dried blood permeated the room, but it was obvious she hadn’t fed recently.

“Rebekah?” The woman, Vivian, rasped, the words nearly catching in her throat. She tilted her head and took the three of us in, her eyes focusing surprisingly well given her present condition.

“Who are they?” Vivian jerked her head at Raziel and me.

“Friends. We’re in desperate need of your help.”

“This is your source?” I exclaimed before I could help myself. “But who . . . how . . . ?”

“I took me a long time to find her, but yes. Vivian told me a lot of information about the Ritual. I, in return, helped her.”

“How?” I exclaimed incredulously. It didn’t look like Vivian had received much help in a long time.

As if on cue, Raziel cleared his throat and set the backpack on the ground, unzipping it to reveal a brown bag. Instantly, the smell of blood strengthened. I gasped despite myself. There were blood bags in the backpack. That stop along the road, while I’d been asleep . . . we must’ve visited a blood bank or hospital. I squirmed uncomfortably as Raziel pulled out three bags of donated blood, each one a different type.

I had no clue how to feel, and my Wolf was equally befuddled. We despised vampires, and would never have thought of giving blood to one, yet here we were. The compassionate side of me pitied Vivian, but then I remembered everything the vampires had done to us. I didn’t know what to make of the situation.

Raziel handed the bags to Rebekah, who in turn slowly approached the shackled vampire. I wanted to rush forward, to stop her from approaching that despicable creature, but forced my feet to remain still. I had to trust Gabriel’s mother. Working with a vampire went against my nature, but if it would lead to Gabriel, it was indubitably worth it.

As soon as Rebekah extended her arms Vivian reached forward in a lightning-fast move and snagged the bags, dropping two of them on the ground and tearing into the first. I looked away, squeamish as the smell of fresher blood invaded my nose. Vivian let out a low, feral growl, and the slurping noise of her dining was repulsive. I managed to sneak a look at her to see her mouth coated in blood, eyes bright with a vicious hunger. As the vampire sucked the bag dry, Rebekah turned to face me.

“I know this seems strange to you. Believe me, I know. But Vivian told me all the things about the Ritual I never would’ve known otherwise.”

“Does she know where and when it’s going to take place?”

“She does. I was coming to retrieve the information from her when the vampires found me.”

“How does she know all of that?” I queried, still looking fixatedly on Rebekah. Vivian was devouring the second bag of blood, her chains glinting as she shifted position.

A grim smile settled on Rebekah’s features. “I think she should tell you that herself.”

“How did you find her, Rebekah?” Raziel interrupted, his strangely blue eyes watching the vampire as she fed. “I can deduce some things, but you need to fill in the rest.”

Rebekah turned the rest of the way to face us, her back to Vivian. “I spent years tracking all of the vampires I could. Eventually, one of them led me here. As soon as I found Vivian, I saw an opportunity. For someone to go to these lengths to make her suffer, she had to be important.” Her eyes flicked to the blood-sucking creature then back to us. “I was right. Vivian said that if I would bring her blood, she would tell me everything she knew. I made several trips. She told me a new piece of information for each bag of blood I brought. Her caretakers barely feed her, you see. They keep her hovering on the brink of starvation. Vampires cannot die from lack of food, but eventually they fall into a comatose state. They feed her enough so she’s close to falling into a coma without actually doing so. It’s very torturous for a vampire to suffer through that sort of hunger.”

Another feral snarl erupted from the corner and I assumed Vivian was beginning the third bag of blood. She must’ve been starving indeed, to drain the bags so quickly.

“I couldn’t bring her too much blood at once. Her captors check on her every couple of nights and if she looked too healthy, they would’ve suspected something. There are always vampires nearby so I’ve had to be cautious in the past. The locks on this place may keep humans out, but vampires are suspicious creatures.  Now, of course, I don’t care. We’re running out of time.”

“Why didn’t she tell you the Ritual’s location if she knows it?” I asked, puzzled. We could’ve avoided a lot of worry if Rebekah would’ve asked the question sooner.

Rebekah shook her head. “I tried, but she wouldn’t tell me for a bag of blood. She had a higher price.”

“Why would she tell us now?” Raziel asked, speaking as quietly as possible.

“I did what she asked. I’m hoping she wants Cain dead badly enough that she’ll tell us.”

My suspicions had been confirmed. “So it is Cain who locked her down here, then.”

Rebekah nodded. “That’s why I had to be so careful. From time to time he’d check on her. The last time I visited, she told me to go retrieve something for her, and in return she’d tell me the Ritual’s location. I followed her instructions and retrieved the object, a silver locket.”

I gasped in surprise. “The gem-studded locket?” I whispered.

“The very same.”

I shook my head in disbelief. The pieces were slowly coming together now, and it explained why she’d been in possession of a silver item.

“She wanted to keep it away from Cain. It’s very important to her. Either way, I was too careless. I called my father, telling him I had important information. It was foolish of me to think everything would work out so well, that I’d learn the Ritual’s location without any problems. It was too good to be true. When I returned to see Vivian one last time, locket in hand, I realized the vampires were expecting me, they’d realized I was secretly visiting their prisoner. They had set up a trap. I ran, but they were hot on my trail. I knew they were going to catch up to me.”

Raziel was staring off into the distance, jaw clenched. He knew the rest of the story.

“I’m sure my father already told you, but I was working with a human geneticist. We had a formula prepared as a last resort. I sent him to warn my father, and as soon as the vampires caught up I . . . well, you know the rest.” A sad expression flickered briefly across her countenance. “I’d thought the vampires stole the locket back until now. I guess they hadn’t realized I had it.”

Raziel cleared his throat. “They didn’t have time to. When I showed up they were dragging the human away and coming back for you. They were going to take your body, too. I couldn’t let them, so I . . . convinced them to go back to Cain, to tell him they’d burned your body.”

I felt my mouth open in surprise. Raziel hadn’t included that detail the first time he told the story. “I thought you didn’t have any abilities left? Besides, you know, the..er….charm.”

“I don’t anymore. They fade from year to year. This was ten years ago, when I could bend others’ minds to my will. Even vampires. I haven’t been able to use that ability again since that night, I guess I drained the last of it.” Raziel’s eyes were sorrowful, and I thought I saw regret on Rebekah’s face. I supposed she felt guilty that her birth had caused the onset of Raziel’s loss of powers, but it wasn’t her fault.

A new voice cut into our conversation, much less raspy than before. “So . . . you did obtain the locket.” We all spun to face Vivian, who was sitting amidst the empty blood bags. Her lips were now bloodred, her eyes shined with new vigor, and she sat up straight. It was incredible to see the difference the blood had made. She looked like she’d been in here for only a few weeks instead of over a decade.

“Yes,” Rebekah answered honestly. Vivian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Describe it to me. I never told you what it looked like, just where it was. Prove that you’ve actually seen it.” There was some sort of authority in her words that made me curious.

“Silver, heart-shaped, and studded with assorted gems. It opens, but there’s not picture inside.”

Vivian nodded. “True, but how do I know you actually hid it for me?”

“I didn’t, my father did. Unknowingly or not, he sent it away, and it’s safe now.”

The vampire still looked skeptical. She cocked her head, her reddish eyes studying Raziel for a moment before falling on me. “Not sure I trust you werewolves.”

“Do you have a choice?” Rebekah asked softly, keeping her tone even. The vampires mouth twisted in a wry grimace and she didn’t respond.

“Who are you? Why would Cain lock you up?” I asked her before I could think twice about it. My eyes scanned her shackles, the squalid conditions she was being kept in. She had to have done something terrible to Cain. There was no telling how long she’d been here.

Vivian’s head swiveled around so she could completely focus on me. “This is how he treats his ex-lovers,” she hissed bitterly. A scowl formed on her thin face, and I realized she wasn’t joking.

“Wait . . . he . . .”

“More than a lover, actually. He was my partner, mate, husband, whatever you want to call it.”

The room had gone deathly silent. I was trying to comprehend exactly what her words entailed. The thought of Cain romantically attached to anyone was near-impossible to imagine.

“It wasn’t my choice, of course. Three hundred years ago I met him, he thought I was beautiful, and he desired to have me as his. As you know, what Cain desires, he obtains one way or another. He killed my family and Turned me. When he realized all I felt for him was bitterness, even after decades of being by his side, he locked me up. Eventually, after almost two hundred years as his captive in his massive estate, I escaped. I took some of his valuables with me, too. I fled here, to America.” A sly smile tugged at her lips. It was fitting on her seductive, cat-like features.

“Cain was furious, naturally. Not because he loved me, but because I was his. It took him decades to find me, but find me he did. I’d replaced him with another vampire.”

I saw where this was going, but I remained focused on Vivian, enraptured by her story.

“You may not think vampires can love, and truly, the love we feel is something very dark and twisted, but I loved the vampire I was with in the only way I’ll ever be able to . When Cain found us, he slaughtered my companion, and in a jealous fit of rage, he doomed me to suffer for eternity. I’ve been here for twenty years . . . or maybe thirty, or forty. I truly don’t remember anymore.”

I was speechless, and for the first time in my life, I actually felt the urge to help this vampire. I actually felt something other than complete loathing for a bloodsucker. It completely took me off-guard. I would never have anticipated feeling empathy for one of these lifeless creatures. Perhaps it was because I knew she hated Cain as much as I did.

“So you see, I’m more than willing to make sure Cain dies. And after spending centuries with him, I know everything there is to know. Before I escaped, when I was his prisoner, he confided in me. I know all of the bastard’s deepest, darkest secrets, more than even Antonio knows. Cain never thought I’d have the means to turn against him.”  I caught the gleaming white of exposed fangs before she sheathed them again and continued. “But I’m a vampire, after all, and I won’t tell his secrets for free.” Vivian sneered slightly, red eyes glinting in the dim light.

“I did what you asked. The locket is safe,” Rebekah replied calmly. Vivian studied her, and I got the impression that the vampire was very good at reading people. She’d have to be after living for so long.

“Why can’t you just have someone break you out of here?” I couldn’t resist asking. I thought I saw a hint of surprise in Vivian’s expression.

“Good luck. Cain took his time making these chains. He wanted to make sure that no creature, living or dead, could break me out of here without the one key.”

She jingled the cuffs around her wrists. Squinting, I saw a small slot in one of them.

“One of the materials he used is silver, so I wouldn’t advise trying. And he crafted them to be far too strong for even a werewolf’s strength to overcome, assuming you were immune to silver. Believe me, he thought of everything. Cain always thinks of everything.” Vivian looked away, matted hair briefly obscuring her pale face.  “Even if I’d found a way to break my chains, vampires always patrol this place at night. I’m not match for Cain’s guards in this condition.”

“Anyway, I don’t plan on ever getting out of here. My life as a vampire has been nothing but suffering. Truthfully, I just want the suffering to end. I would’ve had one of you werewolves do the honors, but . . .” She shifted position again, revealing her glinting eyes once more. They burned with a fiery determination. “Before I die, I want to make sure Cain is dead, too.”

I shouldn’t have felt the pang of sorrow that assaulted me when Vivian spoke carelessly about her own death, but my compassionate nature kicked in. My Wolf might have been mostly unsympathetic, but I tried to imagine being locked up and starved in this building for forty years and it was horrifying. For Vivian to still go on after everything was an indicator of her strength. I admired that, vampire or not.

“I’ve had a lot of time to think since I last saw you, Rebekah, and I realize that you really are my only hope. Who else is going to help me plot against him?”

I felt a small rush of hope and saw the same feeling reflected in Rebekah’s brown eyes. Raziel was watching the huddled vampire appraisingly, and I could only hope she chose to help us. I got the impression that Vivian had once been very proud, but was now about ready to give in.

“Tell us . . . where is he going to conduct the Ritual? And when is it? Do we have enough time?” Rebekah breathed. My heart rate picked up in anticipation.

“That depends. What’s today’s date?”

“Tuesday, September tenth,” Raziel replied automatically. I blinked, realizing my 20th birthday was only two days away. I hadn’t been keeping track of time. Hopefully I wouldn’t be spending it without Gabriel.

“Well, that’s good,” Vivian replied softly, lost in thought. “Whether you still have time depends on if Cain knows you’re around or not. He can’t conduct it without your blood, right? And he thinks you’re dead!” Another smirk flitted across her face. Vivian seemingly enjoyed the fact that Cain was in the dark on this one.

“He has my son,” Rebekah said shortly. This time, Vivian’s eyes noticeably widened. Apparently Rebekah had neglected to mention that she had a son before. She had truly protected Gabriel’s identity as much as she could. “Gabriel went after him.”

The vampire’s face hardened into an unreadable mask. “Well, then you don’t have much time at all. You see, this Ritual means a lot to Cain. He’s going to pick a symbolic night for it, I’m sure of it. This month will be ideal for it, too. Your son rushing after him will play perfectly into his hands. Cain being a vampire and all . . .”

“Just say it, Vivian, we are wasting time!” Rebekah demanded, hands clenched in tight fists.

Vivian looked up solemnly. “You’d better catch the next flight out. The Ritual takes place in Israel, at Mount Tabor. And Cain’s going to have it on Friday the thirteenth.” I felt my heart rate increase tenfold as the implication hit me.

The Ritual would be taking place across the world, in some place I’d never heard of, and worse: we only had three days.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed! We are entering the last phase of the story. Please remember to vote and comment.

Also, I know I’ve said this before, but I’ve started updating on my own time instead of every five days on the dot. So the very few of you begging for or demanding updates, honestly, it doesn’t do you much good. I love that you guys are so into the story but I’ll update when I feel the chapter is good enough. You guys deserve the best chapters and I deserve the time to write them.

MULTIMEDIA:

A beautiful cover that incorporates all of the elements of the story by the_aristocrat

Audiomachine – The Truth