This bears too much for my heart to take; there is no way I have ever imagined that I shall lose Lilith in such a way. I do understand that she requires companionship, but why can they not remain here in the Belmont House. What I am also aware of is that they do fear for the safety of Stefan, for she does not have to mention a single word. I do know that both Victor and she believe that I am a danger to be around. This does sting my heart, I have, and I shall always ensure that she and the boy will be safe.

Yes, there is a great enemy waiting for us to face; I would prefer that she remain here until the threat has passed.

"My dear sister, there is a monster that is lurking in the shadows that are threatening to step forward. Please can I beg for you to hold off your decision once we have safely retrieved the Book of Spells?"

"I know we are all in great danger; I have not made my decision yet. I felt I need to discuss the question that Victor place in my path with the two men that mean a great deal in my life."

"I am very pleased to hear that, please may I also request that you and Stefan stay inside. I shall request that all doors and windows be locked down immediately."

"Do you fear the holder of the Book shall come after us?"

"I believe that nobody is safe. No mythical creature and no human also. We shall be leaving in the next half an hour, and I do believe that Victor is joining us."

"I beg that you both be safe."

With that, Lilith makes her exit; to say that Edward and I am not relieved would be a lie. But this shall be a shortlived for we do need to make our departure. I do believe that we are being optimistic walking into this with only four Vampires. The question begs the Book of Spells does require some skill to master, has the holder managed to do so? This I am afraid I do not know, for we have not seen any unexplainable phenomenon.

So after gathering as much courage that four trembling Vampires can, we step outside the door, requesting Lilith to lockdown and not open it for anyone. It does appear that we are taking this to some extreme, but I do fear that we are not merely going to walk in and get what we want. And by the force they went through to get the Book in their possession, let us all believe that this shall be a formidable opponent.

It is with nervous laughter that we all get into the car. The plan is to drive halfway there and make the rest of the way by foot. Now we will be expected, the question of how welcome we shall be received, well that clearly is not a question that needs to be answered. But what needs to be asked is how many are involved, and even of more importance if they have used any of the spells that give them great power.

The drive is made in utter silence. The silence is so deafening that one can clearly hear the heartbeat of the one sitting next to you. Victor, who seems to babble the moment he gets nervous, is driving not only me but Edward insane. Anastasia has completely shut off. Ever so often, I reach behind my chair and rub her leg in my own way of assuring that it shall be okay. The fact I can not guarantee any that anything is going to be. Of all the enemies we have taken, it is a Book that we end up fearing the most.

But then Edward turns down a street I am not expecting him to have turned.

"Edward, where are you going? There is no time for any other things now?"

Well, I need not even ask anything further, for I know exactly where we are headed. This has been a road I have traveled down with my beloved more than we quite often should have.

"My beloved, is this your doing? Are you the one that has requested his presence?"

"Sebastian, please, we need any hands we can get, and right now, his will do just as good as any will. And if you think of it, he is supposed to be the protector of the city."

"Yes, against Vampires. He has no business with the Book of Spells."

"I said it has become his business, now play nice."

With that, we are stopping in front of the pesky little Vampire Hunter's home. And as the man gets into the car, I already wish that I can slap that smirk off his face. But wait, give him one more minute, and he will have something smart to say.

"Well, it seems you not man enough again, Mr. Vampire Master."

"And it seems that you still don't know when to keep that stupid mouth shut."

"It is this mouth that our beloved has asked for; guess your mouth has worn out its purpose."

"If this mouth has worn off his purpose, why is she wearing my ring then?"

"Your what?"

"Ha! Who has worn out his purpose now."

I watch with utter satisfaction as my beloved continues to inform my dear little friend of our union. Well, to say that I am not devilishly satisfied that she has once again burst his tiny little bubble that there shall and never will be anything but a very odd friendship between themselves. But such feats are of no importance as we are coming up to where we need to be.

"From here, we shall walk on foot. I do believe that our presence is expected, so do be alert to your surroundings. Any person that we encounter on the way can not be trusted. Please do stay close and my dear Hunter, touch my beloved, and I will make sure you die first."

"Sebastian!"

"What, my beloved? I saw the way the man was staring at your ass."

"Then why are you staring at my ass as well?"

"My dear, cause it belongs to me."

"Last time I checked, it was attached to my body. Now stop being silly, or we all are going to end up dead."

So I believed I have, as a term that what explained to me by Edward, I have just been whipped. Not a whipping that I would like to receive, I would lean to the real kind instead. But all jokes aside.

As we pass each side street, we look from side to side to see if there is any danger lurking there. It is eerily quiet, and the roads are deserted. Yes, it is fairly late in the evening, but there should at least be a car or someone wandering the street somewhere. This does put the fear of seven mortal deaths in me. The light are dimmer than they usually should be, it feels like a graveyard, but even more, it feels as if we are walking in the danger of our deaths.

So after terrifying miles in dead silence, we find ourselves standing outside the building where Elloise said the Book is being held. A building that I know very well. I have been on many occasions in this residence myself; never did I think I would come here for any reason here but for a friendly visit. Well, believe me, we are not here in any familiar way at all.

With each hesitating step, we make our way around to the back to where we intend to sneak our way in. Now I do believe that there are security cameras here; there is no way we will be sneaking at all. But if it pleases Edward, then we can do it this way.

As we make our way through a back gate that strangely is open, I immediately know that something is wrong. But we push our way forward through green gardens which are surrounded by the most beautiful white lilies; we are for a second distracted by the danger looming within. Through a maze of trees, we find our way up to a back door, and as Victor turns the knob to find it open, only one thought occurs to me.

"This is too easy; this must be a trap."

Anastasia, not wanting to wait for further instructions from either Edward or me, flings the door right open. As we step through the door into the kitchen, there is nothing, nothing all but pitch darkness. In the distance, I hear something that is beeping at a pitch too loud. I believe we have just set off the alarm. Even if no one is here aware of our entrance, they shall soon be made aware of the minute they are phoned by the security company.

We quickly step outside and make our way back the way that we came. Satisfied that we have not been seen, we regroup. There are two things that are very clear, the Book has been moved, and the holder now knows that we are searching for it. This does mean only one thing; we shall have to get Elloise to help us track the Book, for I fear it shall be moved again.

So with much disappointment, we turn down the road to walk back to the car; I still cannot understand how this road can be so awfully dead this time of night. And if the silence is not enough, the skies are turning darker than before.

"Lovely, all we need now is to walk back in the rain."

My words are not even dead, and I hear the rumble of thunder, but thunder in more of an ominous way. So as I lift my head to observe how hard the rains shall come down onto us, I stop in my tracks.

"Edward."

Edward casts his eyes up to the skies. He sees the same vision that I have only but seconds ago. The sky is dark, with rumbling clouds that are turning over and over each other, but that is not the problem; this is not clouds of rain. They are very much clouds that are aflame.

My beloved that has noticed our distraction, now also looks in the same direction that we are.

"Sebastian, why are the clouds that awful dead red?"

Then the Vampire Hunter turns to me, not to crack a joke, but with concern on his face.

"I have read of this before, in old legends. Is it?"

"My dear friend, I am afraid that the first spell has been cast."

Edward, who has now picked up his pace, tries to encourage our nervous minds to get to the car as soon as we possibly can. "Sebastian, you know what creatures shall now come to the surface."

"I am afraid I do, and there is no way of warning any soul, whether immortal or mortal in kind."

Once we are finally back in the safety of the car, everyone except my beloved knows what is about to happen, and there is no way to beat around the bust; it is clearly going to have to come in the most forward way which will scare her to death. But before I can even muster the words, she takes me by the hand.

"Sebastian, what is going on?"

"My beloved, within the Book of Spells, there lies a spell so great that if it succeeds, it shall build the perfect race."

"What do you mean perfect race?"

"There shall be seven spells that shall test mortal, immortal, and the dead to see who lasts through the process. That shall be the perfect race that shall be under the rule that man that cast the spell."

"What seven spells?"

"Well, the first has just been cast. The Darkness. The one that shall cleanse the mortals."