Rylie launched herself at Nat, firing orb after orb to the woman. Natalie raised the shield in the direction of the blasts, weakening them before they hit her. She shrugged it off, then sent another knife at the rookie.

Mark, his powers now restored, jumped in, swinging his sword at the therapist. She changed the direction of the shield to shorten his sword, but caught to blast of radiant energy in the side for her trouble. Sent flying, she landed next to Keith’s body.

Laying a hand on his chest, her eyes began to glow. Mark felt the little bit of magic coming from Keith flow into Natalie’s body. She smirked at the void grew dark.

Rylie stayed lit up, but the shield must have been trained on her, since she was dim. Mark stood near his partner, deflecting any knives thrown her way.

“Did she just take his power?” Rylie asked.

“Yes, but I assume there’s a limit to it. Otherwise she would have left us here to rot,” Mark replied.

“She would have only gotten a head start,” Rylie said. “I left an after image I can still feel. We can head back.”

“Not until she’s dead,” Mark growled.

He launched himself into the darkness, using his senses to track Natalie. The void lit up behind him as the shield moved from Rylie to him. He continued his attacked anyway, ignoring Natalie parrying his swings with knives.

Rylie joined the fray, tackling Natalie. They went sprawling, but Natalie held on tightly to the shield. She held it against Rylie, who’s radiant magic suddenly disappeared completely.

Mark listened and reached out with his sense, picking up on Natalie instantly. Rylie’s magic was near imperceivable. But something else pinged for him. He launched himself across the room, feeling his energy drain as he reached the pedalstals. He grabbed the bracelet.

“Stop this, Natalie. You’ve lost. No matter if you kill us, you lost today,” he said.

“So what? So, I wait another five years,” she said from the shadow. “As annoying as it is, it’s doable. All I have to do is outlast you. Your partner is down for the count. Your energy is fading fast. I’ll find another ritual. Only this time I won’t let you leave. I’ll keep you here until I’m ready. You think last time was bad? Imagine how much damage five years will do to you.”

He could see Rylie’s light slowly coming back, her magic growing stronger as the shield was focused on him. Knives stuck out of her in various points. She was carefully pulling them out. Mark walked toward them.

Natalie pulled more knives out from nothing and held them up defensively. As long as he could keep her facing toward him, Rylie might be able to pull this off. She threw knife after knife and he took them to his body but kept advancing.

Finally, Rylie stood up straight and covered herself in light. It wasn’t as bright as it usually was, but it was enough to get Natalie’s attention. The therapist turned to attack her and was met with a blast that sent her flying toward Mark.

The void turned, her powers siphoned from Keith taking over. Mark and Rylie fell to the ground, but Natalie got up. She fired a knife at Rylie’s neck, but Mark was tracking it jumped in the way, taking the blade in his spine.

He landed next to Rylie who immediately went to check on him. Natalie held onto the shield, it’s range now able to affect both of them. The light dimmed and Mark felt his magic once again leave his body.

“You lose, Traitors,” Natalie said. “Game over.” She pulled out another knife and sauntered toward the par. “I only need one of you though.”

“Rylie, now!”

Rylie stood up, arm outstretched with Longing’s bracelet on her wrist. The magic she had taken from Lane fired out at full blast, a geyser of energy of red and black. It launched at Natalie, wrapping her in its pure essence until it had completely consumed her. The shield clattered to the ground.

Mark wearily got up to his feet and slowly made his way over to the writhing magic. He picked up the shield and felt his magic flow into his body in abundance. He formed his arm into a metal hammer.

“You were a shit therapist,” he said before punching through the blob of magic, shattering it across the void.

The void lightened and they found themselves standing, Rylie still holding out her hand and panting. Mark looking into the distance as the last trail of Lane’s magic and Natalie faded away.

“That was,” Rylie said, “super intense.”

“Yeah, but it’s over now, kid. Great job.”

They sat and rested for a minute in silence, letting their breath catch up to them as they relaxed. They traded off the shield, which boosted their passive healing and sped things along. Once they felt better, Rylie stood up and connected the portal to her after image.

They explained everything that happened to the team back at headquarters once they got back. Hanna took the shield back into custody, and they got a hold of Jeanette to give the bracelet back to. She had invited them both to come visit whenever they wanted.

“Rain check,” Mark joked.

The team fixed up headquarters and went back to their daily tasks, tracking down and stopping various hostile collective members before they got too far. Rylie also started looking out for people who wanted their powers removed. Another situation like Keith was to be avoided.

“She’s not a rookie, anymore. Her powers are coming into their own. She has the choice to stay partnered with you or teach one of the new kids,” Hanna explained to Mark one day.

“I’ll tell her. I doubt she’ll bounce though,” Mark replied.

“Me too. You guys fight well together,” Hanna said.

“Any word on Thatcher?”

Hanna sighed, “Other than some leads that didn’t pan out, nothing. He’s gone in the wind, but I doubt he’ll be gone for long.”

Outside the door, a few people ran by. Mark watched as Beatrice Albright walked by, tailed by a dozen or so vampires. He was out the door in a flash, ignoring Hanna’s warnings not to do anything.

She got to the bullpen and was staring down Jay and Lily.

“What do you want?” Jay asked.

“Am I being detained? I thought your job was to help people,” Beatrice asked, a bemused tone to her voice.

“It is,” Lily said, “so like he asked, what do you want?”

“I want Araleigh,” she said.

Jay and Lily looked confused. “Who?” Jay said.

“Araleigh. You have her. I want her back,” Beatrice said.

“Look lady, we have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lily responded.

Mark pushed past the vampiric goons, stepping between his former partners and the second in command of the Albright. She was tall and slim, an olive brown skin tone highlighting her dark features. She smirked at him.

“Oh, good. Where is Araleigh? Give her back,” Beatrice said.

“You can’t have her. Get out,” he growled.

“Not until I see her. Now.”

Mark summoned his sword and applied the radiant coin to it, lighting it up.

“It’s okay,” Rylie said behind him. “Stand down, Mark.”

He turned to find Jay and Lily confused, but settled on the face of his partner. She looked determined, but he felt the nerves radiating from her body. Her secret was out.

“Hello, Mom.”