"The time has finally come," Leon said squeezing my throat. "Who would have thought the little wolf that was tortured and left for dead by my brother would end up being his one true love? It's actually quite disturbing when you think about it," Leon said calmly in my ear. I could feel his stubble rubbing up against my cheek as he held me against his chest. "But it does mean I now get to end you as my coward brother should have all those years ago and now he gets to watch me do it," he growled with pleasure.

"Please don't hurt me," I used my 'I'm so weak and innocent' voice on him. "I'll do anything you want, just please don't hurt me." I gasped at the end of that sentence to give it a more of an 'I'm terrified' vibe.

"Hurt you?" Leon pulled my head backward by pulling my hair sharply and stared into my eyes. "Baby girl, I'm going to rip you limb from limb and then and put you back together so that I can do it all again. You are going to be begging me just to hurt you, trust me," he said slyly right in my face. His eyes glowed yellow as they trailed over me. He was clearly enjoying this moment way too much for my liking. I was amazed at how much he looked like Carter, his dark hair, strong jawline, and physical presence were almost the exact match but the scarring on his face and mean eyes made him nothing compared to his older brother.

"Please, I'll do anything you want. I don't want to die. Anything," I bit my lip and let a single tear fall down my cheek. I was good at this acting thing.

"You can give me nothing but the satisfaction of your death and my brother's descent into madness, which will please me greatly," Leon smiled. "But first, let me take you to your accommodation for the next few days. I'm sure you will be very comfortable there," he chuckled in the back of his throat as his eyes glowed with pleasure in the darkness. "Take the boy back to the cave," he ordered to his guards. "Take her to my castle."

"Yes sir," they answered almost in sync.

"No, please let me go," I wailed as the guards cuffed me roughly and threw me onto the shoulder of one of them. "Don't touch me," I screamed as his hand dig into my leg.

"Move her quickly. I don't want anything to happen to her. Do you understand?" Leon yelled as I was carried away.

"Yes sir," the guard mumbled as he quickly walked towards the cold dark woods again.

"Let me go," I yelled as the vampire guard walked quickly through the trees with me still slung over his broad shoulder. "Trust me. You don't want to do this."

"What are you doing here my pretty lady?" A familiar voice said from under me. "You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous."

"Vinnie?" I said, looking at the guard's covered-up face. "Holy shit, is that really you?"

"Of course it's me. You know Leon is going to kill you, right?" Vinnie said still walking.

"Maybe that's what I want." I snapped, trying to struggle out of his hold on me. Vinnie may be an idiot, but he is probably one of the strongest vampires I know and it's a good thing he hasn't figured that out yet.

"Princess, this isn't a joke. Leon will kill you without mercy."

"Why do you care? You made your choice and left us, we were your family, and you just left us to be with them."

"Not by choice," he snapped at me.

"My brother needs my help, and I'm going to help him."

"Edward? I heard about him. I'm sorry, I honestly had no idea he was still alive."

"He needs me, and I can't let him down, not again," I felt sick thinking about my brother being trapped or in pain.

"I heard what happened with Carter and your family. That must have been a huge shock to you." Vinnie said softly.

"More than you know, that's why I have to save Edward. I need to get to him."

"I understand your dilemma, Ebony, but no. You can't this time I'm afraid."

"No, buts Vinnie, let me go," I yelled loudly. "I need to get to Leon," I yelled, struggling on his shoulder again.

"Ebony, you are only making this harder on yourself. I cannot allow you to die at the hands of Leon. That is not your destiny. That will not stop this war."

"It might be. We can only try. Can I maybe get off your shoulder? Walk a little? I'm starting to really hurt here."

"No, we mustn't stop here. There is too much danger in these forests for you. Savages are after your blood. We must get out of here," he said abruptly as he took off forward towards the dark shadows again.

----------------

CARTERS POV

"Boss, what do we do now?" Jake said, standing next to me as we watched one of Leon's guards carry Ebony off towards the shadows. "Can I rip his throat out now?" He said with a smile.

"Just wait until he reaches the dark forest, then we attack," I said calmly, watching Ebony struggle on his shoulder. I had to follow Ebony's plan, I owed her that much.

"It is done," I heard Henry say to my right. "My father is surrounding Leon's headquarters with his army as we speak. Are you sure about this?"'

"It's all we have now," I said. "Ebony is the only one who can end this,"

"Father, I found the portal and shut it down for now," Callan said, running towards me. "I don't know how long that will last through."

"Good job, my son," I patted him on the back and looked back to Ebony on the shoulder of the guard. "Wait, why is that guard turning towards the city? That wasn't the plan. What is he doing?"

"I'll go, you stray here." They are looking for you." Callan said taking off towards the guard and Ebony.

-----------

EBONY POV

"Why are we slowing down?" I looked around at the darkness of the forest surrounding us now. "Vinnie?" The air was cold and almost felt thicker than before. The sky was now covered by the tops of the trees, and I could no longer hear the chanting of the mob, just silence filled my ears now.

"You know I have always liked you right, Ebony? Ever since I first saw you, I knew we would end up together like this," Vinnie smiled as he put me on the ground and knelt beside me. "You were special."

"Is this some sort of sick fantasy thing?"

"You have always been nice to me, even when I was a jerk."

"That's debatable."

"And I'm sorry, but I can't let you do this. I can't let you die like this. You have no idea what Leon has planned for you, Ebony. It's more horrifying than I can explain. I can't do that to you and I won't," he shook his head and closed his eyes. "You have to live."

"Vinnie, I don't understand what you are talking about. Just let me go."

"NO," he bellowed loudly cutting me off. "No, this time you will listen to me. I will not let you do this. Your life was not supposed to be this way. You need to listen to me. I spoke with Carter's mom, and she agreed that this was never supposed to happen. You were never meant to be here at this time and this war started because of you. This was never meant to happen, Ebony."

"What? Vinnie, I don't understand?"

"You were supposed to die when you were younger. Carter was supposed to kill you and claim his destiny, but he didn't, and now because of the love he has for you this world will be destroyed along with everything in it. Carter and Leon are going to destroy the world because of you and without humans Ebony, we no longer exist. Ebony, you need to fix this before it's too late."

"Fix what?"

"You need to save the world, Ebony," I turned to see Carter's mom walking toward me. "You need to set things straight, so your world can survive." You need to fix the monster and change the future."

"Look, I know things are not the greatest right now, but we have a plan to fix it. It is going to work, and everything will be ok," I tried to walk away from him, but Vinnie grabbed my leg causing me to trip onto the ground. He reached for my leg and pulled me back towards him. "Let go of me."

"No," Vinnie said, gripping my leg tighter. "Everything will not be ok. This needs to end now. Leon will kill you tonight and if you die then we all die because Carter will lose his shit! We can't let this happen anymore. Ebony, listen to me." Vinnie grabbed both of my legs as I tried to kick him. "You need be anywhere but this time."

"Vinnie, stop it," I screamed as he lunged at me on the ground and held me down. "Vinnie!"

"I'm sorry, Ebony, but you have to go." He said looking quite upset. "Leon will win tonight if you stay here."

"GET OFF HER," I heard Carter's voice yell from the shadows. "How dare you touch her," His voice made the trees shake as it boomed across the forest. "I will destroy you."

Vinnie's eye widened as he searched the darkness for Carter. "I'm sorry old friend, but the world can't end like this. Please, you have to understand. She can't be here. She will die."

"I understand that you have to die," Carter yelled again in the far-off distance.

"Listen to him, Vinnie. It doesn't have to be this way," I tried to stand up but my arms were now being held down by someone else. "What the hell?'" I looked up to see Callan looking down at me. "No, Callan. Not you, please." I begged up at him.

"I'm sorry, Ebony, but this is the only way to save both our worlds. You have to go back," Callan said in my ear. "I am truly sorry. We need to set things straight. If you die tonight then we all die tonight. You need to stop the monster."

"Callan, don't listen to them. They have brainwashed you, we can stop this, but you have to let me go," I said, trying to struggle out of his hold.

"If there was a different way Ebony, we would do it, but there isn't. You have to go back." Callan was holding me so tightly his nails were digging into my skin.

"Go back? Go back to where?" I said to Callan, who looked utterly devastated as he held me down on the ground. "Let me go, please."

"He is close. We have to act now. That magical barrier will not contain him for much longer," Vinnie said, standing up. He cleared his throat and began to chant in a strange and ancient language. The forest went still as he closed his eyes and shouted the words even louder.

"NOW," Callan yelled as a bright light in front of me appeared. The light was calling my name, and somehow, it felt familiar as I stared into the hypnotic light in front of me. I heard the ocean waves beating the sand, just like when I was little, and I could smell the flowers that used to grow outside our family cave reach my senses. Jasmine. I felt like I belonged in there and like I was safe. I felt like I needed to be in there. I tried to look away from the light but couldn't as the trance became stronger; it was pulling me towards the scent of my family home. I was hypnotized by this magical light in front of me.

"No, Ebony. Don't do this." I heard Carter's voice yell all around me but it was too late, I was already gone.