Drake's beaten up body slides across the floor and lands by my side. His once perfectly styled suit is ripped and stained with blood and dirt. He gags and sends me a pleading look. "Help me..." He whispers, but I don't have time to reply, for he is flung into a wall and lands at its feet with a sickening crunch.

Emma strolls towards him and it is only then that I realize how much she has changed: her movements are calculated, fast but elegant, as she thinks of her next strike, and of how much pain it would inflict upon the victim. Her wavy hair sways from side to side as she takes in Drake's fear with immense pleasure. The agony and pain seems to fuel her with excitement and only worsens his fate.

"Look at this Jay," Liam whispers loudly for only I to hear, "Watch as she plays with your friend, tortures him and strikes him down again and again, marveling in his anguish."

Drake howls with torment as his arm is ripped from his body and cast into the swallowing shadows. My mind doesn't even seem to pay attention to Lily's screams behind me.

-Why are you doing this?" I look at Liam with distaste. "He helped you, he trusted you... your kind sickens me."

-Are you really the one to talk? After all of the traitorous things he has done to inflict damage upon her, you're defending him? Shouldn't you be happy dancing around him and smiling as his bones break slowly, one by one?" Liam retorts with amusement. But when his eyes land back on the victim, they morph into disgust.

Drake's legs end up in the same fate as his arm and I shut my eyes with terror. This isn't Emma, it can't be over for her. "I would have wanted to finish him myself." I say with a shaking voice, "But you are turning the only girl that I ever loved into a monster. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Liam looks at me for seconds in deep reflection, completely oblivious to the murderous scene unfolding in front of him. "If she means so much to you, let her kill you and put her out of this killing state. She will be brought back from the trance, as a hunter, not a slaying machine, simply because you are linked by the soulmate bonds."

I don't know if Liam is lying or telling the truth, but if there's a chance, even a sliver of one, that Emma can be brought back and out of her murderous intentions, even if it means condemning her to be a hunter for the rest of her life, then I'll do it.

I close my eyes and sigh, pressing my forehead against the cold stone floor. "Jay, don't do it!" Lily whispers urgently and my eyes fling open, staring into her face filled with sorrow and anguish. She looks over at Liam who has his back turned to us now, starring at his work unfolding perfectly as he has planned. "There is a way, a way to bring Emma back. I saw it..." I wait for her to finish, a sudden hope spreading in my body. "But I would never want you to do it. Even though I know that you would without a second thought, but please don't I-"

-Lily!" I cut her off, "What can I do?" I glance at the hunter but his attention is still directed on Emma. At that moment, I wish for Drake's fate to be longer and more painful, just to give me enough time. "Tell me."

-The bond that connect you and Emma is weak and fading, but it's still there. I can see the hesitation that she has every time she gets an order from Liam. I see it, her soul is still stuck between both worlds, and she can't seem to chose. She's torn between the thought of her parents, and of you. But you can bring her back Jay." I nod and she shuts her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek. "She has a chance. But you'll have to sacrifice yourself to give her that. If Liam orders her to kill you, she obeys a hunter's order and thereby it brings her back as a hunter, but if you willingly sacrifice yourself she will come as the side that she chooses. She will have a choice! It could be vampire, or hunter, but hopefully her love for you will make her vampire. She will be back but you will be gone, you will never be together. It's the only way that you can save her, and the entire vampire race. I wouldn't ever want you to take that choice Jay, but I know that you will. It's just the thought of losing you that makes me- I mean, you're my brother! You're my only brother! Please don't leave me, please don't lea-" I place a finger on her lips and she buries her face in my shoulder as I encircle her in a tight embrace, our last one. Her shoulders shake as she cries, Drake's screams only a painful background noise now.

"You know that I have to Lily..." She nods and slumps back, looking at me with glistening and devastated eyes.

"You have to look at her, to express your love for her as she kills you Jay... the bond will strengthen and her soul will chose. It's the only way she can be brought back." I look at her for a second, seeing my little sister for what will probably be the last time. I stand and glide carefully towards Liam's immobile shape, who's back is still turned to me. Just as I'm about to strike, Emma sends Liam a warning look and he turns around, flinging an arm across my face so that I fly and fall right into a wall. Drake's cries are silent now.

"I really thought that you would be thinking a bit more Jay... but oh well, now that your energy is coming back, I'd suggest you prepare yourself for your murder. And whom better to kill you than your own beloved? I've really made this quite romantic, a bit tragic at the same time though, don't you think?" He smirks and flicks his finger towards me. "Emma, finish him." Emma nods and approaches me as I roll onto my back and my head falls onto my shoulder. I stare at her and send her a pleading look but she doesn't seem to notice. Or does she want to notice? She grips me by the front of my shirt and brings me up to my feet with ease. My face is inches from hers and I pierce into her golden eyes, hypnotized by someone else's will.

She breaks my arm behind me and I let out a growl, fighting against the urge to attack as much as I can. But it's too strong... without thinking a free myself from her grip and throw her into the opposite wall. I'm at her side in second and her back is pressed to my chest as I whisper urgently in her ear. "Emma please, come back it's me... please!" She doesn't seem to hear and turns around, hitting me square in the jaw. I tumble backwards, rubbing my jaw and I look at with sadness. Lily was right, the only way to bring her back would be at the most perilous of moments, the time of my death, the time when she would realize what she has done. It needs to happen, there is no other way...

Slowly I step forward and she punches me again. It keeps on going like that, forward, punch, forward, punch, forward, punch, until I fall onto the ground and bring my weight up again.

Liam's maniac laugh echoes in my ears. "Haven't you had enough yet Jay? I must say, I admire your will to fight back but really, there isn't much hope is there? Wouldn't it be better to just give up now?" I don't reply and he tilts his head, inspecting my state further before grinning once again, with the promise of a plan behind it. But what he doesn't know is that I've got a plan of my own, and it's unfolding just as I hoped it would. "Kill him Emma. Put him out of his misery."

Emma approaches me carefully and crouches besides me. She snarls and long fangs protrude from her mouth as her face comes closer to mine. She pulls me closer to her face and growls. "Emma... it's me, please..."

Ten

Nine

Eight

"Please Emma, you have to come back..."

Seven

Six

She brings out a blade and presses it into my chest.

Five

Four

"Please Emma! Come back, you're stronger than this!"

Three

Two

The blade pierces my skin and blood gushes instantly from the wound as my head tilts back and I stare into her golden eyes. This will be the last time I see her. This is it...

One

"I love you..." I utter softly, watching her eyes blink as reality sinks into her just before I slip into a world of forever darkness.

...°...

Jay's body falls limp in my arms and the mist clouding my vision begins to decipher, giving me clear sight of my surroundings.

"Good job Emma... Come to me." Liam puts a hand on my shoulder. Suddenly he freezes as I turn towards him. "What...? Your -your eyes, why haven't they - do as I say Emma!" I laugh as he steps back.

"It didn't happen as you hoped it would did it Liam?" His eyes widen with horror and I bite down into his shoulder, drowning myself in the enthralling taste of gushing blood. His struggles weaken, and finally he falls, lying in a pile of sticky liquid at my feet.

Vampire.

The word echoes in my mind like a ritual.

"For Jay." I whisper, feeling something unfamiliar, something new threatening to spill from my completely golden eyes. My vampire side, my inheritance from Jay's blood flowing in my veins.

I lay down besides the still body of the only man I ever loved, and snuggle into the crook of his arm, wrapping myself around him.

All of the love, all of the passion that we shared in those rare moments come flooding back and I can't think straight. I can't think of anything else than regret.

Finally, for the first time since forever, I cry.

I cry frozen tears.