Who would have thought that I would end up back where I started? Waking up to a massive headache. I was back in darkness. Cold and in chains. I know I'm not the perfect person in the world but this is too much. Moving my arms around. I could hear the chains hitting together. They were so tight that I could feel it digging into my skin. Just moving my wrist a little hurt, like it was burning me.

"Well, I'm surprised. With a hit like that I would think you would be passed out longer. Or even dead."

"Mel." I growled. My throat felt dry and tasted like paper.

"You don't sound surprised." She smiled. Well I didn't see it but she did. I could feel her standing in front of me. Looking down on me. "Did you not think I didn't know that you were in the green house?"

"You knew?" I whispered.

"When Crevan told me that you were still alive. I noticed that he was looking behind me. Then when I saw Beth I could smell your sent all over the room. That's when I knew you knew. I couldn't have you telling on me now." She laughed.

"You sicken me. Where's River?" I hissed.

"Oh her." She said lazily as if it didn't matter. She took a step to the side and walked to the other side of the room. Within seconds she turned on the lights. Blinded by the light, I saw River's hands tied together over her head. She was hanging there with her head down.

"River! River! Oh god River, please!" I cried.

Melantha laughed. "She's can't hear you Dawn. She's out cold, Hahaha. I have to say she's a stubborn one. You see." She said walking over to River. "Lycans hate silver. So do vampires but we can stand them. But for a child it can be deadly. Hahaha. She was a lot of fun." She pushed River's side making her swing from left to right.

"You sick bastard. How can you do this? Let her go."

"Now what's the fun in that?" She walked away from River and came to me. Grabbing my throat she started to squeeze. "What's the fun in killing you if I can't make your last moments a living hell?" She squeezed a little harder to the point I thought she was going to snap my neck.

"Enough Melantha!" a booming voice surrounded the room making Mel drop her hand.

"Crevan, darling. Did you come to play with me?" She smiled. Coughing I felt tears run down my face. In my head all I can think of was that Connor better get us and please for the love of god that River was okay. Which I don't think so right now.

I glared at Crevan who was at the doorway walking down some stairs. "I thought I told you to leave her be." He said. Yea... what he said, I thought. "She belongs to me." Wait? What? Did I miss something here?

"What do you want with her?" Mel said sourly crossing her arms together.

"We have a very long history together. Isn't that right little one?" He gave me a smile. It only made my inside twist into a knot.

"What?" Mel turned around biting her bottom lip until it started to bleed. "You are something aren't you? How many men have you had since you arrived here, whore." She took a hold of my throat and all I could do was close my eye. Pulling the chains around my wrists forward. I tried to take in the pain and welcome whatever was coming next. "Die!" she yelled.

A gust of wind hit me as I felt Mel's hands disappear from my throat. Connor? I thought. I coughed as I leaned forward. Taking deep breaths. I looked over to my side to Crevan's hand on Mel's throat. She was smacked into the wall with her kicking her legs in the air. Digging her nails into his arm, she hissed with her fangs out. "You will not speak to her that way." He growled as he let her go.

She fell on her knees with one hand on her throat and the other on the floor keeping her up. "How... how dare you." She whispered. "Why is she so important?"

"She's my daughter."

Mel quickly looked up, "That can't be." Her eyes grow wide and so did mine. Did I miss something? I had to.

Mel glanced over to me in disbelief. "Leave us Malantha." She looked back up to him. "I have waited for this day for a very long time. And I will not let you take it from me."

"I guess she was never my prey from the beginning." She got up with a smile. Hey, hey why did she smile? Watching her leave I felt relief but I still had that knot in my stomach.

When she was gone I glanced over to River. Staring at her I saw her chest move up and down. Sighing in relief I glanced over to Crevan whose back was towards me. Squeezing his fists he had his shoulders hunched over and head down low. "Crevan?" He walked over to the door to leave. "Crevan!" I yelled but he didn't make eye contact.

At the doorway with his back still towards me. "You should rest." He said before turning off the lights leaving us in the dark.

"Crevan!" I yelled in the darkness. "Please, let us go." I whispered.