Author: Crystal

Email: blacklightning@mailcity.com or susanharman70@hotmail.com

Spoilers: General Night World

Disclaimer: All Night World ideas and characters belong to LJS, Susan Black Lightning, Blake Redfern, Josh Deaver, Aria and Adrian belong to me. Please ask if you want to use them.

Ratings: PG-13

Parts:

Summary: discovery of fourth wild power – with a twist. Not as predictable as you might think.

She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Her hair was like a black waterfall, rippling down her slender back. Her eyes were the colour the sky at twilight with silver specks like starlight. Her features were exquisite, her mouth soft and inviting.

She was dancing with her friends. They were pretty, but not as stunning as her. He wanted her. He had to have her.

He could feel his long canine teeth lengthening at the thought. As soon as she was alone…

* * *

A cold wind blew over the stunted grass as Susan walked in the cemetery. She’d been restless all night, and felt a compulsion to go out for a walk. She knew it was dangerous to go out alone at night, especially in L.A. She didn’t care.

Something was bothering her and she needed the crisp cool air to clear her head. She couldn’t shake the feeling someone was following her, watching her. It was creepy. But why should that bother her?

Susan Black-Lighting was used to people staring at her. She was the most popular girl at El Camino High. She knew she was stunning, with her midnight hair and her twilight eyes. People said she looked dangerous. Scary. She reasoned that was because they were afraid of her or jealous. She was smart as well as beautiful and she knew every boy wanted her. So she was used to stares.

Why was this feeling bothered her? She didn’t know. She knelt down in front of the grave she was visiting and placed down a long red rose on the grave.

"Hey Alyssa," she whispered. The dead girl had been her best friend for years. Alyssa had died a few weeks ago. Susan still missed her.

She heard the footsteps behind her. She stood up. Who else could be walking in a graveyard at this time of night?

"Who’s there?" she called.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you," a deep voice said. A man stepped out of the shadows. He seemed in his mid twenties. He was tall, dressed in black with dark hair and the most unusual eyes Susan had ever seen. They seemed to shift colour from moment to moment. Now orange, now glacier green, now violet, now blue.

"It takes a lot to scare me," Susan said flatly. She had a reputation for being brave. She hated anyone bruising her ego.

The guy looked down at the grave she was visiting. "Who was she?" he asked.

"My best friend. She died recently," Susan said softly.

"That’s a shame," the guy said sympathetically. "I lost someone close to me not so long ago."

Something about this guy disturbed her, but she didn’t know what. She told herself she was probably tired and upset and was only imagining things. She could feel tears welling in her eyes as she thought of Alyssa. How full of life and how happy she had always been. They had been so close. Alyssa was the one she could always rely on, always talk to, tell her secrets to. They’d been best friends for years and years. It was still so hard to believe she was gone.

The guy was still standing there, staring at her. Susan made a mistake. She met his eyes directly. But at the time she didn’t realise the mistake. They were hypnotic, compelling, drawing her to him. "You didn’t tell me your name," she said. "I’m Susan."

"My name is Blake," he said slowly. Suddenly Susan's tears over flowed. Blake had been Alyssa’s surname.

Blake put his arms around her and held her close, comforting her. Susan didn’t notice him brush the hair off her shoulder, exposing her neck.

She gasped with shock as she felt something sharp pierce her flesh. She tried to scream but Blake kept her face pressed against his shoulder to muffle her voice. The pain was unique. She’d never felt anything like it before. The pain grew unbearable. She realised she must be dying. At least, she thought, if she died the pain would stop. When Blake pulled back Susan tried to run, but she was kitten weak and couldn’t move, and couldn’t pull out of Blake’s hold on her.

She opened her mouth, gasping for air, when Blake pressed his arm against it. Something warm and exotic tasting fell down her throat. She found herself swallowing the strange tasting liquid because she had enough survival instinct to know she didn’t want to drown in it. She found herself still in dying agony. Blackness was closing in. She almost sighed with relief. She would be dead soon.

Susan didn’t know she wasn't going to stay dead.

* * *

When Susan awoke she was lying on something soft. Satiny. She winced when she saw the bright light of a flashlight. She heard noises, like moths and scurrying of animals. She’d never heard anything like it. The sky seemed huge overhead, the full moon so bright it made her think of infinite space and distance.

She felt light and airy, as if she could run for miles and miles and never get tired. She sat up and looked around. She was lying in a coffin. In a grave. She frowned and stood up. Why should she be lying in a coffin? And why did she feel so hungry she was having trouble breathing?

She pulled herself out the grave and looked around the cemetery. Odd. Why was she in a cemetery?

Susan turned and saw the man staring at her. She saw the veins in his throat clearly. Slowly she walked towards him. The man was staring at her, seeming to be frozen in horror.

With hands as strong as steel she grabbed his arms and felt her canine teeth extend to delicate points as she sank them into his neck. She could feel the pulsing of his heart as it shot the warm, life giving blood into her mouth and she drank deeply. She felt the pounding of his heart stop. She remembered something from a vampire movie she'd seen, someone had said vampires shouldn’t drink dead blood and if this guy’s heart wasn’t pounding anymore then he was dead, right? So she’d better stop drinking.

Susan pulled back and pushing the body over, staring at it. He’s dead, she thought. I killed him. I’m a *vampire*? But how is that possible? Vampires aren’t real! Wait. That guy. Blake. He bit me. I remember now.

She glanced around quickly. She couldn’t see him, but somehow she knew he was the one who had come and dug her up. She fled. The last thing she wanted was for him to find her.

She realised then she didn’t know where to go or what to do. Presumably everyone assumed she was dead. She'd been buried. How long had she been buried, she wondered.

She glanced down at her hand and saw a ring on the third finger of her right hand. A gold band with a black design. A black rose entwined with a black iris and a black dahlia. Black flowers? They looked like symbols of some kind.

Now what? she thought as she wandered around in a daze. I can’t go home. Or to see my friends. They’ll freak. What am I going to do?

She found she had wandered to one of the bad parts of town. She saw a door by a run down building with a spray painted black iris on the door like the one on her ring.

Impulsively she knocked on the door. It opened an inch and a skinny guy with beady unfriendly eyes looked out. "Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded.

"I want in. It's cold and I'm hungry." The boy was eyeing her, seeming stunned. She showed him her ring. "There's an iris on the door like this one."

"Okay. Come on in. I thought you might be vermin, but you’re way too beautiful." He looked her up and down.

Susan glared at him and flashed her new fangs, which she guessed were still covered in blood. "Don’t get your hopes up," she said brushing past him as he stepped back, cringing.

She heard music coming from somewhere below her. She spotted a dark staircase and followed it to what looked like a club of some sort. She found she could see perfectly despite the fact that there were no lights.

The people there were all surprisingly good looking and young, all teenagers. Several people smiled approvingly at her as she passed on her way to the bar. The girl behind the bar was tall with shoulder length shining red hair. She was dressed in a tight black top with silver decoration and black leather trousers.

"You’re new," she said. "I’m Aria."

"Susan. And I’m kind of lost and confused. You’re probably going to think I’m nuts but I met this guy called Blake in the cemetery when I was visiting my friend’s grave. I think he must have been a vampire because he bit me and forced me to drink his blood and I passed out and when I woke up I was in a coffin and hungry and I pulled myself out and I saw the veins in this guy’s throat so I bit him and I think I killed him."

Aria laughed. "You’re a fast learner. Blake? Blake Redfern?"

"You’ve heard of him? I’m not crazy?"

"No. Blake’s the head of the Night World council. He took over from Hunter Redfern ‘cause he got blasted by blue fire."

"Who? What's the Night World? What’s blue fire? I’m lost." Susan looked totally bewildered. She suddenly noticed that Aria looked suspicious.

"How did you find this place if you don’t know about the Night World? The penalty for human vermin stumbling on our secrets is death, you know."

"I don’t think I’m human. See?" Susan showed her fangs. She showed Aria the ring. "This was on my hand when I woke up. I guess I panicked and wandered round in a daze. I saw the black iris on the door outside and saw it was like my ring. I showed it to the geeky looking guy at the door and he let me in."

"Ignore him. He’s only a stupid werewolf."

Susan stared. Werewolves? she thought. Vampires? Night World? And that guy who changed me’s obviously well known to these people. "I’ve got no idea what’s happening to me and why. All I *do* know is I definitely don’t want this Blake guy to find me. I don’t even know why he picked me. I liked my life. I was pretty and popular and always had everything I wanted. This bastard’s gone and turned my life upside down."

"I guess you need somewhere to stay huh? All right. I don’t usually help out strangers, but I guess you can come stay with me and my boyfriend. We’ll show you the ropes, and tell you everything." Aria turned to someone on her left. "Hey Pete, I’m taking off, okay?"

She came out from behind the bar carrying a jacket and her purse. She led Susan out the club and back upstairs. The geeky looking guy still couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Susan as she passed. Susan did as Aria had recommended and ignored him.

She followed Aria through the quiet streets of down town L.A. to an apartment building. She led Susan upstairs to a door with number 13 on it. Susan smiled faintly. Inside a boy and another girl sat watching TV. Incense was burning and the lamps were low and had blue bulbs, giving the place an eerie look. Susan caught sight of her reflection on a mirror hanging on the wall above the couch. She found herself fascinated with it. If it was possible, she was even more beautiful than she had been. Her skin was creamy pale and smooth and perfect. Her lips were fuller and darker and her eyes were glittering. Her features looked more elfin and graceful. When she opened her mouth to show her new teeth her eyes became even more silvery.

"Who’s this?" the boy was asking with interest. Susan turned to him. He was good looking with silvery blond hair and blue eyes. "Hi," he said. "I’m Adrian."

"This is Susan," Aria said. "She’s a vampire made by Blake Redfern."

The other girl’s eyebrows shot up. "Wow," she said. "Lucky you! He’s gorgeous!"

Susan scowled. "I hate him. He’s all yours if you’re interested."

The girl sighed. "Don’t I wish! But I’m only a shapeshifter. I don’t think he’d be very interested in me. I’m Sekhment."

"That’s unusual," Susan said. "It sounds Egyptian."

"It’s the Egyptian Lion-Headed goddess of death. I’m a lion when I’m in animal form."

"So how’d you get Mr. Big Shot to change you?" Adrian asked, still looking fascinated.

Susan shrugged. "I don’t know. I was walking in the cemetery visiting the grave of a friend of mine and he showed up. He had the weirdest eyes and when I looked into them I couldn’t move. He must have hypnotised me. Anyway, when I woke up I was in a coffin and someone had dug up the grave. I got out and saw this guy staring at me, and I think I killed him. I freaked and ran and stumbled on that club." She showed them her ring. "I got in when I showed the werewolf at the door this. I met Aria at the bar and she said she'd show me the ropes and how to fit in and all." Susan sat down in a black arm chair and waited expectantly. She noticed Aria and Adrian looking at each other, seeming to have some sort of unspoken conversation. Sekhment was looking at them too, with a slight frown on her face. Susan wondered what was going on. She got the impression that they were talking about her and she didn’t like it. She could even pick up words they were saying. But they weren't talking out loud. She could read *minds*? Cool.

Finally Aria sat down next to Adrian. "Okay. I guess the first thing we should tell you about is the Night World," she said. "It’s a secret society of vampires, witches and werewolves. All kinds of Night People, the one’s you’ve been taught to think of as legend. We’re all real. Me and Aid are vampires, as you already know Sekhment’s a shapeshifter."

"You mentioned something called blue fire. What’s that?"

"It’s kind of hard to explain," Aria said with a frown. "As you know, the millennium’s coming. There are certain prophecies that tell about the end of the world and four people who can save it."

"Of course, we vampires don’t *want* them to save the human vermin," Adrian put in. "When the time of darkness is over *we’ll* be in charge. You know, if you suck up to Blake Redfern, you can get us a place on the new Council."

"Prophecies like…?" Susan asked, ignoring him.

Aria sighed and recited, "’In blood, the final price is paid,/ In blue fire the final darkness is banished.’"

"What does that mean? The blue fire’s going to kill every Night Person?" Susan asked.

"We don’t exactly know, because not all the Night People are evil," Sekhment explained. "The witches aren’t evil. They’ve seceded from the Night World. They want to save the humans. Well, some of the darkest Circle Midnight witches have stayed with us."

Susan nodded slowly. It was a lot to take in. But somewhere, deep down inside she’d known she was always better than most people. She was prettier, smarter and now she was powerful. Humans were the enemy. She knew how her old friends would react if they found out about her. She wasn’t human anymore, so there was no need for her to reflect on her old life. She would start a new one. She would be beautiful and deadly. And all those people who said she looked scary, who were afraid of her…she would give them a reason to be.

* * *

The pounding music and flashing lights were giving Susan a headache. She glanced around The Black Iris and sighed. She’d come to the club with Aria and Sekhment, but then Adrian had arrived and she hadn’t seen Aria since. She wondered if she couldn’t be a bit jealous. She thought she was used to the two of them all over each other by now.

Back when she was human she always had a boyfriend. She’d never said goodbye to her last one, Josh, before she’d died. She wondered if he missed her. She missed him sometimes. She shook her head. Why was she thinking about her human life? Humans were vermin. They wouldn’t be able to accept her.

She was stronger now, more powerful. Recently, she’d been learning about the joys of black magic from a few Circle Midnight witches, Nadine and Tara. She discovered she had a natural aptitude for witchcraft. She knew people were wondering if it was because of the new powers the Night People were developing or because it was she was a lost witch before she was made a vampire.

She was now well known among the Night People. She was feared and respected. She had a talent for leadership and people knew not to cross her or question her motives. Even the Council never dared tell her she couldn’t keep killing humans.

But recently she found herself depressed, remembering her human life, despite her resolve not to.

She looked around to see if she could see anyone she knew. And got a shock. Josh was there, standing at the top of the stairs. He was a human! How did he get in? Where was the damn werewolf guarding the door? He was looking around. She knew what he must see. The place must look kind of strange, with it’s dark atmosphere and twisting red and purple shadows and the strobe lights of the dance floor.

Someone touched her arm. She glanced around to see a vampire girl named Briana. "There’s a human in here. Do you want to deal with him or shall I call security?"

Susan shook her head. "I’ll deal with him. I used to know him. You can have security take care of the stupid werewolf who was supposed to be guarding the door. Tell them I want him killed. Slowly and painfully." She made her way through the crowd to where Josh was standing by the dance floor. Luckily for him no one had noticed him. She reached out and touched his shoulder. "Hi Josh."

He turned round, and his face contorted in shock. "Susan?" he whispered. "But that can’t be. You’re dead."

She smiled faintly. "Sort of."

He was still staring at her. "I went to your funeral. We found you dead in the cemetery by Alyssa’s grave. Your throat had been slashed. People thought you’d killed yourself. Everyone knew how close you guys were and knew you were taking her death really hard."

Susan was a little surprised. "Everyone thinks I killed myself? Hmm. How did you find this place?"

He shrugged. "I heard some people talking about it so I came to check it out. It looks kind of creepy."

"You’re not supposed to be in here," Susan said sharply. "This place is private. Why don’t you come outside with me?"

Before he could say anything else Susan took his arm and led him out. She could hear him gasp in surprise at her cold hands. In stead of taking him back up to the entrance, blanking his memory and sending him away she took him out a side door that led to a deserted alley.

"Look, Susan," Josh was saying. "I don’t understand. How can you possibly still be alive? I miss you. I haven’t been with anyone else since I lost you."

Susan smiled, her fangs showing. "I told you. I’m not alive."

She saw his eyes dilate with fear as she pulled him to her. She realised with some disappointment that he wasn't going to fight her. She liked it when they fought. They tried so hard, but she always beat them. It was fun to watch them beg for their lives.

As she moved closer to Josh she caught the glimpse of a reflection in his eyes and shoved him forward, falling on top of him as a knife flew over her head and hit the wall. Someone pulled her roughly off Josh and threw her against the wall. Susan snarled in anger and kicked out at the intruder, a tall girl, dressed in black with a large sword. Damn vampire hunter.

"Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?" the vampire hunter said.

"Like you?" Susan snarled back, darting out the way as the girl stabbed at her with the sword. Susan kicked at the hand, knocking the sword away.

The girl grabbed the knife off the floor and tried to get it between Susan's ribs, but Susan ducked and the girl missed. She left a trail of blood down Susan’s arm. Susan hissed in pain and looked around for an escape. It was hard to fight in high heels, and her dress was expensive, she didn’t want to ruin it. Her exit was blocked by the girl with the large sword. And the girl was closing in on her.

"No!" someone shouted, and to her surprise Susan realised it was Josh. "Don’t hurt her!"

Susan could feel Power welling up inside her. She cupped her hands and orange energy began to swell between them. She lashed out at the girl with a blow of mental energy. The girl staggered back. Susan was preparing to throw the orange energy at her when something happened. The orange energy suddenly changed colour. It was blue. A brilliant blue-white.

Blue fire.

Susan hurled it at the vampire hunter, who darted out the way as the blue fire blasted the pile of broken boxes and trash behind her. Susan took advantage of the moment of surprise and ran lightning fast for the limo that had appeared at the entrance to the alley. She dove into the conveniently open door and slammed it behind her. The limo screeched off. Susan collapsed on the seat, breathing heavily. She sat up straighter when she saw someone sitting next to her. Someone tall, dark and handsome, with eyes that shifted colour like the lights in a glacier. Blake Redfern. The man who had stolen her life and made her a vampire.

* * *

Josh picked himself up off the floor of the alley, stunned. Susan was *alive?*. But she had changed. She may be alive, but she wasn’t human anymore. He was still blinking after images away from that thing she'd done with the swell of blue power, like a miniature supernova. She’d never done anything like that.

He looked around for the girl who had stopped Susan from killing him. She was staring at the open road into the dark night where Susan had disappeared.

"Are you okay?" Josh asked. The girl had obviously known Susan was a vampire. But why would she want to hurt her?

"I’m fine," the girl said. She turned to look at him, and he saw her face was completely covered with what looked like a black scarf. Blazing green eyes were all he could see of her. She was dressed completely in black from head to toe and looked like a shadow. She picked up her weapons. She seemed to be studying him. "You know that girl." It wasn’t a question.

"I - I used to," he said. "She was my girlfriend. But she died about eight months ago. But she’s not dead. She's - she’s a vampire isn’t she?"

The dark girl nodded. "That was Susan Black-Lightning. She's dangerous. Even the Night World Council are afraid of her. She’s half witch, too."

"What’s the Night World?" Josh was confused.

The girl sighed. "Okay. We need to talk. But not here. If anyone in that club hears us, we’re dead. We’ll have to find somewhere safe."

Josh followed the girl to her car. She began to unwind the scarf from around her face. She shook her black hair out and turned to him. "Obviously you realised that Susan's a vampire. I’m a vampire hunter. My name’s Rashel. And you are?"

"Josh Deaver. Why hurt Susan?" he demanded. "She’s never hurt anyone before."

Rashel snorted in disgust. "She’s not what you think. The girl you knew is dead. Susan is deadly. Night People *and* humans are afraid of her. And she’s only been around for a short time."

"I don’t understand. Why would Susan want to kill people? She was never like that." He shook his head. "She was so perfect. She was beautiful and smart and popular. She loved life. Okay, maybe she was a bit vain and not always nice to everyone, but she was…I never thought she could hurt anyone. Is it because of this thing she's become? This world she belongs to now?"

Rashel told him the basic details of the Night World, and answered his questions patiently. He seemed quite bewildered. She sympathised. There was nothing like the shock of first discovering the Night World.

"What was that thing she did with the blue energy? First it was orange, then it was blue. Is that a witch power?" he asked.

Rashel frowned. "Orange energy is a power the fighting witches have. But blue fire - that’s something only the Wild Powers can do. So…Susan must be the forth." She looked unhappy. "And she’s one of the bad guys. Great."

"What’s a Wild Power?"

"Wild Powers are four people who will save the world from the time of darkness at the millennium."

"Save the *world?*"

Rashel nodded, and quoted, "Four to stand between the light and shadow,/ Four of the blue fire, power in their blood./ Born in the year of the Blind Maiden’s vision,/ Four less one and the darkness triumphs.’ So unless we can convince Susan to join our side the human world is doomed."

"Do you think there's a chance of that? Of getting Susan to join you?"

"I don’t know. I’m going to have to talk with the heads of the good guys, Circle Daybreak and see what we can do. And you’d better come with me. You know about vampires. Susan knows you know, and she’ll probably come after you again."

"So Susan’s going to help destroy the world."

"It would appear so."

Josh sat back and closed his eyes in dispair. The girl he had loved had become a monster. Unless they could convince her to join the light then they were all in danger.

* * *

Susan stared. He smiled at her. "I’ve been looking for you," he said. "You seem to have made quite an impression."

Susan was at a loss for words. She’d forgotten how good he looked. But she hadn’t forgotten he'd killed her. She just sat there and stared at him. "Why?" she whispered finally. "Why me? Of all people?"

"Because you’re so beautiful. I watched you for a long time, you know. I first saw you when you were about seven or eight. You looked just like your mother. And your eyes - I’d never seen anything like them…"

Susan was lost in memory of her human life. Her mother had left years before when Susan was about seven or eight. Now she remembered something. She remembered waking up one night and feeling thirsty. She had gotten out of bed and crept down stairs. Half way down she had stopped when she had seen her mother come into the house with a man she knew wasn't her father. Her father was out of town on business. She had wondered what was going on. Then the man had looked up at her. Susan remembered vividly the way his eyes had changed colour, she had been fascinated.

"You were having an affair with my mother," she whispered. Looking at him now she realise he didn’t look any older.

"Yes. Your mother was a Harman. You’re a lost witch." He sighed. "She left me for a shapeshifter in Europe."

"So you waited until I grew up and picked me." She sighed. "I must admit, I have gotten kind of addicted to this life style. I like it. I like being a witch too. I’m good at it." Suddenly she looked at him sharply. "I hear you’re a big shot on the Night World council. Is that the reason no one dares question me? Because they’re afraid of you? It’s not me?"

"Oh no. It is you. After you ran away from me I stepped back and let you adapt on your own. I let you build a new life because I knew if I showed up too soon you’d run away again." He reached out and brushed a strand of loose black hair behind her ear.

She reached up to push his hand away, then changed her mind. One part of her was actually thankful to him for giving her the chance to develop her life. They were just sitting there, staring at each other. His hand was lightly stroking her hair. She reached up and touched his cheek. His other arm slipped around her shoulders drawing her closer to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck. Their lips touched and the world melted away.

* * *

A white light seemed to be engulfing both their minds, lighting up all the depths of the dark corners. She *knew* him. She could see herself as he saw her. She was a goddess to him, something to cherish and protect. It was more than her unearthly beauty that attracted him to her. He loved her for her bravery, her love of life, how smart she was.

She realised now that she had been meant for him all along. They were destined to be together forever. There was a word for it in the Night World. Soulmates. She'd found hers.

She loved him. Now she realised she loved him more than anything on earth. She knew now they could never be apart. She didn’t know how to cope without him. How could she have run away from him? All he had wanted to do was protect her.

He pulled her close to him. "I love you so much," he whispered. "When the millennium is over and the Night World is in charge, we’ll rule over them all. You can have anything you want. I’d do anything for you."

That made her remember something. "What about the wild powers?" she asked. "If there are already three of them what about the forth? I used the blue fire on that vampire hunter."

"It’s you," Blake said. "You must be the forth wild power. Of course. One from the twilight to be with the dark. I am the dark. You are the twilight. You have twilight eyes."

Susan realised he actually saw her surrounded by a dark purple and blue black aura of power and darkness, with flecks of silver like starlight. She smiled slightly. He thought of her as a Queen of Darkness. If he wanted her to be his queen, she wouldn’t object. Her anger at him had all been forgotten.

She frowned. "We have a problem," she said. "The human who came into the club. I used to know him. He will have to be eliminated. And that vampire hunter."

"You’re right. Of course. How stupid. They’re going to tell Circle Daybreak about you, obviously. They’re going to send people after you."

The limo stopped outside a large dark mansion. The driver came round and opened the door. Susan and Blake got out. Susan followed him into the large house. She found herself looking around in admiration at the fine furniture and the strange abstract paintings. The place had a cold, dark feel to it. A feeling of power and darkness.

"’Four less one and the darkness triumphs,’" she remembered. "I have an idea. If they send people to look for me, convince me to join them, then I could pretend to go with them. When I find out where they’re holding the other wild powers I could kill them."

Blake laughed. "You have a twisted mind. I like it." Then he sobered. "But it’d be dangerous. We’d have to send people with you to protect you. I couldn’t bare it if something happened to you."

"Nothing’s going to happen to me," she answered, smiling. "I can take care of myself, you know." And she kissed him.

* * *

Blake watched her as she lay sleeping beside him. So far the enchantments he’d put on her were working. As long as she didn’t realise the recognition of him as her soulmate was a trick, he’d be okay.

He had known she was the forth wild power since the discovery of the prophecies. He had always remembered the beautiful little girl with the twilight eyes. Witch eyes. Her mother had belonged to Circle Twilight before he'd seduced her over to the dark side. It was too bad she’d left him and he’d had to kill her. Of course, that was another thing Susan must never find out. He didn’t want her to hate him.

He had to keep her on his side. She was the dark side’s only chance of winning, providing Circle Daybreak didn’t make her see through his enchantments.

He had watched her grow up, become even more beautiful and perfect. He had fallen in love with her. He’d waited for a long, long time to change her and bring her to him.

Now he had her he couldn’t imagine losing her and if he had to use spells to bind her to him, make sure she stayed with him, so be it.

He just hoped and prayed she wouldn’t find her *real* soulmate. If she did, he would have to kill them both. And he really didn’t want to do that.

* * *

Josh felt uncomfortable as he sat at the table in the meeting room of Thierry’s Las Vegas mansion with the Circle Daybreak members. They’d explained to him about the Night World and the prophecies and what they were trying to do, to save the human world. He'd been introduced to the other wild powers, Jez, from the day world where two eyes were watching, Delos from the land of kings long forgotten, and Iliana from the hearth who still holds the spark. And he’d learned that Susan was the one from the twilight to be with the dark.

They’d also told him about Susan. What she’d become and what she'd done to humans. He found it so hard to believe. She was such a vicious killer. She was cruel and mean and cared for no one and nothing but her own pleasure. People were even more terrified of her now because she'd discovered her Harman genes and was learning the art of witchcraft.

And now she'd been discovered as the forth wild power. They all feared she’d fight for the darkness and not the light, and if that were true, the humans didn’t stand a chance.

"So what are we going to do?" Hannah was asking. "How are we going to convince her to fight with us instead of them?"

"I just spoke to Sekhment," Keller said. "Apparently she's gotten together with Blake Redfern. He's the one who made her and somehow he’s seduced her and convinced her to forgive him."

"Maybe he put spells on her," Thea offered. "If I were her I’d be furious at him for making me into a vampire if my life was so perfect. I’d never forgive him. He might be trying to enchant her into staying with the darkness because he knows she’s their only chance of winning."

"If we tell her that she’ll never believe it," Josh pointed out miserably. "She hates it when people take advantage of her. She never used to fall for things like that."

"Couldn’t you talk to her Josh?" Eric suggested. "If you were together she might still miss you. Maybe she’ll listen to you."

Rashel snorted. "Not a chance. She was about to kill him when I ran into her, remember? There’s a good chance she’ll try to again."

"Fine, we use him as bait, lure her to us. Then as soon as she comes to kill him, we nab her," Ash said lazily.

"And then have the whole Night World hunting for her? That’s ridiculous," Keller snapped.

"Do you have a better idea?" Ash said.

Keller didn’t reply.

"Well then."

"Keller’s right," Hannah said. "We can’t risk kidnapping her. It’s too dangerous. We’ll have to reason with her."

"She doesn’t seem like a very *reasonable* person," Quinn commented dryly. "And if we bring her here, what if she brings some friends along and they try and kill the other Wild Powers?"

"And if we send people to her, what if her people hold them hostage or something in exchange for the Wild Powers?" Jez said.

"So we’re back to square one," Ash said with a sigh. "This is getting nowhere very fast."

Josh spoke up. "I know this is probably a long shot, but Susan’s best friend died a few weeks before she did. They were really close and Susan listened to her. Alyssa got involved with a guy who seemed kind of strange and creepy and a lot like a vampire. Her name was Alyssa Blake. There’s not a chance that…" He trailed off, realising how stupid this sounded. But to his surprise he saw people’s eyes widen, as if they recognised the name.

"I know her!" Poppy spoke up excitedly. "It's not a long shot! She’s a vampire. I went back home to El Camino to visit my brother and I found her dazed and confused and she said this guy had bitten her and made her a vampire. She'd woken up in a daze. She’s been staying with me and James."

People were looking at each other and smiling. They had a plan.

"And what if Susan convinces her to join the bad guys?" Morgead said dryly.

"You always have to find something wrong with everything, don’t you?" Jez said, rolling her eyes. "You really are a pain sometimes."

"And you’re Miss Perfect?"

"Cut it out you two," Hannah ordered. "We have a plan. Okay, there are some draw backs. But we’ve got to hope for the best. If she is being held back by spells and enchantments we may have to get a healing woman to cleanse her. We’ll assemble a team to go with Alyssa. Poppy do think you can tell her what’s going on?"

"Sure," Poppy agreed. "I think pretty much everyone knows what's going on these days. She was saying the other day she missed Susan too, and would like to have a chance to talk to her."

"You’ll have to warn her of the dangers," Theirry said seriously. "Tell her she needs to be careful. We’ll do what we can to protect her. Any volunteers for the team? We’ll need about four of you."

"I’ll go," Josh offered.

"No way," Rashel said flatly. "She’ll kill you instantly."

"Maybe not if he goes with Alyssa," Thea said. "Poppy you went to school with her. Were you friends with her?"

"Yeah. I knew her. So I’ll talk to Alyssa and her me and Josh will go talk to Susan," said Poppy.

"You can’t go alone, I’m going with you," James said flatly.

"If all you guys went to school together isn’t it going to look a bit weird for her to discover that three of her friends are now vampires and they’re all with the good guys?" Thea pointed out.

"And you went out with her," Poppy reminded James. "She’s going to be mad if she finds out you were just using her for food. You stay."

"I’ll go," Ash offered. "She knows me."

They all stared at him. "Why didn’t you mention this before?" Keller demanded.

"You didn’t ask," Ash said with another lazy smile. "I’ve met her once or twice at the Black Iris club. I don’t think she knows I’m siding with the good guys."

Theirry nodded. "Okay then. Poppy and Ash go with Alyssa. Josh, I’m afraid you’ll have to stay here. You can’t go looking for her in an all vampire club. It’s too dangerous. If they invite her here to talk and you want to see her, you can here where it's safer."

Josh was unhappy. He felt deep down he knew Susan better than they did. He was sure if they were alone together he could convince her what she was doing was wrong. He knew now how vampires viewed humans: as food and vermin.

If he and Alyssa talked to her, convinced her she wasn't a monster, he was sure they could get her to join them.

* * *

Susan sat at the bar of the Black Iris alone. Ash had said he had a few people who wanted to talk to her. She’d already guessed they were from Circle Daybreak. She also knew Sekhment had been spying on her. She would have to be punished. The ability to read minds was helpful. It always worked to her advantage. When she saw who came down the stairs she got a surprise.

"Alyssa…and Poppy?" she said, with surprise. "But you guys are dead!"

"So are you so what are you complaining about?" Poppy said brightly.

Susan shook her head, genuinely surprised. This was *not* what she had expected. Two dead friends showing up both working for Circle Daybreak? What were they playing at? She didn’t know so she was going to have to go along for the ride to find out. "I don’t understand," she said.

"We’re both vampires," Alyssa explained. "You know the guy I was seeing before I died? Christian?"

Susan nodded. "An idiot. I heard him talking about you and I got mad at his callous attitude so I staked him. I didn’t realise he'd actually changed you. It’s against the law to change a human without permission anyway." She noticed the look of surprise on their faces. They obviously didn’t expect her to kill her own kind, no matter how much of an idiot they were. Susan smiled. She was full of surprises. "So what are you guys doing here?"

Poppy was looking around, a faint frown on her face. "Well…we can’t really talk here. We don’t want to be overhead. There are some things we’d like to talk to you about, people we’d like you to meet."

Susan nodded, trying not to look too smug. They were going to lead her right to the other Wild Powers. Her plan was going perfectly. Blake would be so proud of her. "What happened to Ash?"

"He’s waiting in the car outside," Alyssa said.

"You mean you want to right this minute?" Susan asked.

"No time like the present," Alyssa said lightly.

Susan looked around the dark club. She spotted Aria and Adrian at a table near by, watching her. She nodded to them. "They’re friends of mine," she said at Poppy’s inquiring look. "Let’s go."

She followed them out the door to the white limo waiting outside. Ash stood leaning against the door. He opened the door for her smiling. Susan smiled back. At least the Daybreakers had good taste, she thought, slipping into limo and settling down on the soft leather seats. The others piled in and the car set off.

"So where’s Circle Daybreak head quarters then?" Susan asked. They all stared at her in shocked silence. Susan laughed. "Oh come on, you really expect me to not have a clue about what’s going on? Okay, I’m willing to listen and hear you out. Maybe you have a good trick up your sleeve."

Ash sighed. "So much for plan A. Maybe we should have stuck with Keller’s kidnapping idea."

"It was *your* idea., not Keller’s," Poppy pointed out.

Susan smiled. "I don’t think that would have been a good idea. The Night World officials would have been royally pissed off if you kidnapped their leading lady."

"We already figured that," Poppy said. "We thought - "

"You thought two of my best friends could come convince me to join the light," Susan finished. "Sorry, but I find the dark much more enticing. If you guys tried being bad, you might like it. Ash you were bad. Tell them how much fun it is."

Ash shrugged. He didn’t say anything. Susan looked disappointed. "Oh not you too! This is pathetic. All the best bad guys are going over to the other side. What made you go?"

Ash remained silent, staring at the floor, trying hard not to think about his reasons for joining Circle Daybreak, but Susan could read his thoughts easily. "A human soulmate?" She sighed and shook her head. "Does anybody have soulmates of their own species? Or has it just decided to bypass Night World law completely? Or maybe it's having fun, connecting humans and Night People and then laughing as they panic and try to avoid being caught. That’s an interesting idea."

"You’ve changed," Alyssa said softly. "You’re not the Susan I knew. You’re somebody else. Somebody…evil."

"And the problem is?"

"The problem is," Ash said, "Is that if you guys destroy the human race and take charge and enslave the remaining what’s the fun of killing them then? It’s be too easy. There’s no thrill of the hunt or anything."

"And if I join the good guys, and the blue lightning takes away all vampire powers after the millennium where’s the fun then?" Susan countered. "Live in an all human world with nothing to do and no one to kill? Boring."

"You were human once," Poppy pointed out. "So were me and Lyss. We’re not all out evil monsters and we manage to survive in a world full of humans. Not *all* humans are vermin."

Susan snorted in disgust. "I was human once but I’m not now. I like being what I am and I’m good at it. I’ll listen to what you have to say but you guys won’t change my mind."

The others exchanged glances, and then Poppy smiled slightly. "Oh, I don’t know about that. *We* three might not be able to, but I can think of someone who might."

Susan looked interested. "Oh? And who’s that?"

Poppy grinned. "You’ll just have to wait and see."

* * *

Josh watched from a downstairs window as the limo arrived and Susan got out. He walked with her head held high, like a dancer. She looked eerily beautiful in the twilight, the flood lights reflecting off her black hair. But her beauty was only frightening now, a contrast to what she really was inside.

Evil, he thought. He heard Theirry and Hannah greeting her and crept to the door to listen. Susan stood there, looking slightly aloof, not really interested. One of the servants took her bags and led her up the marble staircase to an upstairs room. Josh followed, wanting to speak to her alone before anyone else did. As soon as the hallway was clear, he walked over to the room she had been given and knocked politely on the slightly open door.

Susan looked up from unpacking, annoyed. Her eyebrow raised when she saw him. "I should have known," she muttered. "So I guess you’re gonna give me the come join the light speech now, huh?"

"I just want to talk to you," Josh said, holding something behind his back. Susan looked interested when she noticed he was hiding something.

"All right, all right," she said. "But I’m telling you the same thing I told Poppy and Alyssa. Nothing anyone can say can make me change my mind. Not even you."

Josh came into the room and showed her what was behind his back. It was a photo album he’d had done, filled with photos of Susan’s human life. The idea was that if she looked at it she’d remember there were things in life worth fighting for.

She caught on immediately. She wasn't stupid. "Oh that’s so sad," she said, sounding disgusted. "Couldn’t you come up with something better than that?"

"Will you just look?" he asked, handing her the album.

Susan sighed and took it. She opened the book and started flipping through the pages. Fast at first, and then more and more slowly. Her expression changed from a ‘let’s get this over and done with’ look, to a sad, look of vague longing.

She was looking at pictures from a group outing to a fairground. She stood with a group of her friends outside the Bumper Cars. "I remember that day," she said softly. "Kind of childish, yeah, but we all had so much fun. It was our first date."

He smiled and nodded. He pointed to another picture of the two of them, Poppy, James and Alyssa on a roller coaster. Alyssa and Josh had their eyes shut, looking terrified, Poppy and Susan laughing, and even James had a faint smile on his face. "Remember that?"

Susan laughed. "Oh who could forget? Alyssa got so scared she threw up! You were just as bad."

"I was not!" he protested. "I hate heights and you know it."

"Yeah, but you’re cute when you’re scared," Susan said with a grin. She flipped the page. The next picture was framed in a pink heart. It was the two of them sitting close together in a plastic swan kissing at the end of the Tunnel of Love. Susan sighed. "I remember that too," she said. "Our first kiss."

He sighed and moved closer to her. She leaned against him and he put his arm around her shoulders. She flipped the page. The next was the two of them in fancy evening wear, and Susan wore a gold and diamond crown on her head. "The junior prom," he said softly. "You were such a gorgeous queen."

"I was, wasn’t I?" she said with a smile. She was flipping through pictures of her life, her family and friends. Memories were filling her mind. Herself winning beauty competitions, talent contests, academic awards, sports awards, laughing at parties with her friends, boyfriends, her first kiss. Her, Poppy and Alyssa at sleep-overs, giggling all night, telling each other secrets. Family outings before her mother had left. She had had such a happy life.

Josh had put the photo album aside and was watching her. She seemed lost in memory. The album had worked.

"Okay, so there *are* good things about being human," she said softly.

"So come with us," he said softly. "It’s not exactly the same, but it’s people who will understand. They’ll help you fit back in. We can be together again."

"But I *can’t* go back. They’d never accept me now. What I’ve done, everything I’ve believed. I…" She trailed off and looked at him. Suddenly she was confused. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. She'd come to believe humans were the enemy. They would never accept what she was. But here were a group of humans and Night People willing to help stop the fighting and the violence between the two sides. She knew not all Night People were evil. Maybe she could be better. She’d been thinking about her human life a lot recently. If there was a chance to have a life like that again…

She shook her head abruptly. What was she thinking. She was Susan Black-Lightning. She was the queen of the Night World. The soulmate of Blake Redfern, the most important member of the Night World Council. When the millennium was over they were going to rule the world…

She looked at Josh helplessly. "I don’t know what to think. I have my soulmate, he’ll be so disappointed…I *can’t* leave him…he needs me…I don’t know what to do…"

Josh reached out to take her hand. And then something happened. Something neither of them expected.

* * *

It was like being struck by lightning. Sparks seemed to shoot from the skin-to-skin contact. Susan’s vision was sparkling. She didn’t know what was happening. She knew what it was. But…but it *couldn’t* be. Blake was her soulmate. Wasn’t he?

Of course he was. He'd loved her for years. She’d been with Josh for barely six months. She realised Josh was as startled as she was. He didn’t know what was going on, but he wasn’t as afraid of it as she was. He tried to pull her closer. Susan pulled away.

"Don’t," she whispered.

That was when he kissed her. It was as it had been with Blake. A white light engulfed their minds, letting one see into the other’s. She could sense directly how he felt about her. He was determined to convince her to join the light. He was so sure he could reach into the core of her and pull out the good girl she had once been.

*What’s wrong?* he asked her, and she realised it was his voice in her mind, because his lips were still on hers.

She shook her head and pulled away abruptly. She knew he could sense the ice she had wrapped round herself when she’d stopped being human. He was trying to melt the ice.

"No," she said sharply. "I don’t want this. I told you. I *have* a soulmate. I love him. He loves me. That’s all I need. I don’t need this too. Get out."

Josh pulled away, stunned and disappointed. "Susan, listen to me - " he started.

"No! I did listen. I don’t want to anymore." She stood and turned her back on him. "Go! Before I kill you."

Unhappy, Josh turned and left. He bent to pick up the photo album, then changed his mind. He left it on the bed as he walked out. He’d been so close too. Now they were going to have to think of something else.

* * *

Susan walked along the deserted streets around the mansion. She'd been glad to get out. All day she’d been listening to the Daybreakers explaining their arguments for saving the human world, trying to convince her Blake was using her, which she told them was ridiculous.

She’d spent the evening avoiding Josh, who kept trying to talk to her about the weird connection between them. Susan wondered if he knew about the Soulmate Principle. Because that’s obviously what it was.

But how could she possibly have *two* soulmates?

She remembered her joke about the soulmate principle having fun by connecting humans and Night People, and it seemed as if it was backfiring on her, making her doubt everything she knew about humans.

She was confused and upset and needed someone to talk to but didn’t know who. She refused to talk to the Daybreakers. She knew they’d just use it as an excuse to get her on their side. She also knew she couldn’t talk to any of her friends from the Night World, because they’d just say kill him.

She didn’t know what to do. She was so deep in her thoughts she didn’t hear the footsteps behind her and almost jumped when someone touched her shoulder. "Are we interrupting?" Aria asked. "You were totally out of it."

Susan blinked, wondering how they’d known how to find her. Then she remembered Blake had said he was going to send some people to protect her, just in case, but she didn’t think the Daybreakers were stupid enough to try and kill her.

"We followed you when you left the house," Adrian explained. "So, how’s it going?" They both looked a little suspicious.

Susan shrugged and looked bland. "Pretty much the same thing. They all think they’re so wonderful, trying to save the humans and gather their champions of the light. And I think you can guess where I told them they could shove their stupid prophecies."

"You look like something’s bothering you," Aria said. "Could it have something to do with that human who walked into the club?"

"What human?" Susan asked.

"Don’t be coy Susan," Aria said with a faint smile. "Briana said you said you knew him. She said you said you’d take care of it."

"I did. It’s not my fault if I was attacked by a vampire hunter. It benefited us in the long run. I discovered I’m the forth wild power."

"What about the others? Are they dead yet?" Adrian asked.

"For God’s sake, give me a chance," Susan snapped. "I’ve barely been here for a day, and they’re all well guarded. They all hang out in groups or they’re with their stupid soulmates. They’re practically never alone."

They were looking at her, trying to figure out if she was lying or not. Susan looked back at them blankly. She folded her arms. "Do you have anything else to say?"

They shook their heads and Susan turned and walked away. Aria and Adrian looked at each other. They both turned as Blake Redfern stepped out of the shadows, frowning. Obviously he’d decided to follow her too. Maybe he didn’t trust her as much as he thought he did.

"Did she say anything?" he asked.

"She seemed kind of blank," Aria said. "Like she was trying to hide something. I think something’s going on but she doesn’t know what to do about it."

"We have to get her out of there before they convince her to join them," Blake said. "Forget killing the others. We have her and that’s all we need. We only need one to triumph."

* * *

Back in her room Susan paced restlessly. They knew something was up. She was more confused than ever. She wondered if they thought that she was actually thinking of joining the light. Suddenly she heard a tap on the glass windows of the French Doors that lead to a small balcony. She turned and opened them.

"Susan."

Susan’s vampire eyes could make out Blake standing in the shadows of the corner of the balcony. "What are you doing here? This is nuts!" she hissed. "If they catch you they’ll kill you!"

"Aren’t you pleased to see me?" The coldness in his voice surprised her.

Susan didn’t know how to answer. Part of her was pleased. Part of her wanted to run to Josh.

"What’s wrong Susan?"

"I…don’t know. Something…something happened…" She trailed off. She didn’t know how to tell him she’d discovered a soulmate connection with someone else and didn’t know who to choose.

*With a HUMAN?* The mental voice in her mind was loud and angry. *Are you crazy. How could you do this to me?*

*ME?* she shouted back in exactly the same way. *I didn’t do anything! I told him that I was taken! You really think I’d pick a human over you?*

*You were just thinking you didn’t know who to choose. After everything I did for you, helped you discover your heritage, your powers…you turn your back on me for vermin?* He was furious. He was actually shaking with anger.

*No! I wouldn’t do that! But if you don’t trust me…* The thought trailed off. He obviously didn’t trust her if he’d deliberately followed her. This man had meant everything to her. If it had all been a lie…if he’d been enchanting her…

"Susan, no," he whispered out loud. "I love you, you have to believe me."

She glared at him in helpless fury. "You lied to me! You tricked me! You made me think you’re my soulmate when you’re not! How could you!"

*Because I love you!* he shouted at her. *I love you more than anything and I didn’t want to lose you!* He sounded desperate now. *I couldn’t bare it if you left me…for vermin…I gave you a better life…*

Susan turned away from him. She didn’t know what to think. Of course, she loved him too. More than Josh. She’d come too far with her new life to go back. She realised she didn’t *want* to fight with the light.

But the problem of course, was Josh. She didn’t want *him* with the light either, she realised. He may be her soulmate, but she knew she didn’t love him the way she loved Blake. He’d become an unchangeable part of her life and she *wasn’t* going to give him up. Blake was everything to her. He was the one who had changed her, given her a new life, loved her and taken care of her and she was not going to turn her back on him.

She threw herself in his arms and buried her face against his shoulder. He held her tight, his face buried in her hair. They clung to each other desperately. No one was going to separate them. She didn’t care what he’d done to try and get her to stay with him. She was staying and that was that. She raised her head and their eyes met. He kissed her. She kissed him back. Lines of fire ran along her nerves as they stood together like that for several minutes. Then Susan pulled away, slightly breathless.

"You’d better get out of here before somebody spots you," she whispered. "I’ll take care of the human and then I’ll come back to you. Maybe it’s a little too risky to try killing the Wild Powers on their own territory."

Blake smiled and kissed her one last time. "You be careful, you hear me?" he whispered, before he disappeared into the dark night.

Susan turned back into her room smiling to herself. She knew what she had to do, now.

* * *

Susan slipped into Josh’s room. Josh was awake, staring out the window. He turned when he heard her, obviously surprised. "Susan? What are you doing here? I thought you were mad at me."

"I got over it," Susan whispered. She walked over to him. "Look at me," she ordered. He did. He looked right into her mysterious, twilight eyes. Fool. Susan smiled. She had him now. She was also using mind control on him so he wouldn’t make a noise. She could feel her canine teeth lengthening as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

Her teeth sank into the soft flesh of his neck easily and the warm blood shot into her mouth. She was careful to shield her mind and block all telepathic bonds between them. And he wasn’t fighting her at all. He just hung on to her, not moving.

At the last minute Susan suddenly pulled back. She had a moment of regrets. She suddenly decided she didn’t want him dead. She lifted her wrist to her mouth and bit into it, drawing her own blood, which welled up, dark red in the wounds. She pressed the wrist to his mouth and felt him drink. She knew sometimes it took three or four exchanges of blood, but it had only taken one to change her. Maybe that was because Blake’s blood was so strong. Well her own should be as strong as his then.

Eventually Josh fell back, unconscious and Susan laid the crumpled body on the bed. She lay beside him for a while, wondering what to do. Blake was going to be mad if he found out she’d changed him.

She knew she didn’t love Josh as much as she loved Blake, but she didn’t want him dead. She wanted him to have a chance. Maybe she could bring him over to their side. If he were a vampire and as evil as her and Blake, Blake might not mind so much. He’d want to make sure she was taken care of and protected, right?

She smiled to herself as she left the room.

* * *

When Josh woke up he knew something was wrong. He felt thick and dull. He glanced out the window and saw it was twilight. The few stars and the colour of the sky reminded him of Susan's eyes. He vaguely remembered Susan coming into his room and a feeling of peace and forgetfulness and after that…nothing.

He was hungry. He stumbled out of bed and got dressed and headed out into the hall. He could hear faint voices from somewhere, but couldn’t make out what they were saying. He could also hear the clattering of pots and pans from the kitchen which he remembered was somewhere below him. Odd. He didn’t remember his hearing being *this* good.

He stumbled into a room which was deserted. A dinner buffet was set up on a wooden sideboard. He tried to eat a few of the orange slices, but they made him want to throw up. He didn’t know what was wrong with him.

He looked around. No one else was around. Dazed and miserable, he wandered outside. Then, he caught a scent of something. Life. Human life wandering towards him. He looked around and saw Iliana walked towards him, her pale blonde hair glinting in the odd lighting.

"Hi Josh," she said brightly. "Where is everybody? I know I’m not supposed to be wandering around with out protection but I got sick of sitting in my room and when Nissa and Winnie weren’t looking I kind of slipped out and decided to go for a walk. So, are things any better with Susan? We really need her on our side you know."

Josh didn’t hear any of what she was saying. His eyes were fixed on the flickering pulse beneath the translucent white skin of her throat and before he knew he’d pounced on her. She screamed as his fangs sank into her neck but she was panicked and too stupid and weak to fight or even use her blue fire on him.

He didn’t hear the footsteps running behind him and got a shock when he felt the pain of wood stabbing through his heart. He dropped Iliana and found himself staring into the stunned green eyes of Rashel, who had stabbed him with her wooden sword. Then he saw nothing.

* * *

Susan smiled as she watched the people running out the mansion. Okay, so her plan hadn’t gone as she’d expected but the turnout was even better. She wasn’t exactly sorry Josh had gotten himself staked. She should have known. Oh well. It didn’t help to dwell on it.

Blake was waiting for her, holding out a hand. She took it and they walked off together into the night.

* * *

Thierry shook his head. "She's gone," he said softly, looking up from Iliana’s dead body.

"She tricked us," Keller whispered, stunned and angry.

There was a shocked silence among all the Daybreakers. They’d realised what Susan had done to Josh. They were wondering if she’d changed him to be cruel or for some other reason. But the way she’d smirked as she'd walked off with Blake Redfern…

"What are we going to do?" Thea said in a subdued voice. "We don’t stand a chance."

And of course, she was right.

The Daybreakers were down two Wild Powers.

Susan Black-Lightning had chosen to fight for the darkness.

The human world was doomed.