APOV

Our time spent at Carrick's had been wonderful and the memories we had created there had been some of my favourites from both of my lives. Watching Phoebe grow just that little bit more every day, celebrating every milestone, both Christian and I had not missed a second of it. Yes, I had not been awake for her first few days but Christian had documented it so well that I felt like I had missed nothing at all.

While she slept, we hunted, although those sleeps were becoming less and less every night. Phoebe was following the same pattern as her father and soon sleep would be a distant memory for her, more time then to learn who she truly is.

"Mommy, look" Phoebe called out to me.

I turned, a smile filling my face at my giggling daughter as one by one she moved each item she was taking, with her mind and placed each of them in her bag.

"That's wonderful sweetheart, do you think you could pass Mommy my sweater," I asked, watching as she focused on it before it appeared in my hand. "Thank you" I laughed.

"You're welcome" she giggled.

Phoebe at two months old was already the size of what a four-year-old would be. Her intelligence was far beyond that though, her knowledge too, especially of things that we try to hide from her.

She knew there were bad people out there, people who would hurt us should we not deal with them first. At first, we thought about leaving her here with Carrick, my dad too but having her so far away from us, would not work for either of us and would no doubt distress Phoebe too much. Add to that Carrick wanting to be with us when we encounter Elena, that idea was out.

The plan is for all of us to move to Escala and use that as a base in our search, a place that now has just as many dark rooms as there is light. There Phoebe will stay with my dad, both safe within a bubble of magic. There had still been the worry about leaving them there alone as we're all going to be needed out there when they're found. I needn't have worried though because after reading a new letter in my spellbook from my mother and grandmother, I know now that even though they are not here physically, they will continue to look after their own.

"Ana, Phoebe, are you ready," Christian asked coming into the bedroom, receiving a smile from us both.

"I packed" Phoebe declared before jumping from the bed, into her daddy's arms.

"You have, did you do it all yourself," he asked her.

"She did," I replied. "It was like watching Mary Poppins put the toys away."

"Mary who," he asked.

"Never mind" I laughed, shaking my head. Watching movies was not something that was at the top of a vampires list of things to do. Maybe that can change as my husband has promised to take me on a date when this was all over.

"Is everything alright?" I asked him, receiving a kiss to my lips before he grabbed our bags in one hand, holding Phoebe with the other.

"It will be" he replied as we joined Carrick before leaving the house.

…

We ran through the night, Phoebe held tightly in her grandfather's arms, arriving safely at Escala before first light. The others were waiting for us in the parking garage, my dad too unable to go up without our help. From the look that passed between Christian and Elliot, he had seen something.

"Tell me," I said, to Elliot not Christian once we were in the apartment, my words shocking him as like when he spoke to Christian silently, my words had appeared as a vision in his mind.

"Jesus Ana" he complained, his hand covering his unbeating heart as if he was shocked. "How can you do that but I can't see you. Then again, how are you at only two months of being an immortal, not going crazy by all the humans and their blood surrounding you."

"Magic" was the only word I replied. That and my shield that keeps the smell of blood away from me unless I'm on the hunt.

His words had not been silent to Christian to keep something from me but the little girl who had run out to the living room followed by her daddy, both who were now watching the sun come up.

"I've been looking for Isaac and Elena but more him than her. It's like I can see little things but like when I see you, I'm struggling to push through the barrier that's been put in place. I thought if we all work together, we can push through."

"What do you mean," I asked him.

"When you were missing, Christian used my gift, forced it to find a clue to help us find you. We found Leila and in turn you. I've been thinking that if we use all of our powers together, we can maybe see something. You keep Christian out of your mind unless you want him to be in there. When I've looked for Isaac, it feels like that too. With Christian forcing a vision from me again, using his power to expand my gift along with your gift which I believe can stop others as at present, I'm yet to know of anyone who can penetrate your shield. I'm hoping whatever Isaac has put in place will be knocked out of the way, giving us a location or at least a way to track them."

"Do you think it will work?" I asked him.

"I don't know, we may get as far as his gift and are blocked but it has to be worth a try."

"No," Christian said, coming into his old office to join us. "Do you remember what happened last time."

"Yes, you sapped all the energy out of me. It's worth it though, that little girl is worth it, to know she can live without being hunted down just because she's a witch" Elliot told him.

"Christian, doing this may be our only chance. Everyone has been looking for them but while they continue to hide, it's like they're invisible" I told him sadly.

"This is dangerous Ana. I just got you forever, I'm not losing you now."

"You won't" I promised.

…

Our morning was spent with Phoebe while she ran about the apartment, exploring her new home. We had found a place outside of the city, one like Carrick's that was in the middle of the woods, surrounded by trees, in the heart of the cascades. We had a lake too but what was there didn't matter it was somewhere that could be made safe and secure for our daughter to grow up in. The house at the moment was derelict but would be made right once our job here was done.

That afternoon, while my dad kept Phoebe busy, playing hide and seek around the apartment, Christian, Elliot and myself stood in a circle in the middle of his office. How we were going to do this, I didn't know, so I took my cues from them.

"Ana, close your eyes," Christian whispered, placing his hand on the side of my face.

I did as he said, seeing Elliot's encouraging smile as he closed his eyes before I closed my eyes too. When Christian asked me to wrap my shield around them both, I did just that.

"What do I do now," I asked them both.

"Push your shield away from you Ana, work with Christian and me to find the answers."

Taking an unneeded deep breath, I tested my shield, feeling it wrap around us. For a moment before I could even push it away, Elliot or was it Christian tried to force through a vision, one that had been seen before. We soon came up against a blanket of fog, this fog easily pushing the intruder away.

Not having that, I started to push my shield away from me working with the others as the fog once again came upon us. Focusing on what was before me now, I whispered to Christian to take my shield knowing now with the way he looked at me that the problem with the first try was him. He had tried to push through using Elliot's gift alone, hoping that he would not have to use mine and in turn, hurt me.

"It's the only way Christian," I told him.

For a moment everything else was forgotten as his lips crashed down onto mine. A kiss that was as passionate as it was telling me how scared he was to even think of doing what was being suggested. As his hand came up to my face again, his other returning to Elliot's, he knew I was right.

I closed my eyes, enjoying his touch as I reached for Elliot's hand. Clasping it tightly in mine, now both of us waited to see what Christian would do.

I heard Christian tell me to push my shield out away from me but also keeping only the three of us inside it. It was not as easy as it sounded because for a moment the others were within it too. Pulling back, I pushed the essence of the shield away, pushing its power from me before I felt it being pulled tightly while the vision that Elliot had shown us earlier came to our minds.

The fog was back and for a few moments, it was like we were strolling through it, hearing noises but not able to pick out anyone or anything. It started to clear then, the fog replaced by trees, by waves crashing on the shore and what looked like a cliff face before us.

Throughout this I struggled to stay upright, my body shaking, my mind screaming at me to push Christian away as I heard Elliot's cry of pain. If I could shed tears, I would be now at the pain my mind was going through. Needing something good to focus on instead as I held my shield in place, I focused on the little girl who was giggling in the other room, thankfully having no clue as to how much pain her mother was in.

A clear image came to us then of a darkened room, one that had a shard of light piercing through the black at the other end. No one went close to that light, no one dared as they knew what would happen to them if they did.

The more we stayed in that moment, the clearer the images became. Voices joined it, voices we all knew well as the vision moved from one dark place to another each one filled with immortals. Elena, Isaac, they were both there, discussing their plans of what they were going to do next. We could make out some words, others were garbled before the images changed. Her maniacal laugh, screams, they were all in this vision before it seemed to settle on three images, an old desk calendar marking tomorrows date, a map, one which had the location of the hotel marked and a fire.

"Caa…"

"What" I spoke, Elliot's voice like an echo from far away.

"Ca..."

I had no energy to ask him again what he was saying as I felt as if we were being pulled backwards when in fact it was Christian releasing his hold on us both, my shield snapping back in place around just me. My legs buckled then as he gently helped me to the floor while Riley caught Elliot.

"You know, don't know" Christian asked Elliot.

"Yes, caves. I… I remember the way the light shone through the opening making the jagged images on the wall. The caves are the ones I stayed at when you first went to Rays when we saved Ana and Kate. There are many caves there, some in the cliff face, others in the hills around. We saw at least four over that area which was filled."

"They have an army," I said aloud so the others could hear.

"How many," Carrick asked.

"Each cave was full, at least twenty in each one. We may need some help" Christian told his dad.

"We will have help," Jason said, already on the phone to Mia and Sean. I know others who would help too, I also know that with that many people we would be going up against, not all of us would be coming back unscathed.

….

Leaving Phoebe had been heart-wrenching for both of us especially as to her we would be going far away. When she's older she will understand more why we had to go. This was for her, for us, for our dads to finally have some peace.

Not realising that our time limit was so short with whatever they had planned, happening tomorrow, we had cursed ourselves for not trying earlier. We still had under an hour of daylight left and we planned to use that time wisely before the others could get there.

We can't do all of the caves, there are too many for just the two of us in such a short space of time. We could go directly to the one that Elena was hiding in but Carrick wanted to be present for her downfall and hearing what was happening to the others would put the fear of God in her and Isaac as to what would soon be happening to them. So, the plan was to get rid of some of the others, hopefully knocking their numbers down by half. The best thing to beat them with was fire, so as Christian and I ran, we collected logs along the way.

"Up there" Christian spoke, his words silent only heard in my mind. We could hear voices in the caves that dotted the hillside overlooking the cliff top and the ocean beyond. As we were both wrapped in my shield, none inside even knew we were here.

Climbing up towards them with one hand wrapped around the bundle of wood that I held was surprisingly easy when you have no worries should you fall. There was a ledge before the caves that were occupied, one that was just big enough for what we needed to do.

We both placed the logs down before the others could even begin to understand what was happening outside. Through a few spoken words from Christian despite it being windy up here the logs were quickly ablaze, the heat and smell finally cluing those inside into what was about to happen. I focused then, focused all my energy on the log piles before moving each with my mind. They both flew through the entrance of the caves causing panic and screaming inside.

None could escape although many tried and even if I had not had my shield in place blocking each doorway keeping them and the fire inside, the light out here would have turned them to dust. Instead, as Christian made the fire grow inside, they were quickly turned to ash.

As the last cry ended, we heard movement from the other caves as the immortals emerged now it was safe for them to do so. They had heard the others cries but would not have known what had happened to them because according to their senses, there was no one else here.

It was our friends that joined us that clued them into who was here. All of them soon standing side by side with us as we looked towards the cliff top where immortal after immortal emerged, although their leaders were yet to appear.

"Ana" Christian said, smiling to me as I nodded.

Moving the pile of flaming logs that had done its job in the other cave, I focused on where I wanted it to be, where Elliot had described the other caves were. Seeing the immortals jump out of the way would have been humorous in any other situation but it was those two we were listening out for and hearing a scream to move, we knew it had found the right place.

Would they come out and face us, or jump into the dark water below we didn't know. If they did choose the latter they would be met by Mia, Sean, Kyle and some others who were waiting close by on the beach

Hands came first before the two of them appeared. An angry cry came from her, one with an instruction to destroy us all.

They came at us en-mass, their only real gift the strength that is gained from being newly changed. I still had that strength, add to that my shield that bounced some of them back and I was able to hold my own.

The sound of thunder filled the air throughout the night when in reality it was immortal bodies crashing together as pieces were ripped from them. Knowing their numbers wouldn't save them, most ran for the cliff edge, jumping into the dark below. As their numbers dwindled their makers had disappeared from sight.

"They're here, I hear them," Christian told me what I already knew as I pushed my shield out finding Elena and Isaac on the cliff top before watching as they too jumped into the water below. Christian, Carrick and I followed then, determined to make sure they could not getaway.

"Shit, look out" Elliot called out from the cliff above us as we swam towards the shore. Off in the distance at the other end of the beach, more people emerged at speed, more immortals come to join the fight on her side.

With the sound that left her lips, had I not known what she really was, I would have thought she was a witch. It was a cackle, a maniacal laugh of triumph as it was us that were outnumbered now.

Running from the water, I jumped over Mia landing on the immortal behind and removed their head. When I started towards the caves earlier, I had worried that having not fought with anything before except Royce I would be easily overcome now. My vampire side had kicked in, my strength and determination to end this so I can go back and see my child. I would have no more nights when I would be unable to put her to bed, I will see to that.

While I had been fighting, Christian and Carrick had both been working together against Elena and Isaac. Whatever gift Isaac had, was throwing smoke screens up between both groups, giving them the chance to emerge at another place. They had evaded him before, Isaac the one who kept my movements when I was taken, hiding me from Christian. Taking him out, would leave an easy target of her.

I had an idea then, one which would hurt everyone here unless a shield was put in place. Opening my mind to Christian, it was a split second look he gave me, one that asked if I was crazy and also if I was sure about what I was suggesting. Nodding, I spoke to all others that were here to help us to gather around me.

I wrapped my shield around them all, Lincoln's minions wondering if they had won and they could stop the fight. They soon found out what was really going on as Christian focused his full power on my shield which bounced off in all directions, causing all outside of it except him so much pain it had them collapsing to the floor. Inside the shield, we were all protected but it was soon dropped the second Christian stopped. The fight started again and was quickly ended before most could get to their feet.

"Just you two and us now," Christian told Elena who then pushed Isaac in front of her.

"Stop them, hide us" she shouted angrily at him.

She pushed him forward, demanding that he deal with us so that she could getaway. Realising that he was just another one who had been used by her and the emotions she had shown towards him were fake. Despite knowing he was surrounded now, he didn't put up much of a fight.

I heard in the distance as the chase began, his body joining the others on the floor.

Trees were knocked out of the way as we ran, rocks mere dust as they could not compete with the vampires that were smashing through them in their pursuit of the one who had caused all this trouble.

I felt Christian leave the ground as Carrick took his place at my side, Riley and Hannah on my other side as we continued, following her trail and the magnificent bird that was flying above.

We heard a thud as she went down, screaming in pain before she was once again on her feet. Christian must have used the power he had used before but in his current form was unable to hold it for long. We saw him swoop down then, his claws picking her up before he slammed her into the ground. His actions had given us time then to surround her as he quickly changed back into a man.

"No more running Elena," I told her.

"You don't dictate to me what I can do child, you're nothing."

"Still with the child," I taunted. "Or will you come out with witch next. Your words mean nothing to me, to any of us."

"I'm more powerful than you could ever imagine, I have evaded you so far."

"Yes, with Isaac's help but he's gone now and if you hadn't realised it before, you're surrounded," Christian told her squeezing tightly on the arm he held as Carrick gripped her other.

"I don't think so" she replied, nodding to something over our shoulders. "If we don't move now, we will all die" she spoke trying to get out of their hold.

Far off in the distance, the sun was about to wake. She thought that we would all be running for shelter to get out of the light. It doesn't hurt me, I will make sure it doesn't hurt the others but her, she can burn just like our mothers did.

"Everybody stay where you are," I told them.

"Ana, the sun is coming up" Kyle stated.

"I know, if I can walk through fire and shield you from Christian's power, I can protect you from the sun. Trust me."

"We're all going to die, now move" Elena ordered, but found no one was listening to her.

I informed Christian in my mind what I was going to do. His smile was all the acknowledgement I needed and he took great pleasure in tightening his hold on her when she yet again tried to run.

We waited, the others in awe of what they were seeing, trusting me to keep them safe. Besides Christian and me, they had not seen a sunrise before, none had ever seen the sun. They all stood with a smile on their faces, welcoming a day like no other.

"You get to see this everyday son," Carrick asked, a beaming smile on his face.

"I do, thanks to you and mother. I'm so lucky that my wife and daughter get to see it too."

"Daughter" Elena stuttered, looking between Christian and me.

"Yes, daughter, a new half-vampire, half-witch. If you think Christian is powerful, I should introduce you to her" I laughed seeing the horror on her face.

I would not bring Phoebe here, especially around this woman. She didn't know that though and with the sunlight beaming down on her and the thought of another powerful immortal with us, I enjoyed her fear.

When the sun was high above us it was time to end this once and for all. I watched as Christian still with his hand on her arm mostly leave my shield. I say mostly because his hand was still inside it but that was not for long.

"It's time for you to experience the same pain my mother felt," he told her.

"Yes, it's time for you to know what fire really feels like" Carrick added, keeping hold of her other hand so she could not pull away.

If she did escape and try and run it will only make her death come quicker. She knew with the sun in the sky though there was no escape for her so I watched the boys have their fun.

Her arm was pulled out of the shield first, the sound of flesh burning and her screams ringing through my ears. From inside Carrick was pushing her slowly through my shield as outside Christian had nothing left to hold onto as it was just dust now blowing in the breeze. With one last push from Carrick, Elena Lincoln was outside of my shield burning like she had done to so many others. It was a fitting end for someone like her and with the bonfire that was started on the beach, she was not the only one who burned.

Two of ours lost limbs, friends of Kyle who he helped them reattach. As long as a head is not severed or a body burned then with a little time an immortal can be made new.

We made sure none that had been with her were left, not even a foot, nor a hand. She was gone and we wanted to make sure that any others that had come with here were gone too.

"How far can that shield stretch," Riley asked.

"I'm not sure, do you want to try and find out" I teased as I was wrapped in Christian's arms.

"Don't even think about it" Hannah laughed, smacking him on the arm.

Our laughter was pierced with a squeal then as from down the beach our little girl came. I should have known she would not have stayed put once we had spoken to her on the phone. Hearing my dad call after her, telling her to wait, I knew he had no chance of keeping up with her.

"How did you find us," I asked her. "We only told you we were at the beach minutes ago."

"Grandma and Grandma" she giggled.

"That damn book of yours. It opened, she said a few words and we found ourselves here" my dad told us.

Hearing her speak about the spell she had spoken, we knew it was one that would expand the range of the gift that she had. Teleporting from one room to another was one thing, to another state, that's a different thing entirely. We were going to have fun with our little girl and I couldn't wait for the mischief she was going to bring.

We spent the day on that beach enjoying the late autumn sunshine. We felt so far away from civilizational especially at this time of year knowing that no one would stumble upon us especially with a few spells in place.

It was not the beach the others enjoyed thought, it was exchanging night to day and going from dark into light. As the sun started to go down and all the fires had gone out, the ashes now swept away with the tide I vowed to use my gift like this more often, knowing how much enjoyment it would bring.

We all breathed a little easier as we ran home, knowing despite all that is evil in this world, we had rid it of one little bit.

There would be others, I did not doubt that but with three half vampires, half witches in the house anyone that tries to ruin our peaceful life will come up against a power like no other.

I have a few words for anyone that wants to try….Bring it on.

…. The End ….

Thank you to all who have enjoyed this story.

I had thought about an epilogue but everything I wrote especially about Phoebe and her abilities had already been written about in this chapter so I will leave it here.

I am working on a Christmas story which I hope to have the first chapter up by the beginning of December. A little magic, a few wishes here and there and not a vampire in sight.

Until then, take care.

Caroline.