[Evil Tink]

"Answer me Kitra!" Serus shouted, her power lashing out and smashing an empty chair near the back of the room.

Jaelynn jumped slightly, but kept quiet. "Something is definitely wrong here...I can hardly get a read on Serus' emotions," she whispered to Seth, "Seth..can you sense it? That..coldness."

Suddenly, the air in the room got ice cold. Serus' heart sunk, and if had been beating, it would've stopped. She took a tentative step back, her eyes narrowed in panicked suspicion.

The other female made no sound, nor indication she was going to answer. None of the Council did.

Serus sensed someone else in the room, something she couldn't believe she missed before. "No.. no no..this..isn't possible..."

A pale, white haired woman stepped from the shadows, releasing her shield, allowing Serus to sense her. "Did you miss me?"

Serus was wrought with terror for the first time in her life since her first encounter with Keiara. "What the hell is going on here!? Why are you just sitting there? Layla's right there!"

One of the male vampires stood, then the rest followed him up. "By forcing her into a deep coma and keeping her locked away for your own personal study, you disobeyed direct orders from your Master, and from the will of your race. Either redeem yourself, or die."

Then it was only Serus and Layla in the room.

Jaelynn shook slightly as a tremor of terror wracked Serus' body. "What is going on in there? Dare I enter?" She bit her lip, unsure of what to do. "Wait..who..is..." Her hand dropped, silence over coming both their ears. "How did she get in here? Seth," she looked over, "it's...Layla."

She quickly grabbed onto the door, but quickly let go with a loud hiss, "It's cold as ice." She held her hand over the door, analyzing it with her mind, "There's a powerful barrier around the door..it won't open unless Layla wants it too."

Suddenly, her form blurred, as if vibrating at high speeds, which was essentially what she was doing. After a moment, it stopped with a soft curse from the blonde vampire, "I can't teleport either. Seth, we have to get in there."