[Evil Tink]

Serus sighed, setting the glass down, loosing her appetite. She leaned back on the dark granite counter, letting her head hit the cabinet as she let it fall back to rest. What am I going to do? I should've killed her or turned her over to the council when I managed to knock her out. I'm such a fool.

She ran her fingers through her hair with a stressful sigh. She had to act quickly. Perhaps, if she could ambush Layla, she might have a chance. Dammit..Jaelynn.. she quickly shielded off her mind, even from her daughter. She searched the minds of her coven to see if anyone had any news about Layla's whereabouts.

[Bovice]

Seth found Jaelynn yelling at some contractors. "Man she does a lot of yelling." Seth laughed to himself. "Jaelynn we need to talk in privet." He said as he pointed to the room where Serus talked with the council. They entered the room and Seth shut the doors. "Can you do your sound blocking thing please." Seth asked nervously. "Read my mind please." Seth said sort of demanding. "You know what I wanna talk about." Seth said feeling bad hiding things from Serus. "We need to figure something out to keep Serus from going to look and fight Layla." Seth said flustered. "As we speak Serus is probably searching as far as she can reach to find Layla." Seth said trying to figure things out.

[Evil Tink]

Jaelynn turned to see Seth, nodded and followed him inside the conference room. The doors shut by themselves after she had entered, and as he asked, she made a barrier around the room and their minds so Serus would not be able to eavesdrop at all. "You can start by saying please kindly, before you demand anything from me."

She sighed, as she read his mind, but nodded, "I agree, but knowing her, the only thing that would keep her here, is probably you." She paused, trying to think of how to phrase it. "She really loves you. She didn't even really care for my father very much. I hate doing this to her, but you're going to have to guilt her into staying here...and I do mean guilt."

She quickly glances her mother's mind, but found that she couldn't get anything from her, "She's blocking me out..she's definitely planning. We don't have much time."

[Bovice]

"I'm sorry for demanding you." Seth said apologetically. "What can I do to guilt her into staying?" Seth asked felling horrible. "So she doesn't read my mind and see what I'm doing, can you teach me how to block other people out?" He asked hoping she would.

[Evil Tink]

Jaelynn couldn't help but laugh a bit at his request, "It would take you years to master it well enough to keep her out, but until then I can protect your mind. Perhaps, once this is over, I can teach you..." She sighed, putting a shield around his mind, "She will know something is up if she analyzes you carefully...but I can remain undetected if she's simply just talking to you. Don't give her a reason to go digging around."

She was silent for a moment as she thought, but shrugged, "I couldn't tell you. That's something you'll have to think of I guess. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. Although, if worse comes to worse, I will disable her like she did to Layla. She won't be too pleased when she wakes up, but she will be safe until we can get rid of Layla."

[Bovice]

"Well thank you Jaelynn." Seth said with a slight bow. "Now all I need to do is think of a way to keep her here." Seth said as the doors opened. "I got it." he said as he walked to find Serus. Felix I'm not going to let Serus die so I'm going to say you got another vision and me and Jaelynn were killed before Serus."
"Ok sir." Felix said worried.

Seth found Serus in the kitchen and put on the saddest face he could muster up. "Serus?" Seth said as he walked up to her, "We...need to talk." He sighed closing his eyes, pausing a moment to gather his thoughts. This would have to be done very carefully.

After a moment, he opened his eyes, sadness plastered all over his face, "Felix just contacted me...and I'm afraid that if I tell you, it'll happen even quicker. You have to promise me to stay here? No matter what." He waited a moment, but not for an answer. "Layla kills Jaelynn and myself right before you. We..followed you after discovering you snuck out to go chase her down. We didn't stand a chance.."

He watched her face carefully, trying to determine if he should play it up more, or what he should do. "The anger and sadness comes from you as she kills us both." He took her hands in his, lacing their fingers. He felt terrible for lying to her, but it was for her own good. He just hoped she didn't see through the lie.

[Evil Tink]

Serus tensed as he told her of what was to happen. Distraught, she took her hands away from his playing with one of the ribbons on the corset of her dress. She stared at him for a moment, her grief written all over her face. "It's...my fault..you die?"

She began to shake a bit as she wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself tightly. She could not live with herself if she was the reason Seth and Jaelynn died. Her body continued to tremble as various fictional scenes of their deaths flashed through her mind.

"I..can't" she whispered, dropping to her knees, "I'll just...stay..." She bent over, as if in pain, her hair completely covering her face as she gently rocked back and forth.

Jaelynn couldn't help but cry a bit as Serus's emotions went into complete chaos. Luckily, she was upstairs and didn't have to see it happening. She picked at her finger nails, unsure of what to do...other than help Seth..keep him reassured.

"Seth, don't break your composure. It's vital she stays here. It's for her well being, as well as ours. You can do this." She shut her eyes, trying to ease Seth's mind by manipulating his subconscious. "She will understand why this was necessary. She'll be alright. Just..comfort her, but don't let her see through the lie."

[Bovice]

Seth was heartbroken seeing Serus this way. He bent down after hearing Jaelynn. "Serus." Seth said as he picked up her face and whipped away her tears. "I still love you." Seth said as he gently kissed her. "Let's go upstairs you need some rest." He said as he picked her up. Seth carried her knowing that she would not forgive him and Jaelynn for what they did.

"Would she still love me?" He thought as he carried her up the stairs. They made it to Serus' room, Seth gently placed Serus on the bed. He got in next to her just to try and comfort her. His heart was breaking every moment he kept up this lie. Seth shed a tear as he held her.

[Evil Tink]

Jaelynn quickly left the conference room before Serus and Seth could pass her. She took a secondary staircase and headed up to to the fourth floor hiding away in a study flopping into a chair with a heavy sigh.

Serus just nodded, letting him take her to her room. She was still shaking at random intervals as they lay on the bed. She was so ashamed with herself. How could she have been so selfish in thinking she could take Layla out over night and not have to worry about Seth and Jaelynn?

"I'm so sorry" she said weakly, heaving out a few sobs. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, burying her face in his chest. "I won't be selfish," she managed to spit out between sobs, "But..you have to promise me you won't go after her either. You have to convince the council to find someone else. Please?" By now she had calmed down a bit.

[Bovice]

"Shhh shhh." Seth said as she buried her head in his chest. "I promise we wont go after her." Seth said trying not to cry. "I will go talk to them tomorrow." Seth said as he stroked her hair. "For now we rest." Seth said as he kissed the top of her head.

[Evil Tink]

Serus nodded, laying there quietly, yet she couldn't bring herself to sleep. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally fell asleep. Her sleep was riddled with more nightmares of Seth and/or Jaelynn dying. She curled up in a tight ball, her back facing Seth.

Layla giggled in that sweet, evil manor that she was known for. She stood over Serus, grabbing her by her hair and pulling her off the ground, "Did I not tell you, that I would get revenge? Oh, but don't worry. I've only just gotten started my dear." Layla laughed darkly as she threw her back into the tree, "I think I'll start with your little pet, Seth. Oh the things I could do to that boy~"

Serus yelled out as she hit the tree, snapping it near the roots where she hit it. Her head crashing into the trunk before it could fall away, causing a large splinter to be lodged in the back of her skull. She suddenly became dizzy with pain and weakness as the tree fell away from her back, causing her to follow suit.

Her body had been severely damaged by Layla's strong telekinetic attacks. But how? Shes..not a psychic vampire Serus tried to get up, but with only one leg, it was incredibly difficult. Not to mention, both her arms were dislocated and shattered, her ribs werent even in her thoracic cavity anymore, and her neck had been severed in multiple places.

Suddenly, Seth was in front of them, tackling Layla to the ground. Serus wanted to yell at him, so he could get away, but her lungs had completely caved in and she was out of power. She couldn't heal; she couldn't even communicate telepathically. All she could do was lay there and watch the two fight.

It was a quick ending for Seth. Layla had replicated the fight between him and Dragos, doing to him what he did to Dragos. Tears ran down Serus's cheeks as she watched the fight through Layla's eyes. She knew Layla wouldn't kill her quite yet, not until she had taken care of Jaelynn and Seth to break Serus's heart and mind.

Suddenly, Layla's blackened hand dove into Seth's chest and pulled out his heart. Serus wanted to scream, or move, or something, but she simply couldn't. As Layla tore his heart apart, she was jolted awake by the shock of the nightmare

Serus yelled out as she bolted upright, her hands darting around the mattress, looking for Seth. She couldn't sense him, or anyone in the house now. She was alone. He didn't lie..did he? She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin atop them. It was just a nightmare anyway...he's probably off talking to the Council right now. She nodded as she forced herself to calm down.

[Bovice]

Seth waited until Serus was sleeping for awhile. "Jaelynn we should go find Layla. Before Serus does." Seth said as he gently got up off of the bed. He looked at Serus in the dark and couldn't help but cry. Before he made a sound he quietly left the room. He caught up to Jaelynn downstairs. "I feel really terrible doing this to Serus." Seth said whipping his tears away. "Do you know how we are going to find Layla?" Seth asked as they went out the door.

[Evil Tink]

Jaelynn met Seth outside Serus' room, blocking any sounds from reaching Serus' ears. She nodded, "In fact, I do. Markus found her awhile ago and has been keeping tabs on her for awhile now. I haven't told Serus yet. You're not going to like where she is..."

She took Seth's hand, quickly teleporting them to an ally way, just across from a little white shop that Seth would find quite familiar. Especially considering it was the one Serus had had constructed in Washington, in his town. She pointed across the street just as a brown haired girl was walking by the shop, "She's been lingering around the shop for quite some time now. After some time of watching that woman, it's been determined that she is Layla. She probably expects Serus to show up since it is her shop after all."

Serus frowned as she was unable to contact Jaelynn and Seth. The council wouldn't block her like this, but..Jaelynn might if they were doing something they shouldn't be. Jaelynn was very sneaky like that, seeing as she had done plenty of spy work for Serus.

"Felix...you there?"

[Bovice]

"That bitch." Seth said looking in the shop window. "Shes been under our noses all along." Seth said looking at Jaelynn. "How are we gonna get her or the people out of there?" Seth asked really irritated.

"Yes Serus?" Felix said worried.

[Evil Tink]

"Indeed she has, but we have to be careful. If we use any power right away I'm afraid she might sense it. Any ideas?"

"Why do I get the feeling that they're not telling me something?" She stood out of the bed, jumping in surprise as someone appeared before her.

The black haired man shoved his hands in his pockets, "You're not going to like what I'm about to tell you Serus." His dark eyes watched her closely as she tensed up. She already knew something was wrong. "Jaelynn told me not to tell you, but I think she's going to end up getting hurt. Layla has been located."

[Bovice]

"Well Felix can come down here and tell the man at the register to 'close' shop so we can surprise Layla." Seth said getting ready to contact Felix.

"I don't know ma'am." Felix said nervously.