Halle was awoken hourster by the sound of hurrying footsteps along the corridor and murmured voices, hopping out of bed, she quickly pulled on some jeans and a top before throwing open her door and running down the hallway to Vance''s room. Skidding through the doorway, she saw Jason still in the same position on Vance''s bed, his white face and hollow eyes showed that he had not slept at all that night. Viktor was sat across from him, one of his sons hand''s held in his own as he kept a silent vigil.


    Vancey unconscious, his breathingboured as he wheezed slowly, his face like a death mask as the poison worked it''s way slowly through the Prince''s system.


    Justin and Leo were nowhere to be seen, speaking hesitantly, Halle looked over at her brother, ''where is dad?'' she asked.


    ''Auriele was at the edge of the forest, he and Leo have gone with some Vampires to collect her, Dad thought she would feel more at ease if he was there!'' Jason replied in a monotone voice, his eyes not leaving his Mate''s face.


    ''Have you eaten?'' Halle ventured as she walked around the bed and pulled her brother toward her, him resting his head against her as he sighed, ''no'' he muttered, ''I''m not really hungry!


    Growling slightly, Halle pulled Jason''s face round to look at her, ''Val would be absolutely screaming at you right now if he was awake'' she scolded gently, ''he would not want you starving yourself so you better eat something because as soon as he wakes up I am so ratting you out to him.''


    Jason gave a weak smile, ''I would happily have you tell him all my secrets if he would just wake up'' he replied, his lip quivering slightly as he fought against the tears that were trying to spill down his face.


    ''He''ll be OK Jas'' Halle soothed, stroking his hair as she hugged him to her, ''Val is a stubborn so and so he won''t let this take him without the mother of all fights!


    Carter arrived at that moment with a tray loaded with toast and tea which he ced on Vance''s dresser before checking the Prince and leaving with a bow. Halle hurried over to the tray and grabbed a slice of toast and a cup, making her way back to her brother and forcing them into his hands, indicating for him to eat.


    Taking a small bite, Jason slowly chewed and swallowed as he looked up at Halle who nodded approvingly before making her way back around the bed, stopping at the door she looked back at the two men, ''eat all that toast, you too Viktor'' she admonished, ''I''m going to check on Vaya and the warriors''


    ''I don''t need to eat Miss Halle'' Viktor reminded her without moving his gaze,


    ''No but it will give you something to do and if you eat then my brother will eat which will make Val happy. He would want you to be taking care of his match until he can do it himself'' Halle replied sternly. Leaving the room she heard Viktor speak to Jason, ''Is she always this bossy?''


    Jason gave a small chuckle, ''oh this is mild, she can be a whole bucket load of bossy, she gets it from our mum'' he replied.


    Bouncing down the stairs, Halle raced into the kitchen, pushing open the door and almost sending Vaya flying who was stood behind it, the dryad falling forward as Daniel leapt of his chair and caught her securely in his arms.


    ''Halle!'' he growled furiously as Vaya scrambled back to her feet fending off Daniel''s protective embrace so she could sit down.


    ''Oops! Sorry Vaya'' Halle said chagrined as she walked more sedately over to the ind and sat on Vaya''s right as Daniel retook his seat to her left, picked up the toast he had dropped on his te and continued to eat whilst sending Halle glowering looks. ''What has you all worked up?'' Vaya asked brushing off the young girl''s apologies.


    ''I just came to get some food quick before Auriele gets here'' Halle admitted, taking the toast Carter handed to her and biting into a slice aggressively.


    Sighing Vaya replied, ''I hope she can do something, Jason has waited a long time for him.''


    As Halle was about to answer she was interrupted by sounds from the hallway that indicated the arrival of Justin and Auriele.


    Jumping up, Halle led the group who stumbled their way into the hallway toe face to face with the ethereal beauty that was the witch. She smiled in recognition at Halle who gave her a small wave in return. ''You look well child'' Aurielemented as she studied the teenager closely.


    ''I am Auriele, so do you'' Halle replied before Justin ushered the witch up the stairs and toward Vance''s room.


    The Vampires and warriors elected to remain downstairs, but Halle, Vaya, Daniel and Carter all followed Justin, Leo and Auriele upstairs and hovered outside of the room listening.


    Auriele made her way slowly around the bed as Jason and Viktor quickly arose and stepped back to give her room, she ced her hand upon Vance''s pasty skin and hummed slightly as her eyes closed, connecting to him.


    Opening her eyes, she ced her bag onto the bed next to the still man and rummaged for her cauldron, pestle and mortar, pulling them out and cing them carefully on the bed side table.


    Reaching over, Auriele pulled a single strand of Vance''s hair from his head, rubbing in between her fingers before cing it in the pestle. Pulling out a small silver dagger, she ced the tip into the crook of the Prince''s neck and pressed until blood covered the tip. Moving it to her bowl she flicked the knife downwards until a single drop fell from the sharp edge. Pulling out a handkerchief she wiped the de clean again before hiding the knife back within her robes.


    Feeling around in her bag, the witch pulled out a rubber stoppered bottle with an ink ck liquid inside. Squeezing the stopper slightly, she then removed it to reveal a small ss syringe that now contained some of the bottle''s contents. Dropping three droplets of the liquid on top of the blood she then picked up the mortar and started to grind the ingredients viciously, adding a few herbs from boxes she found in her bag whilst muttering a spell to herself over and over.


    Clicking her fingers, the cauldron t was suddenly half filled with a shimmering liquid, pouring the contents of the pestle into the ck container she ignited her unburning blue me underneath and started to slowly stir the mixture with a wooden spoon, humming a melody to the water as is swirled, bubbling with the heat.


    As her humming got louder, the swirling of the liquid became faster and faster, no longer being stirred by the witch, the fluid moved of its own volition, a small whirlpool forming in the middle, different colours flowing up the sides in ripples as Auriele gazed as if in a trance into the middle of the depression.


    ''He is dying'' Auriele said quietly as she stared into the moving liquid, ''he is not poisoned, it is an antidote, a way to reverse what the first Vampire infected all of his children with.


    ''Please, can you save him?'' Jason asked quickly, silently begging the witch to do something.


    ''It is not something that I can just meddle in blindly child'' Auriele replied sadly, ''the high coven is a force like no other, this is not just the work of some random mediocre witch with a vendetta against a low level foe, this is a powerful spell cast by a formidable witch, that has very limited ways that it can be undone. The easiest way that we could reverse what has been done is to get the person who cast it to willingly lift it themselves''.


    ''Vance will die before we can find her'' Viktor growled out angrily, ''this is no help!''


    Auriele leveled her gaze on the hurting Vampire, ''I can slow the speed of the antidote within his system, buy you time to get to Agnes and learn what is needed to break down the attack on his venom. Bring ck either Agnes herself or the information needed back to me and I will do all I can to prepare a vial that will reverse what is happening!'' she said without emotion.


    ''Please just slow down the antidote'' Jason begged her, ''we''ll find Agnes, and get what you need!


    Auriele nodded before turning her back on them, waving her hand over the liquid immediately making it vanish before clicking her fingers to refill the cauldron and busying herself making a potion that would keep Vance alive until they could find Agnes and return her too the castle.


    ''This will take me time'' Auriele said over her shoulder, ''I would suggest that you spend it searching for and dealing with the traitor within your walls'' she added softly.


    "What are you talking about? What traitor? Viktor demanded, suddenly springing to life, his whole demeanour angry, ring around at everyone.


    ''I could feel their presence as I entered your abode, someone is actively working against you Viktor, they have been helping your enemy, and you will not seed in saving your son until you deal with them! Auriele replied before tuning them all out.