Hola readers! I don't even know if anyone is going to read this because I came on this website recently and it was just like really less reviews and not many new storys so... but I was like whatever I like this franchise and am determined to finish this story!

I'm 9 reviews away from 100 and after this the next chapter will be the last one so please tell me what you think after and as always...

Enjoy

The raw smell of smoke burned the back of my throat. It was a totally unwelcome smell considering what happened the last time I was in the middle of a house fire. This time though it was with what is basically my new family and this time I was actually able to do something about it. I looked over at the two girls, Claire and Eve, slumped again the wall also wrinkling their noses at the smell, and then I looked in the air searching, in my own weird way, for Michael – who was probably floating nearby watching unable to do anything. The three of them meant so much to me, even Claire, who was fairly new to my but had quickly earned a special place in my heart.

Am I being sentimental? Ew. Need to stop doing that.

I settled next to the two of them just as the doorbell – through all the chaos – rang clearly through the house.

'You're kidding me? Did you order pizza? Good idea, I'm starving.' I said only half joking.

'I think you have brain damage.' Eve said as she stood up.

'Yeah, because I'm starving.' I replied, once again I'm not totally joking here. It has been a long day and I seriously...

There was a loud crash downstairs and I was officially snapped out of anything that wasn't 100% serious and I could see that the girls had the same thought. Both of their faces dropped and their eyes went darker.

'Guess this is it,' I said. 'Sorry. Last stand at the Alamo.'

Eve jumped up and hugged me. Normally I'd object pretty strongly but this time it felt to get this kind of comfort. She then turned and hugged Claire which lasted longer because – girls. And then it was me and Claire. I vaguely remembered the last time the two of us got this close.

I will not let anything happened to any of us. I will protect them.

I grabbed the nearest weapon to hand, which happened to be a baseball bat, pretty good. And took stance in front of the girls.

A woman, not to young not too old, walked down the hallway with the kind of grace that could only come from a vampire. I'd never seen her before but she looked totally calm like she was walking through her own house and like she didn't notice half the hallway was burned. She stopped a few steps away from the three of us and spoke in a voice that matched her chilled vibe.

'There's no need for that,' she said looking at the raised bat in my hand. And then flicked her eyes up to meet mine. 'You must be Shane. Hello. My name is Amelie.'

Urm what the hell? She knows me – probably doesn't like me then. And I know I recognize that name.

'You can put that away,' Amelie said. 'You won't need it, I assure you.'

She turned and left the doorway. We stared at each other frowning, Claire looked the most worried.

'Is she gone?' Eve mouthed at me. I turned on my heel and took small steps forward into the hallway just in time to see the vampire push aside the painting and click the button underneath it revealing the secret room. Well there goes that hiding place.

She went up into the room and everything was still for a few seconds until she said,

'I think you have some questions. I have some, as well, as it happens, and it would be prudent if we indulged each other. If not, then of course you are free to go - but I must warn you that Oliver is not happy. And when Oliver is unhappy, he tends to be rather childish about lashing out. You are not, as they say, out of the woods quite yet, mes petits.'

Awesome. Q and A with some intrusive vamp who appears to be team Ollie.

'Vote,' I said to the girls. 'I'm for leaving.'

'Stay,' Eve said. 'Running won't do us any good, and you know it. We need to at least hear what she has to say.' Now Eve's being logical. Looks like Claire gets the decider.

'I get a vote?' she frowned and I almost grinned at her.

'Why wouldn't you? You pay rent.'

'Oh. She saved my life today. I don't think she's - well, maybe she's bad, but she's not, you know, bad. I say we listen.' Fair enough. She's always logical.

I shrugged at her. 'Whatever. You go first.'

Amelie had apparently felt it was best to continue to act like she owned the place and was sat on the sofa totally still. The first thing I noticed however was the two large bogy guard type looking men stood in the shadows. No doubt they where vamps too. Who the hell is this woman?

'Claire.' She said as we entered. 'Ah, and Eve, how lovely.'

'You know me?' Eve asked, surprised. She took a look around at the other two vampires.

'Of course. I always pay attention to the dispossessed.' Cute word. She should try 'the free'

'And your parents are particular favourites of mine.' Ugh of course they are.

'Yeah, great. So who the hell are you?' I asked pretty bluntly not taking into account she looked like the type to cry over any type of curse word.

'Amelie,' she said. That part I know. 'I thought you knew whose symbol you wore from birth, my dear.'

Excuse me? 'I don't wear any symbols.'

'That's true. You don't now.' And I never will. 'But everyone in this town did once, including those from whom you sprang. One way or another, you are owned, body and soul.'

It was only the fact that I knew the vamps in the corner could rip my jaw that stopped me from telling her exactly what I thought about that..

'You have a question,' Amelie stated ignoring my death stare. I blinked. Can she mind read?

'Yeah. How did you get in here? Oliver couldn't.' That's a good start

'An excellent question, well phrased. And were I any other vampire, I would not be able to do so. However, this house is my house, first and foremost. I built it, as I built several such in Morganville. I live in each of them in turn, and while I am in residence the Protections will defend me from any enemy, either human or vampire. While I am absent, they will exclude vampires, if the residents are human, and of course humans if the residents are vampires. Unless the proper permissions are given.' She inclined her head like some kind of elementary school teacher. 'Does that answer your question?'

'Maybe.' I thought taking it in. So it is her house. 'Why didn't it protect Michael?'

'He gave Oliver permission to enter, and, in doing so, forfeited the house's Protection. However, the house did what it could to preserve him.' Amelie spread her hands. 'Perhaps it helped that Oliver was, in fact, not trying to destroy him but to change him.'

'Into a vampire,' Eve said.

'Yes.'

'Yes! I always wanted to ask why that doesn't work. I mean, the vampires keep on biting, but...?' Oh God. I don't need a lesson on vampire reproduction.

Amelie said nothing. She seemed to be thinking, or remembering; either way, it was a long and uncomfortable silence before she said, 'Have you children any concept of geometric progression?' Urm. No way.

Claire raised her hand. Of course Claire raised her hand.

'And how many vampires would it take to turn the entire world into vampires, if it was so simple as that?' Amelie stared at Claire. 'My dear, I do not expect you to answer, though if you would like to work out the math of it and tell me someday, I should be most interested to see it. The truth is that we came very near to it, in my younger years, when humans were much fewer. And it was agreed - as it has lately been agreed among you humans - that perhaps conservation of game is a wise idea. So we - removed the knowledge of how to create more vampires, simply by refusing to teach it. Over time, the knowledge was lost except to the Elders, and now it is lost altogether, except in two places.'

'Here?' Claire asked.

'Here,' Amelie said, and touched her forehead. 'And there.'

She pointed at me.

'What?' Claire and Eve both blurted and for a moment I was as confused as them until I remembered what I'd shoved in my back pocket. Is there anything she doesn't know.

'Yeah,' I said, and pulled it out. I'm busted anyway. 'It was all I could think of.' I explained.

I tipped it open revealing the pages of the small leather bound book which I'd hidden in a random book from the bookcase.

'Very clever,' Amelie said. 'You gave them the cover, filled with words they did not want, and kept for yourself what was important. But what if I told you that it was the cover they were after, and not the contents?'

Interesting. Remember she's not on your side. ;I had to play the odds.' I replied dryly.

'Wise gamesmanship,' she said not sounding totally complementary. 'In fact, I told you that Oliver is unhappy, and so he is, because he has allowed that' - she nodded toward the pages – 'to slip through his fingers. And so I find that I come to you for a favour.'

Finally. An ending to this crap. 'A favour? Like a deal?'

'Yes, Shane. I shall make a deal for what you hold in your hand, and I promise you that it is the only deal that matters, as I am the only vampire that matters. I will take the book, and destroy the last written record of how vampires may be created, which will ensure my continued survival against my enemies, who will not dare to move against me for fear of losing what only I know.' She sat back against the puffed cushions, looking me up and down. 'And for this, you and all in this house will receive my Protection for as long as you should choose to have it. This will cancel any other, lesser contracts you might have made, such as the agreement you made with Oliver, through Brandon.' Hmm. Sounds good I guess.

'Oliver - is Brandon's boss?' Claire said asking my next question.

'Boss?' Amelie looked like it wasn't a word she'd use but she nodded anyway. 'Yes. Exactly. While I do not command Oliver, neither can he command me. Until he discovers the secrets I hold, he cannot unseat me in Morganville, and he cannot create his own followers to overwhelm mine. We are...evenly matched.'

'And this would have changed that.' I confirmed.

'Yes,' she said softly. 'That book would have destroyed us all in the end. Vampires as well as humans. I owe you a debt for this, and I will pay it as well as circumstances will allow.'

I thought about it. It sounds OK, I mean it gets us out of this mess and we get rid of the book. I looked at the girls in turn who gave me nods. 'Michael?' I asked knowing he'd be pissed if I didn't. 'Yes or no?'

A strong chill waved over for a couple of seconds and somehow seemed like it was trying to be soothing. I sighed.

'Guess that's a yes. Well, anything that pisses off Oliver is a good deed, so...' I held it out expecting it to be snatched straight out of my hand. But it wasn't.

She made no move to take it. 'Understand,' she said, and her eyes were bitter cold, 'that once this is done, it is done. Your Glass House will remain, but you are bound together. None may leave Morganville, after. I cannot risk your knowledge escaping my control.'

Bitch. I knew it.

Fuck it what other option is there.

'Yeah, well, if we go now, we're toast anyway, right?' I continued to hold it out. 'Take it. Oliver was right about one thing: it's nothing to us but death.'

'Au contraire,' she said. Sucks I failed French. Her pale white fingers took it from mine. 'It is, in fact, your salvation.'

She stood, looked around the room, and sighed a little. 'I have missed this place,' she said. 'And I believe it has also missed me. Someday I will come back.' She pressed the hidden catch on the arm of the settee, and without another word to them turned to leave.

'Hey, what about the cops?' I asked remembering our other problems. 'Not to mention all those people who tried to kill us today?'

'They answer to Oliver. I will make it known that you are not to be troubled. However, you must not further disturb the peace. If you do, and it is your fault, I will be forced to reconsider my decision. And that would be...unfortunate.' She flashed her fangs. Fuck. Remain calm. 'Au revoir, children. Do take care of the house more carefully in the future.'

Her two vamp guards went with her. Smoke and silence. There was no sound on the stairs after. 'Um...what did we just do?' Claire asked sounding like the child I once thought she was.

'Pretty much all we could, I'm checking the street.'

I said wanting to see if the head-vamp kept the first part of her word.

We walked down together each with some kind of weapon, but there was need for any of it. Everyone was gone, cars and everything. Apart from the damage to our house it seemed nothing ever happened. Morganville all over.

'Crap,' I said noticing the symbol that match the one on the cover on the book we'd just given away hung up above our doorbell. 'Does that mean she wrote the damn book, too?'

'I'll bet she did, for backup," Eve said. 'You know, the symbol's also on the well in the center of town. It's the Founder symbol.'

'She's the Founder,' I said slowly making sense of everything.

'Well, somebody had to be.'

'Yeah, but I figured it was a dead somebody.'

'Funny,' Claire said, 'but I think it is a dead somebody.'

Oh yeah. I laughed and Eve snorted as she held one back. That's a good point.

I slung my arm around her thin frame. 'you still quitting school.' I asked hoping she'd answer with a simple yes.

But no.

'Not if I can't leave town.' Claire smacked herself in the head, thinking through all of Amelie's conditions. 'Oh my God! I can't leave town! I can't ever leave town? What about school? Caltech? My parents?' Realising you can't leave this hell hole must be pretty shocking.

I leaned down and pressed my lips to her warm forehead in my sorry attempt to comfort her. 'Tomorrow's problems,' I told her 'I'm going with let's just be glad there's a tomorrow, at this point.' And she smiled at me agreeing. I made a warm chill rush through me.

Eve closed the front door. It swung open again in the breeze. 'I think we're going to need a new door.'

'I think we're going to need Home Depot.' I said looking around. This is not going to be fun.

'Do they sell stakes at Home Depot here?' Claire asked us. We both looked at her as if she was insane.

'Dumb question.' She admitted. 'Never mind.'

But is anything she says actually dumb?

Chapter 19 done and dusted WOO! Took me ages. I'm writing this at 1:30 am by the way.

Review please cos I'm thinking of doing English writing in college but I'm not sure.

Expect the closing chapter within the next few weeks... Love you guys

Nikkie X