O'Conner's School for the Light challenged

[The Madame Red]

This was bad. Really bad. Anya stood frozen, her eyes wide as fear took over. Instinct rolled within her, she had to protect Conrad. Furthermore, she had to protect the offspring growing within her. She turned to Oscar, who was also stunned by the turn of events. He knew. Before she allowed anyone else to know, he had known before she had mentioned anything.

"Don't do this, Emma," Oscar whispered calmly, "There is another way to stop this."

In a flash, Anya was behind Emma grasping her arms as fiercely as she could, "Oscar! Now!"

"You're just going to sleep, Emma. I will not let you die," Oscar murmured before biting into her neck, draining her of enough of her blood to force her to go into shock and fall unconscious.

However, this was no easy task. Oscar was heavily mauled and Anya was bruised by the restraint she had to put Emma under. When Oscar finished, they let Emma safely slide to the floor before Oscar's wounds began to heal on their own with his new abilities. He winced slightly as he turned to Anya, "Your..kid... Are they alright?"

Anya placed a hand on her slender belly, "I believe so. He is born dead so I won't be able to tell if he's hurt right now."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma had managed to take down her father. He wasn't dead. Oh no. Emma knew the exact places to hit vampires to make Lycans think they were dead. But she couldn't tell them. Too emotional to tell them. She went for Anya next. But both of them. They held her down. Oscar's fangs hit her neck she felt her body relax under his touch. She broke free of Anya's grasp and held Oscar tight for a moment murmuring in Russian how good it felt to have her first love's fangs in her then she snapped out of it. "No!" She protested weakly. "It'll kill you! My blood!" Her eyes started to close. "My blood. . . is poison. . ." She slumped to the ground. Collapsing against Oscar. Her last thought was how she should've explained first. But she was too emotional when she came back to even say that.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya knew Emma wouldn't be able to kill her own father for Liam. She was too loyal to her family to do such a thing. Her worry turned to Oscar at Emma's words, "Do you..feel different?"

"I'm already dead and I drink my own kind's blood, I doubt I can't get anymore 'dead-er' than this," Oscar lit a cigarette, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

She then went to Conrad and examined his wounds. He was far from dead, but was probably more shocked than fearful. Anya held his head gently on her lap as she smiled down at him, "You will be fine, my love. Emma is safe and so are you."

"Not for long you're not."

To her greatest horror, more terrified than seeing Emma bare her claws at them, stood Liam at the front door. He must've...Emma must've brought him here by accident by him following her scent. Anya stood. She wouldn't let him kill anyone. Then Oscar stood in front of all of them, "Some husband you turned out to be. s**t, having your wife do all the dirty work and making her attack us."

"Enough talking, I'm tired of you two living," Liam swiftly transformed into his beast and lunged at Oscar.

The two were in a battle of physical strength. Anya pulled Emma and Conrad aside, making sure the two fighting wouldn't drag them in. Liam then had Oscar pinned beneath him, the vampire was using all of his strength to keep Liam's snout away from his head. Anya leaped onto Liam's back, pulling his ears back as hard as she could for the wolf to not tear off Oscar's head.

"Anya..." Oscar growled, feeling himself lose strength, "Tell Emma...that I've always loved her.."

"Don't say that!" Anya yelled, tears streaming down her face, "I won't let him kill you or hurt the others!"

"Don't..be stupid!" Oscar managed to say as Liam started to get the upper hand.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Emma opened her eyes. She'd healed faster than she thought possible She couldn't move though. Not much just her fingers. "Tell Emma. . . that I've always loved her." Oscar's words hit Emma hard. She always loved him too. She loved him and Liam. So much. She pushed herself up Watching in slow motion as the two vampires manged to separate themselves from Liam. She watched her husband make an attempt at a killing blow. "NO!!" She screamed. She pushed Oscar out of the way taking the hit to her belly. Time seemed to speed up. She felt blood bubble up her throat and coughed it out. She felt claws in her belly. But she didn't feel the pain. "I. . ." She kept spitting out blood. "I just wanted to have a family." Her eyes went blank as she lost consciousness and crumpled over Liam's arm.  

[The Madame Red]

Everything fell still. Anya watched from the corner of the room, guarded by Oscar as his eyes watered at the sight. The night he had ran out, he hadn't seen Emma throw herself off of the stairs to her death. This.. He would not have this. He charged at Liam with a new sense of power, the lycan dropped Emma's body to the floor and began to go into a fit of rage towards the vampire. They were equally matched still. Anya couldn't let Emma's condition go in vane. She threw off her heels, let her hair fall down her back as she joined the fight as well. However, she was as fast as Liam but her strength did not compare to his. As soon as his claw dug into her throat, Anya was down for the count.

This only fueled Oscar's rage and his strength grew numerously. He then had Liam pinned to the wall before he let out a mournful roar as his eyes turned crimson red instead of their normal amber.

"You murderer!" Liam struggled against Oscar's tight grip on him, "You killed my pack! Neither of you deserve to live!"

Anya coughed of blood as she gurgled whatever remains of blood she had. She struggled to sit up as she forced herself to crawl to Conrad, who remained near his daughter. If this was her final few moments of life, she wanted to be by his side.

"And I would do it all over again!" Oscar yelled back, slamming Liam harder against the wall, "But killing me, Anya, or having Emma hurt again isn't the answer! Before you attacked, I was being punished for my actions! Death will not stop with me, there are others will who best me and kill more than just your pack! Have it end with just me!"

"Then your death is all I need," Liam growled viciously as he snapped at Oscar's neck, the vampire easily avoided the quick attack.

"I'm saying that if you let me live, there will be no one else to replace me and do more damage than what is already done," Oscar forced Liam to listen.

The lycan breathed rapidly, anger still coursing through his veins until his eyes went to Emma's limp body on the floor. Oscar turned slightly too, tears trickling down his cheeks at the scene. He never wanted to see her like that. With little trust in Liam's actions, he released the lycan to let him go to Emma first. Oscar remained where he was as he watched from a distance.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad had recovered just in time to see Liam heading toward Emma's defenseless body bleeding out on the floor. He felt as if he was watching Evelyn's death again. "NO!!" He roared thrusting Liam away. He saw the scene of Emma's life slipping away again. "No." He sobbed. He pulled his little girl into his arms. So small. She looked so small. His own wound had closed. She wanted to protect them all from Liam. "My little girl." He failed her again. "Anya. . . please. . . Milaya tell me she's not dead! I. . . I can't tell." He looked up at his wife. Then to his brother in law. To Liam and his anger raged. Obviously the wolf ignored Emma's pleas. Emma was so limp in his arms. "Does everything I touch have to die?" Conrad asked no one. "First my sister, then my consort, now my child?" He looked up again at Anya. He couldn't bare to think of losing her too. He registered that Anya was down and carrying Emma over to Anya he pulled her close too. He poured some of his blood into Anya's wound knowing it wouldn't take long for her to heal now. His eyes turned to Liam. "If Emma is died, I'll kill you."  

[The Madame Red]

Anya was more worried about the baby growing within her. She couldn't die. This was a child she created with Conrad, and it wouldn't be right to just die now. As she felt darkness creep around her eyesight, there was something warm hitting her wound. It felt nice. She started to see again and realized that Conrad stopped her from bleeding out. Her eyesight then caught sight of Liam holding Emma against him, though her wound was healing rather swiftly. She shouldn't be dead.

She sat up slowly before turning to see Conrad glaring angrily at Liam. Anya's basic instinct came in as she bared her claws, ready to attack until she felt Oscar help her up, "That's enough, Anya. We're all safe."

"Liam..he.." Anya could barely speak.

"Shhh," Oscar gently handed Anya over for Conrad to hold, "We're safe."

Liam stayed quiet as he held Emma's body in his arms. The words that Oscar said to Anya repeated in his head. He didn't care if the vampire still loved his mate or not, what's done is done. Emma would always be his mate. But for her to protect Oscar against him? He didn't know what to think. Liam stood up with Emma still in his arms. She wasn't bleeding anymore, but she still wasn't waking up.

"We should..go back to the castle," Anya croaked, using what energy she had left to speak, "...medicine... I can..."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad nodded and lifted Anya into his arms. "It's okay darling we're going back now. Here keep snacking on my blood." He smiled keeping his thumb in her mouth as her carried her back to their pod. "Come Oscar. And bring them with you. Emma needs somewhere comfortable to rest." He ordered. "We shall retrieve the twins from Adele as we go. I'm sure Scarlette would like to meet her uncle again." He could smell it. The infant growing in his wife's womb. A natural born. If Conrad gave enough of his blood he could purge Anya's black blood and give her life again. More resistance to the sun, less need to sleep or feed. He could change her to be almost human again.  

[The Madame Red]

"Don't touch her..." Liam growled low to Oscar, but it was easy to see he had lost the limelight.

His temper had gotten the better of him. Still, he wouldn't rest easy until someone, either of them, died. Oscar led Liam along as he held Emma gently in his arms. The escape pods were still up and running as the five of them boarded between the two. It took a matter of a few hours before going back to the castle to see it was over-run with..well...beings of some sort.

Oscar couldn't exactly explain the smell of these people as their bodies were only covered by natural elements like leaves, vines, and some actually stone or wood. It was an odd sight. Sitting on the throne was the woman he had seen before.

"Crystal," Liam neared the woman, "What are you doing?"

"I've cleaned this place up since you and your pack demolished it," Crystal spoke calmly, noting towards the new closed curtains and other features that favored the vampires who remained alive, "I've also healed those who were injured that you said you wouldn't harm. They claim to be divided between two kingdoms, but I will not judge who they follow."

"You've aided me as it is," Liam held Emma's limp body close to his, "What is it that you want from me?"

Crystal's amber gaze seemed dull, until she allowed the words to sink in. She looked over Emma's body before walking gracefully down the steps to stand in front of Liam, "You have gone against my morals and nature's right. What I want from you is for you to take no more blood. If you cannot do this for me, I will most certainly ask the Gods and Goddesses for their intervention. Until we meet again."

She nodded to the others, leading the others out of the castle until it was just them and the rest of the two courts. Oscar noted many of his people remained unharmed or somewhat intact. They swarmed around him with optimism he couldn't mimic back to them for now.

Anya, healing nicer than she had thought, was greeted by her ladies-in-waiting. She stood proud next to her husband, resting her head on his shoulder.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad turned to Liam."YOU WILL BE SILENT DOG!!!" Conrad growled. "You attacked us. You are lucky I do not pry your head from your shoulders myself!" He gently placed his wife on the bench in the pod and set it to the castle. When they got out his castle was altered and the witch was there. "I highly doubt Kali wanted this." He muttered keeping his precious wife close. He turned to Liam. His eyes dark with rage. "Put my child in her room. I will tend her. She will decide what to do with you when she awakens. If she still accepts you, you live. If she doesn't. You die. I will not tolerate you and your pitiful attempts at revenge. Now get out of my sight pup. Or I will do something that my wife will not like." Oh yes Conrad's mood was dark. Even Oscars court shrank from the powerful natural born. He was going to need a long time to get over nearly losing everything again.  

[The Madame Red]

Anya was more than proud to see her husband put Liam in his place. She watched as he followed Liam carry Emma to her room. Her eyes then went to the rest of the court to see the other people murmur among themselves about Conrad's rage. Anya stood slowly, then spoke calmly, "Emma is alive, but there has been travesties that will not be forgotten by Liam. For now, he is still a welcome member to this court. When Emma awakens, his fate will be decided."

Oscar nudged Anya, gently pulling her to the side as he whispered, "And what about me? Is that punishment still in effect?"

"You killed Conrad's men," Anya whispered, noticing the dismay in Oscar's eyes before saying, "That'll be up to Conrad at a later time. For now, Emma is the one who needs to be important. She heard you say that you still loved her."

This caused Oscar's eyes to widen before looking away. He scratched the back of his head before saying, "It's true and all, but...it's in the passed. No matter what, Liam is her husband."

Anya grinned slightly before patting Oscar's head, "You are hard-headed, Oscie."

"Don't call me that..." Oscar grimaced as he watched Anya trail off after Conrad.



Liam placed Emma in the bed they once shared. He gently covered her up as he heard the door open and close. Anya. As much as he still wanted her dead, he was outmatched. The war was lost. He couldn't even think about her death without Conrad breathing down his neck.

"She'll forgive me," Liam stated as he kept his gaze on his mate.

"I can't speak for her," Anya approached Liam and walked to the other side of the bed to look over Emma, "But I certainly wouldn't."  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad was still seething. He had it in his right mind to anull the marriage and kill the b*****d himself. But he decreed it was Emma who would decide his fate...if she ever woke.

Emma laid still peaceful, but her mind was anything but that. Her human side warred on side with her vampire side against the lycan appalled and outraged that her wolf had done such a thing. He was just like Henry. Emma stirred with a cry of pain causing Conrad to rush to her side. She muttered madly in Estonian calling out for her children. Her words slurred around Scarlett's name. Conrad looked tortured. His hand moved out to Anya and caressed her belly muttering about how he'd protect the infant better, make up for his mistakes with Emma. He turned his head to liam "What the hell are you still doing here mutt?" He growled his eyes void of all kindness.  

[The Madame Red]

"I hate him as well, Conrad, but," Anya spoke as she softened her glare on Liam, "until Emma makes her decision, he is still her mate and our son-in-law."

Liam, though he had his own dark feelings for Anya, was shamed at her words. He could see it took great restraint to say those words. For the first time in a long time, he knew he had gone much too far. Liam's pride wouldn't budge though. He kept his eyes to the floor before looking to Emma, "A wolf mates for life. No matter what, she's still my mate and I am hers. I won't ever leave her side again."

The door creaked open and Oscar poked his head in. Anya nodded for him to enter as he lit another cigarette. Oscar took a long drag before asking, "How's her condition?"

"Still the same," Anya spoke with a tint of sadness in her voice, "She's calling for her children."

"I heard Adele is coming back with them by a messenger," Oscar handed Conrad the letter, "Word of the wars have ended. My kingdom has surrendered and has retreated from your lands and back into my own. There are no traces of lycan-slaves in my court as well."

Anya's frown grew to a small grin as she gazed down at Emma, "I am proud of you, Oscar, for giving up this heedless fight."

"No thanks to you," Oscar turned his glare to Liam.  

[Hikari_Mamo]

Conrad read the letter, absently. He didn't care about Liam and his stupid traditions. Emma didn't seem like she was going to wake, didn't seem like she wanted to. "Why wont you waken?" He muttered. He ignored Oscar, Liam everyone.
"So, what did I miss?" Asha asked. Conrad turned hissing angrily. "If Emma never wakes only Anya will be safe from my anger." He looked crazy. Asha left the room. Grieving. That's all he felt. "Over a stupid boy Em. All for a stupid boy." Conrad put his head on Emma's hand. He should have protected her more. Pushed her into Oscars arms more. Drove out Liam. So many should haves. If only Emrys still lived, Conrad could ask if Emma had picked Oscar, would this still have happened?

Adele walked in at Liams statement. She looked thirty years younger. At first Conrad thought her to be Evelyn. "Silly puppy, if you knew the laws as much as you claim you would know for a fact a woman can break a life bond if her partner gives her just cause, I can guess, abandonment, a war and attempting to kill her family as just cause. Don't you? Oh yes Oscar i suggest going to the twins they're teething and it hurts."  

[The Madame Red]

"They are not his children to play with," Liam stated gruffly as he glared hard at Oscar, "Take one step close to their room and i'll rip you to shreds."

"You are in no position to bark orders," Anya mentioned calmly as she sent a sharp glance towards Liam before turning to Oscar, "I will take you to them. Liam, you are welcome to come see your children."

It was a punch in the ego as Liam followed the two blood-suckers. As much as he wanted to kill them once they were alone in the hallway, he decided it was the worst idea he had since he started all of this. Liam entered his children's room to see them wide-awake and halfway grown into children already. His kind and Emma's blood were notorious to have rapid spurts of growth. Anya went to the children and caressed their faces before turning to Liam, "I would hope your children remember you after you abandoned them."

Liam approached the two cots to see the twins. The boy looked so much like himself. He would want his son to take the role of Alpha one day. Liam then looked over at his daughter to see the fiery eyes of Emma staring back at him quizzically.