The Grand Hall was a disaster. Leeroy stared down into the room from the top of the staircase. A hand full of Hues' followers lay motionless on the floor or propped up against a wall. There were streaks of blood wiped on the hardwood floor, hand-printed on the walls, and puddled around those that no longer moved. Lauren still fought, defending the staircase. One person had made it halfway up, but his body was sprawled out on the stairs, eyes and mouth wide open.

Leeroy watched his brother for a moment. Lauren's hands glistened with red, completely covered with the blood of the enemy. His cheeks had been adorned with deep gashes and small rivers of his own blood had dried in place on his pale skin. Even from the top of the staircase Leeroy could see that his brothers eyes had gone completely red, as if his pupils had engulfed the whites in their fire. No matter how many attacked at once, Lauren always managed to keep them at bay. He was ruthless.

"Stop!" Leeroy screamed from the staircase. A few looked his way, but no one truly listened. Lee took a deep breath and tried again. "The human is gone! Master Hues demands that you stop!"

That time every one of the intruders stopped, which almost took Lauren by surprise. One of them yelled, "Hues demands it! Find the human!" A few of the older vampires simply vanished in place while the rest ran out the way that they had came. The only ones left were those that did not survive the fight.

Leeroy stood at the top of the stairs. He felt his heart beat faster as he looked down at his brother. Lauren stared up at him. How dare–

"Get out of my head, Lauren."

"How dare you!" Lauren screamed up at him. His voice echoed throughout the hall. "You ungrateful little bastard, how dare you come back into this house! How dare you even look at me! Get out!"

Leeroy did not move. "You're going to lose, Lauren. It's all over."

"I will kill you."

"I told you, Lauren. You didn't take me seriously. This is my wrath."

"I will kill you!"

Before Leeroy could react, Lauren's hands were at his throat. "What . . . about . . . Jonathan?" Lee choked.

Lauren's eye widened and he loosened his grip. "He's still alive."

"Very."

"Where is he?"

Leeroy managed to smirk. "Running. Maybe you should get to him before Hues does."