FicWad

As Tom's body hit the ground, William removed his mental hold over Andrew, smiling as the gun fell from Andrews' tight grip and clattered noisily to the ground. "Is something the matter, Andrew?" He questioned, his voice making Andrew's eyes shift to him.

Andrew felt a chill go down his spine as everything began to slowly sink in. It was like some weird replay in his head as the real conversation played instead of the one that he had been made to hear. He moved his eyes from William, to Tom, tears filling his liquid brown orbs as the harsh reality of what had happened fully sank into his mind. "You tricked us," he muttered, his voice almost a whisper on the wind that seemed to pick up out of nowhere.

"And this is news to you?" William questioned, his lips twisted into a smirk. "It's what I do, dear Andrew."

"What else have you lied about?" Andrew softly demanded, not wanting to believe the conversation that couldn't seem to stop repeating in his head.

"A good bit of it is all right there, in your mind," William answered, looking at his nails with a lack of interest for the conversation. "I don't understand why this surprises you."

Andrew growled as he stared at William. "What. Else!" He demanded, his body trembling from his rage as the shock began to wear off.

"Are you sure that you could handle all of the truths that I have for you?" William questioned, his words sending another icy chill down Andrew's spine.

"After seeing the lovely display of you murdering your clueless lover, I'm not so sure you could handle it." He raised his eyes to Andrew, smirking as he tilted his head slightly, waiting for the young Wentz's response.

- - - - -

"Alright, Valencia," Aubrey spoke after giving a long sigh of defeat. "I will call off my guards, but on one condition."

"And what would that be, my dear friend?" Valencia questioned. "I'll do what I can to help you as long as it's within my reach."

"I will instruct my guards to let Tom Conrad's vampires bring the group to the mansion, and we will go together to carry out your task." Aubrey looked to the short bookshelf that Sabine often loved to place himself on when he joined his master in this room. "My pet is in that mansion, and I wish to retrieve him myself, as it was arranged from the beginning. I don't know who to trust anymore, I'm sure you understand..."

Valencia gave a sad smile to her friend and nodded. "I understand what you mean, Aubrey," she spoke softly. "Even though I have yet to experience the twisted mind games that seem to be spreading around, I know what it's like to not know who I can and can not trust... You forget how long I have been around," she gave a small, wry smile that he returned.

"Tell me again, Valencia, what were the ancient Egyptians like?" He chuckled as he rose from his chair. "Are you sure you can do what you need to do?" He questioned, knowing of the task she had to do, and how she intended to carry it out.

Valencia's cheery mood disappeared at the reminder. "It will be hard, but I've had years upon years to prepare me for what I have to do, Aubrey. I won't lie, doing this will wear me down emotionally, but it's not out of my grasp." She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and sighed. "I just wish it hadn't come down to this." She shook her head with a solemn look on her face. "I feel like I've damned him by taking him in..."

Aubrey gave a solemn nod and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. " I'll be there, if you need help..."

Valencia shook her head. "As much I appreciate the offer Aubrey, this isn't something you can help me with. Thank you though..."

- - - - -

Pete was too numb to struggle as he and his friends, as well as those who had gathered to help, were being led to their destination. He didn't know, or care, where they were being led because he was still trying to fully comprehend that Andy was dead. Part of him knew he needed to somehow free them, but his sorrow was drowning it out. Besides, with their new predicament an escape was pretty damn impossible.

The whole of the group was bound with an intricate lacing of wire made from solidified mercury and wrapped in a very thin protective casing that once one part dissolved it would fully unravel. If no one were to struggle they would be fine. But, if one were to struggle the casing would easily wear to nothing throughout the whole wire, and everyone, apart from the humans, would have their skin burnt. The vampires would end up losing their hands from the wrists down, and any humans still attached together would be shot down. Needless to say there was plenty of incentive to not try to break free.

Pete smelled the salty tears before he heard the soft sniffle, dragging him from his haze. Lifting his gaze from the ground, he followed the scent and sound to Patrick, who had tears running down his flushed cheeks. "I wish I could hold you," he whispered in Patrick's mind, making the other male look at him.

Patrick looked at Pete with hollow, empty eyes and managed a bit of a dead smile. "I wish you could too," he thought, knowing Pete would be reading his mind for a response.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save him..."

Patrick shook his head. "No one could save him... Don't blame yourself, Pete. I'm just glad you didn't end up like Brendon."

Pete frowned. "Deacon's not really handling that loss well," he replied as he briefly glanced to Deacon, who looked just as dead as Patrick did, before looking back to Patrick. "They really were close friends, weren't they?"

"Their bond was made at William's mansion," Patrick replied, "and they became even closer during Brendon's short time with us, so it doesn't really surprise me that Deacon is so upset." He frowned deeply as Tom's mansion came into view. "I don't have any hope left Pete."

Pete matched Patrick's frown as he heard lover's thoughts. He couldn't even tell him not to feel that way because honestly he felt pretty hopeless himself right now. "I love you, Patrick, no matter what might happen."

"I love you too, Pete."

At the front of the group of prisoners, Gabe Saporta's eyes widened at the sight of the mansion. They had a forewarning that Tom Conrad was working with William Beckett once more, but in some small way it still surprised him. The bigger surprise was that it hadn't been a rumor, and that Tom really was working with William. Gabe had thought their feud would never end as long as he was alive, possibly not even after, but obviously he had been wrong.

"Do you have a plan for getting out of this?"

His brown eyes shifted to Rayne, who had voice the question in his mind. "I'm still working on it before I say any plans... If we were to come up with an actual plan, and then things were too change, somewhere along the line someone might get confused and then it would all be for nothing."

Rayne nodded in understanding as he eyes drifted to the front door that the group was now being led through. "I hope you come up with something quickly..."

[Author's Note: I bet I left you guys with a lot of questions at this point lol. Like, what all could that evil bastard have to say to Andrew? Just how old IS Valencia? What is Gabe's plan for getting them out of this situation without everyone losing their hands? If you're wondering how I posted, I saved all of these to the htm format and then put them on my MP3 player long enough to use my wife's computer to post them. I REALLY don't know why I didn't think of it sooner lol. And I have a real treat for you... This is update one of six. =)]