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Like I said, all Hell broke loose.

The baby doll exploded in mid air, sending out shards of energy that shattered some of the Hunter's silver weapons.

Wow, I hadn't expected that one.

Then more weres, and vampires than I'd ever seen in my life seemed to come out of the woodwork to attack the Hunters.

Coming out of my tuck and roll I reached my feet in front of a familiar Hunter, with his right arm in a cast. “You should have listened to me in that alley.”

I didn't waste any more words, just performed a rather nasty strike (which I'm not supposed to know) to his throat before he could react.

I didn't even wait to watch him choke on his own blood.

One came from behind me, with an intact silver sword and I went into another roll to avoid the swipe he took into the air where I had been.

As he was recovering from that miss, unbalanced from not hitting an expected target, I came up behind him and used another strike I wasn't supposed to know about, at the base of his neck. He was dead before his body hit the ground.

Thank you Mason. I'd hate myself later, but now was now, and I had to survive and inflict as much damage on the enemy as I could.

Dani was there, using Bertha like there was no tomorrow and she'd never get another chance with it. The people she hit with that thing just — splattered. It was gross even in this mess.

But the pieces went back together and...

Carson, and two other wolves were ripping through the Hunters.

Carly and Chris were there, dancing away from attacks and darting in to eliminate their adversaries.

And the other vamps.

Their speed, though nothing like Dani's was frightening. It's just that they tended to get distracted by all the blood at times.

I watched several of them die because of that.

I don't know how they managed to cram so many people into the SUV's I'd seen following me, but no matter where I went, what I did, where I looked, there always seemed to be more Hunters around.

I could swear I killed the same one three times.

Then I saw why.

One of the Hunters stood in the middle of all that chaos, holding a misshapen thing that looked like some kid in kindergarten had tried to make a goblet out of clay. He was chanting and the bluish light coming from the thing surrounded all the Hunters, and I definitely saw some who went down get back up and start fighting again.

The Grail. It was helping the Hunters and more of my side were going down because of it.

But the ugly thing, while working for the Hunters, was calling me.

My distraction almost cost me my life.

Three Hunters converged on where I was, all with those damned silver weapons reeking of magic.

“Oh, shit.” I breathed while going into a jump and roll to at least get past one of them.

Then something almost absurd happened.

Four rabbits, yes rabbits, jumped on the one to my right, kicking with their hind legs and drawing blood with every kick. The Hunter was distracted from me because he was trying to shake them off.

The one on the my left was suddenly beset by squirrels. With the same result. I almost swore those squirrels were going after the nuts in that guy's pants.

The one coming up from behind was easy. He'd been trained, but couldn't match my speed as I did a quick back kick to knock the nastily shining blade out of his hand with a well protected foot, since I was wearing boots, then I spun and rammed his nose up into his brain with the flat of a hand.

Nasty, I know, but this was life or death and these people wanted to kill me. I didn't have time or inclination to be merciful.

I noted in passing that both my other attackers were down, but with a pang also saw dead rabbits and squirrels around the people.

But I also knew, without a doubt, that the only thing keeping this fight going was the Grail.

And if I could take it from the man holding it, the fight would be over. If I didn't, we'd lose.

Dani cleared the way for me, almost, no not almost, she was berserk in her killing frenzy.

Carson was beside me, guarding my left, and Carly was on my right.

Chris was still going through Hunters like a whirlwind on prairie grass, but the downed ones kept getting up.

None of our fallen were doing that.

“Get the Grail!” Carly shouted at me while fending of more attackers. “If you don't we're done!”

I knew that all to well by that stage of things. Had my trap become a trap for me and my companions?

Yes, it had, but there was a way to end that.

I just had to reach that cup.

Easier said than done as they say.

I don't know how many Hunters I put down, or that my guards did, but there always seemed to be more of them, all intent on keeping me from my goal.

“Call it!” Dani screamed at me in one of her lucid moments during that morass of blood and violence. “It is calling you, Cindy. Dammit, call it!”

In a moment of very clear, calm, silver clarity, I suddenly knew what my friend meant.

Lady Moon's soft voice reinforced that. “Call the Grail child, it wants you and it is time to end this.”

Standing still in the maelstrom of blood letting I took a breath, held out a hand and screamed. “Come to me!”

And it did. With one of the fingers of the man who had been struggling to hold it.

I didn't see it move, didn't feel it happen, but all at once the Grail was in my hand.

I was shocked, but knew what I had to do.

Raising the ugly, misshapen thing into the air I screamed. “This ends NOW!”

Of course nothing happened. I had not one clue about how to use the thing. But at least is was out of their hands and in mine now.

If I could just keep hold of it for a little longer.

Which was problematic at the moment because the Hunter with a bleeding stump where a finger had been was shouting orders and pointing at me.

Things rapidly devolved from there into a deadly game of keep away. They wanted the grail back, I didn't want to let them have it. So Chris, Carly, Carson and I spent a lot of time tossing the thing back and forth and hopefully out of the hands of the rapidly diminishing number of Hunters.

One of us would catch it, dodge and weave for awhile, then pass it off when things started getting a little too thick for the cup bearer. I don't know how many of them I killed just then, but at least now when the suckers went down they stayed down.

Finally, it was done. There wasn't a living Hunter anywhere near the warehouse or in it.

The silence was almost deafening, except for a still screaming Dani who seemed to be fighting things that were no longer there.

No one dared get close, but I had to try. I moved close enough to let her know it was me and stopped.

“Let me do this.” Another voice stopped me along with a strong, slender hand on my shoulder.

Charlotte, who I'd never expected to see walked forward and simply said. “Enough, Dani. Enough.”

Carmilla scared me, Wisteria terrified me, but Charlotte? She radiated calm, sure power like nothing I'd ever seen and that was very unsettling even it it wasn't aimed at me.

She even took a blow from Bertha without much more than a flinch. “Dani! Stop! It is done!”

“Done?”

“Done, darling.” Charlotte assured her.

“It's over, Dani.” I assured her, too. “We've won. Come back, please come back.”

I could feel the Grail wanting to kill her and firmly told it no.

Dani did stop her wild swinging and screaming, looking at me with bloodshot eyes that still weren't quite sane. “It's never over. They're always trying to kill me, hurt me.”

“We did it, Dani.” I softly told her and took the risk of moving close enough to hug her tightly. “The bad guys are gone. There's no one left here to hurt you and the rest of us here are your friends. Come back, please.”

I felt her iron hard muscles slowly relax, and she dropped the Wrench, Bertha, and sank to her knees with a sob.

“They're dead, Dani, all dead.” I assured her. “Now come back to the people who love you.”

Charlotte was gone again, once Dani's frenzy had slowed her work was evidently finished here.

It took awhile, but eventually the madness faded from her eyes and she hugged Bertha tightly to her chest with her eyes tightly closed. I dabbed at the blood on her cheeks with a handkerchief. No, she wasn't injured, at least not physically, but when a vampire cries those tears are blood.

“You got blood on your shirt again.” A soft voice came out of her as she looked me over.

“Yeah, cold water, I know.” I smiled and hugged her tightly.

Once I got loose from the almost convulsive hug she returned — let me tell you, being hugged, really hugged by a vampire is kind of painful if they aren't being careful — I slowly stood up and looked around.

It was heartbreaking.

Several vamps were quietly scooping up ashes that had been their sisters. A wolf was nursing a nasty looking wound along it's side with help from others. The rabbits and squirrels who had come to my rescue earlier were dead. I had also checked to make sure my brother, sister, and Carson were all right, and immediately felt like a selfish little bitch at the relief I felt to discover they were.

There were other dead weres scattered around, and lot of wounded ones.

“The lesser weres came to help too.” Carson moved to put an arm around me.

“Not lesser, not any more.” I answered. “Not to me.”

“We all knew the risks when we came, Lady.” A college age male was watching me and gestured to the surviving members of his contingent.

“I'm no lady.” I softly answered him. “But I will never be able to thank all of you enough for this.”

“Didn't do it for thanks.” He shrugged. “They were our enemies, too. And yes, you are a Lady with a capital L. Maybe you don't know it yet, but you are.”

“Indeed.” Another voice, female interrupted that as a witch seemed to appear out of nowhere. “The little ones have been very busy, harassing, leading Hunters on wild goose chases. They did well, and it will be remembered.

“You did well, too, Coyote.” She gave me a sad smile. “There were some among us who felt you weren't up to the tasks given you. I'm glad they were wrong.

“Now, I'll take that, if you don't mind.” She told me while reaching for the grail. “That thing is very dangerous and needs to be kept safe where it can't be used to cause more evil.”

“This?” I held the grail out, but it clearly didn't want to go. “It isn't evil. It was the people using it, but here, since this was your Coven's condition for your help.”

“Thank you.” The woman gave me a thin smile. “Oh, things went well at the campsites, too. Those are being cleaned up even now. The vehicles left behind are for you and your companions to dispose of as you see fit.”

Once she disappeared as quickly as she'd come, I grumbled. “I wish people would stop doing that around me, it's annoying.”

I made sure the wounded were being taken care of then found the guy who had spoken with me earlier. “Hey, sorry, I don't even know your name.”

“There's no reason you should.” He gave me a sad smile. “But it's Todd Lang.”

“Nice to meet you, Todd. Cindy Harper.”

“I know, Lady.” He nodded.

“Cut the Lady crap, Todd.” I grimaced. “My NAME is Cindy, and all of you deserve to use it, understood?”

“Yes.” He looked at me then shook his head. “I doubt many will actually get the nerve to call you that — Cindy.”

He was actually a decent looking guy. Tall, broad shouldered, all that guy stuff, with a nice face and grey eyes that were presently doing their best to hold in the grief I knew he was feeling. “You've earned the right if that was ever needed. I softly told him.

"All of you have."

I turned to watch what he was looking at and saw others reverently lifting the dead rabbits and taking them out. “What about their families? Can you give me addresses so I can contact them?”

“I'll handle it.” Todd smiled at me. “But thanks. I knew them, they followed me into this, my responsibility.”

“I'm sorry.” I felt tears in my own eyes.

“Don't be.” He looked at the other 'lesser' weres with pride clear in his stance and expression. “We finally did something important. That's all any of us ever wanted.”

“Anything, any of you need, call me.” I answered while quickly writing my cell phone number on a piece of paper and handing it to him. “You'll have it if I can give it.”

“Thanks. Even if we don't call the gesture is appreciated.”

“Call.” I told him. “If you don't, I'll come check in person.” I glared at him.

“You probably would, too.” He managed a tired chuckle.

“Oh, Todd?” I called as he started to turn away. When he turned back towards me I gave him a little grin and held out a set of keys. “Want a slightly used SUV? Gotta get rid the things and I sure don't need one.

“Don't worry the paper work and taxes and stuff is taken care of.” I went on. “If you can't use it, or no one you know can, I'll have to find someone else to get some use out of the things.”

“Okay.” He took the keys. “Don't know if I'll keep it.”

“It's yours now, Todd.” I shrugged.

“Thanks.”

Home at last.

There were scattered spots along the perimeter of the property that showed signs of a fight, but those were being repaired even then. So the Hunters had attacked my home.

“They didn't make it past the walls, Ma'am.” One of the security people overseeing the repairs told me when he spotted me looking and seeing the worry on my face. “Everything is okay here.”

“Thanks.” I nodded and once again wondered just how many Hunters had come for the one reason of taking Linda.

I greeted everyone, happy to see that everyone was still alive even if some were a bit banged up. We traded stories. They had problems with 'dead' Hunters getting back up for awhile, too. Until I'd taken the grail from them.

I told them about the other weres, the ones that most of us in the major families had either ignored or treated with disdain for so long, and what they had done.

“Yes, we know.” Dad nodded. “Some of them were at every site where fighting was going on. They paid one helluva price for that.”

“Yeah, they did.” I nodded. “But they paid it willingly.”

“Don't worry honey.” Mom told me. “The family will remember this about them.”

“Good.” I answered then headed upstairs.

I heard a baby giggling and chortling when I reached the room where Linda slept. It was next to mine, with connecting doors and to be honest there just wasn't space in my room for the crib, baby toys and other necessities taking care of an infant required.

I opened the door expecting to see one of my cousins amusing the little thing.

That is not what I found.

Oh no. It couldn't have been that simple.

Quarter sized globes of light, in all kinds of colors were touching the baby's cheeks, playing with her fingers and toes and generally swirling around like the most high tech baby toy anyone could imagine.

I smelled that little Linda needed changed but before I could move a swarm of the lights gently lifted her bottom while others removed the soiled diaper and deposited it in the plastic can meant for that. Others swarmed to clean her and get a new diaper on the little thing, then the baby was very gently, almost reverently settled back into her crib.

“And here I've been worrying about babysitters.” I muttered while carefully moving up to her crib. The lights respectfully moved away as I did that, which was kind of weird in itself, but I went on and picked her up. “Hi Linda, my sweet baby. You're safe now. Mama fixed it.”

I still don't know how I ended up in the rocking chair, with Linda happily sucking at one of my breasts, but those lights were doing a joyful dance in the air in front of me.

“I wonder if bowls of milk will be enough for this?” I asked nothing in particular while still in a bit of shock that I was breast feeding Linda.

But it felt right.

And kind of good.

Okay a lot good.

I'd finished with the feeding, knowing that was a new duty I'd have, though I didn't mind at all even if it was from me and not a bottle, kissed my baby and put her back in her crib.

Looking at the still dancing lights I shook my head and told them. “You know what to do. Thank you.”

Then went through the connecting door to my room.

“Oh, shit.” I breathed once I'd gotten there.

Sitting on my work desk, next to my laptop, was an ugly, misshapen goblet that radiated satisfaction and happiness at being where it was.

“Oh, this one is going to be fun to explain.” I sighed

The Grail just sat there with the happy, satisfied feeling flowing out from it.

The Coven was not going to be happy about this one, I just knew it.