Gabby stomped up the six flights of stairs to her apartment. It sat on top of a small complex of twelve, in a leafy street surrounded by large family homes and smaller cottages that dated back to pre-civil war days. A horror of 1970s architecture in an otherwise beautiful street. She was a mere six blocks from the town center, and seven blocks from the Real Estate office where she worked. The view stretched for miles, but there wasn't really anything to see other than the surrounding houses and forest. Despite all of this, she loved her place. What she didn't love was the six flights of stairs.

Her mind was in turmoil over her conversation with Aya. She'd come straight home from the manor, wanting to be alone, extremely frustrated with herself. How could she find her Grandmother? Who knew where she was and if she was even still alive?

She put her bag on the kitchen bench with the grimoire beside it and went through to the bedroom, via the bathroom. The apartment was an odd layout. The bathroom connected to the kitchen on one side and through to a small walk-through closet, before emerging into the bedroom. The kitchen and lounge area were all in one. Large windows lined the far walls, long blue drapes pulled open, letting the late afternoon light into the apartment.

Pulling off her sweater and hanging it in the closet, Gabby stilled as she heard a dull thud. Her attention was drawn back through to the kitchen. It could have been her neighbor banging about across the way, but it had sounded like it had come from inside her apartment. Shaking her head, she dismissed the notion, positive she had locked the door behind her.

Walking back through the bathroom, Gabby stopped to splash cold water on her face to calm herself down a bit. Gazing at her reflection for a moment, she sighed. What did Aya expect her to do? She wasn't powerful. Hell, she couldn't even scry or control anything wilder than a gentle breeze.

Peering at herself in the mirror, she blinked when she saw her image waiver. Rubbing her eyes, she frowned when it did it again. What the hell?

Her head snapped towards the kitchen as she heard the same thumping sound through the door. Panicking, she pressed her ear against the wood, listening. It had come from her apartment, she was positive. Someone was in here with her.

Wildly looking around the bathroom, she couldn't find anything substantial she could use as a weapon. The only option was a can of hairspray. She took a deep breath and edged the door open a crack, peering through. The kitchen was empty, her bag still on the bench.

Gabby edged herself through the door, her heart beating so fiercely, it was a wonder it didn't give her away. If it had been a vampire in here, it would, but first she would have to invite one in. This had to be a human.

The kitchen was clear, so she discarded the hairspray, pulled the largest knife from the block as silently as she could and aimed it in front of her as she edged along the wall to the lounge. Leaning around the corner, holding her breath, she gasped as she saw a dark figure of a man leaping out of the window, the drapes billowing inwards, the wind outside having picked up.

Running forward, Gabby leaned out of the window. That was a three story drop and the guy had just jumped. When she looked for him below, no one was there. He'd vanished.

“Shit,” she cursed and ran back towards the kitchen. The grimoire!

Knocking her bag onto the floor in her haste, she groaned, tears sliding down her face. It was gone. Panicked, she paced back and forth. What should she do? Who had taken it? Even as she asked herself, she already knew the answer to that question. Katrin was behind this. There was no one else.

Suddenly, there was a splitting pain behind her eyes that made her cry out. Doubling over, she grasped the edge of the kitchen counter, gasping for breath. Her head felt like it was literally tearing open. Sinking to the floor, groaning, she realized that someone had been spying on her. The ache in her head a clue that her mind had been used against her.

No, that wasn't quite right. Gabby had been used as the spy. The only reason they would go for the grimoire was because of her conversation with Aya. There would be nothing special about hers that distinguished it from another witches other than... The summoning spell. Oh, shit.

Gabby's reflection was the clue that led her to believe that she had been used as a looking glass for Katrin. There was no harm in using her energy to dispel herself. If she was wrong, then nothing would happen. If she was right, then she'd break the spell.

Holding her head in her hands, she drew her knees close and began to chant. The pain still tore through her skull, trying to erase her memory, she assumed. Abruptly, she felt all the air sucked from her body and gasped, trying to draw in new oxygen, spots pricking her vision.

Gabby's eyes snapped open as she came to. She was lying on her side on the kitchen floor, shivering, the lounge room window still open, her bag on the floor. She'd passed out. Rubbing her eyes and sitting up slowly, she felt much better. The spell had gone. Groaning, she realized what she had allowed to happen.

She'd been used as a spy and now the grimoire was gone.

Gabby jumped when there was a sharp knock at the door. Dragging herself up, she looked through the peephole and her shoulders sagged in relief. Throwing open the door, she burst into tears.

“Sam!” Gabby cried in relief as he stepped inside. “Someone was here, I...”

“It's all right,” he said, embracing her. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yes,” she stammered.

“What happened?”

“Katrin cast a spell on me in my sleep. She was using me to spy,” she sobbed.

“Was?” he asked, carefully.

“She's not here anymore, I took care of it.”

Frowning, he walked through the apartment, checking every corner, finally looking out the open window to the ground below. Closing it behind him, he sighed.

“Sam,” Gabby said, worried. “I was with Aya today.”

“What did you say Gabby? What does Katrin know?” Sam grabbed her shoulders, suddenly panicked.

“The summoning spell,” she said. “They took the grimoire.”

“What do you mean her grimoire was stolen?!” Zac yelled into his cell. He paced back and forth as Sam tried to calm him down on the other end. They were on their way back to the manor. Sam and that god damn witch, Gabby. ”How the hell did they get in?”

“Gabby said it was a human man. She was in her apartment at the time. No vampires are invited in besides Liz and I. He had to be compelled by someone.”

“Of course he was,” Zac spat.

“He jumped out the window before she could do anything. There was nothing there when she looked out, so...”

“Fucking hell,” he groaned. “Obviously someone was waiting for him, it's a three story drop.”

“Katrin.” Sam sounded like he'd finally got everything that had happened the last few weeks.

“Duh. You know Aya's gone right? They stole the fucking grimoire and used the summoning spell against her.”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“We're almost there, brother. Calm down and we'll discuss this further when we get there, alright?” he reasoned.

Zac grunted and hung up abruptly. Stopping his restless pacing, he sat on the couch across from the fireplace and got up again. He went into the study, then back into the yard. Unable to sit still, he hurled one of the shovels across the yard and over the fence, roaring in frustration. He was back in the parlor in a second, downing a bottle of vodka. He knew he had to calm down or it would be bad news for everyone. Problem was, he didn't want to.

When he finally sensed movement outside, he sighed heavily. What had taken them so long? Glaring at the doorway as everyone filed in, and it was everyone, he began pacing again, agitated. Liz and Alex sat on the couch and placed Gabby in between them. They knew he was unpredictable and he resented the precautionary methods they were taking.

Sam came up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping his momentum and asked, “What happened?”

“She disappeared into thin air. Poof. Like magic,” Zac spat, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation. Abruptly, he swore loudly, the empty bottle shattering against the wall. It wasn't until she had gone that he realized he was falling for her. As irritating as she was, he wanted her. He had to go after her no matter how hopeless the situation was. ”We should have destroyed the spell once she revealed herself to us. We were stupid.”

“They might try and use her as bait for you,” Gabby said quietly. “She was the easier mark, what with the summoning spell.”

Zac turned on her, glaring. “Don't you understand, Gabby? Katrin wanted Aya from the first moment she realized she was with us. She disregarded me a long time ago. Do you remember Alistair? He was here looking for her. Aya is good as dead thanks to you.”

“It's not anyone's fault.” Sam placed a restraining hand on Zac's shoulder. “It's unfortunate, but we can do what we can to find her. It might not be too late.”

“Is there any way you can use your witches power to find out where she is?” Alex asked, speaking up for the first time, trying to keep as calm as he could. Being in the same room as a very angry vampire wasn't exactly a picnic.

“I don't have the kind of power it takes to track her. Let alone to summon her back. I'd have to scry and I've never got it to work before.”

“Then we need to find someone who does,” Sam said, glancing at Liz as Zac fell into a chair.

“I have to go find my Grams,” Gabby said. “She is a witch. She will know what to do.”

“Gabby, you haven't seen your grandmother in ten years,” Liz said gently.

“I know,” she said quietly. “But she left me the grimoire. I have to find her. It's meant to be. I know it is.”

“Then we'll help you,” Alex said. “Whatever you need.”

Gabby glanced at Liz. “I need to confront my parents. Liz, I don't know how they will take it, me being a witch. Can you come with me? In case I need you to...” She stopped, not wanting to say it out loud.

“Why not just compel the information out of them?” Zac said through clenched teeth, his head in his hands.

“They're my parents, Zac. If there's a chance they could accept me, then I'll take it. Stop being so goddamn heartless.”

“I'll go with you,” Liz said. “Of course.”

“Why are you still here? Clocks ticking,” Zac said, exasperated.

Gabby edged away from him and made for the front door, followed closely by Alex and Liz. Sam hovered over Zac's shoulder, giving him a look that he'd become all too familiar with over the past few weeks. A look that said he was waiting for him to snap again.

It frustrated Zac to no end that he couldn't do anything but wait. Wait for a feeble little witch to go get help. What could he do? Go find another witch who might be willing to help? That could take forever and there was no guarantee he could convince a vampires mortal enemy to help locate and free the infamous Witch Hunter. For a creature that had all the time in the universe, he suddenly couldn't get enough of it.

“Zac, I know you want to go after her, but you just have to wait,” Sam said, pre-empting what he was going to say. His little brother had become good at reading his mind of late.

“I know,” Zac held his head in his hands and sighed. ”There's no trail for us to follow, Sam. She disappeared into thin air. She could be on the other side of the world for all we know.”

“We've got to trust Gabby, Zac. I know it's hard, but we have to sit back and let her do her thing,” Sam said calmly, anything he felt about the situation carefully hidden in his voice. He knew as well as he did that there wouldn't be another witch who would be willing to help them.

“I can't just sit here while they do god knows what to her.” Zac stood, beginning his pacing again, his rage simmering beneath the surface.

“Zac, do you...” asked Sam, concern creasing his brow as he put two and two together. “Are you in...”

“Sam,” he interrupted, glaring at his brother. “We just need to find her.”

“Zac...” he began again.

“Shut it, Sam. We got her into this mess. Now we've got to get her out.”