Love and Damnation Eternal (closed)

Darkness.

It was all that she could remember for such a long time. Minutes seemed to go by, hours.... could it be days? No... it could not be... it just could not be. Yet, it felt like it. It was hard to say how she knew, but she was certain that more than a week had passed with her in that small darkness. Yet, she had not any food, any water... in fact, she did not even move for all that time. Just stared upwards, recognising that she was at least lying on her back. That her eyes were indeed open.

As far as she could tell, she was not even blinking. Strange. Truly strange.

**********~~~~~~~~~~**********

Her next memory had a little more light. Not much, but a little. Dirt, mud, leaves; all assualted her sense of touch, her olfactory senses bombarded with the dank smell of damp earth. Something was beneath her nails, something hard. Something sharp. Scrabbling at the dirt around her, pulling her body up from the all swallowing earth, she unlodged the loose wooden splinters from underneath her nails.

Choking from the dust that coated her throat, she dragged herself from her dark prison beneath the ground.

From her own grave.

**********~~~~~~~~~~**********

Bright lights. Two pinpoints moving slowly towards her, their bright uncovering glare, purifying glow froze her to her spot in the middle of the tarmac. Dust covering her, coating and tickling every part of her body. In that hard light she saw herself garbed in white and wondered how she had gotten dressed this way, and why?

Then it stopped and a man emerged from the bright lights, carrying his own little scorching source of uncovering purity. She blinked, the first time she remembered blinking since being in that all encompassing darkness. Her lips moved, but she neither heard herself, nor the man speak.

Man... man... where had that word come from? She neither knew, nor cared in all honesty.

His touch brought back the world in all its colours, its brightness, its pain... she screamed, at least she thought she screamed, it was heard for her to concentrate. So hard for her to keep the world, her world, in focus. So very hard for her just to stay alive....

**********~~~~~~~~~~**********

Dark, alluring scent. A scent that made her hungry. So very hungry. She opened her eyes and saw his neck... so very close... just a little more. Just move her head a little more and she would have it... have what? What was it that she wanted? Why was she suddenly so hungry? What was it about the blood that she could hear pounding in his veins that got her so riled up? Almost to the point that she wanted to....

**********~~~~~~~~~~**********

His voice. His voice! Her eyes came open and she saw him. The only person that she had ever held in her heart, the only one that she could ever love.

Jase.

Her heart pounded back to life, her blood roared in her ears and her strange detached consciousness faded as she truly came back to life. Violet Radcliff tried her hardest to call to him, tried to reach him but something held her tongue, something held her body. She fought, struggled, swam in a thick murky haze to reach the one man she loved. The man that she could never live without.

Then he walked away and her heart broke again. She struggled, her ears vaguely registering his harsh words, his hard tone. Her mouth opened and sound finally escaped. At first a little whimper, then stronger, louder. A long moan turning into a loud, desparate wail, then a full heartbreaking scream.

"JASE!!" her mouth finally formed the word that she longed for, louder and louder, she kept screaming it. Her mind finally fully registering his disappearing form; as well as the bond that strapped her to the wheelchair in which she sat. She struggled, trying harder and harder, tears of frustration welling up in her eyes. Managing to move the chair, ignoring the nurse that tried to hold her back. Unknowing of her own strength as she ripped the chair away from the nurse's grasp.

She made it out the door and into the hallway just to see as Jase walked around the corner. Disappearing from her sight forever.

"JASE!" she screamed once more, the tears beating her efforts to hold them in and she flopped back into the chair, unable now to keep fighting. Unwilling to even live without him. Unwilling to care.

He had walked away from her and she knew that he was never coming back.

Jase stopped as soon as he heard Violet call out his name but then realized it was not possible, that it could not be her. She was buried in the ground along with his heart and everything that made him the person that he used to be. All that he wanted was to shut himself away from the rest of the world so that he didn't feel the small remnants of pain that were still flowing through his body but he knew that was the last thing that he wanted to do. He wanted to turn and go back to that room, to see if it was her and see if he could start again. His entire being screamed at him to do so, to run back into that room, take her into his arms and kiss her deeply on the lips. He slowly began to turn and make his way back to her but at the same time he wanted to turn back and walk out of the hospital - to forget that she was in there. It was then that he felt it and wonder what - as he didn't feel anything anymore but he felt as though he had just lost her againb, he felt the stabbing pain deep within him. It made him want to drop to his knees on the floor and start crying loudly but with even realizing it he began to move slowly down the corridor, away from where Violet was.

He wanted to scream at his body to stop moving, to turn around and go back to her but still a part of him made him move forward away from her, as if he knew that it was not her in that room. It was then that a voice stopped him and made him turn on his heels.
"It is her, the person taht you love. Do not doubt that it is her in that room."
Jase stopped and looked at the person standing there as if he had been waiting for him. The cloak that he wore seemed to blend in with his surroundings and there seemed to be something different about the man, something that made him different from everyone else around him and instantly drew people to him.
"What do you mean that it is her? How could it be Violet when she is dead, buried in the ground?"
A smile came to the man's face as he moved forward then looked down the corridor in the direction of Violet's room.
"I want to show you something Mr Richards-"
"How do you know my name?!"
"Please. Let me talk. I need to show you something and I must ask you one thing. That you follow me with an open mind. I am sorry that I have to show you this but I must or you will not understand what has happened."
Jase looked at this man and his first reaction was to laugh but he also wanted to find out what this man was talking about.

With great reluctance Jase followed the man to the carpark where they both moved to a large black SUV with tinted windows. Jase stopped and looked at the man who opened the passenger door to let Jase get in.
"You must trust me. If you don't then what I have to show you you will not believe. Please, trust me."
Jase looked at the man once more and got in the passengers seat, instantly feeling the eyes on him. He turned quickly in his seat to see the people there, watching him with great intent.
"Do not worry Mr Richards. They are my minders so to speak. They are so scared that something is going to happen to me that they have to watch me."
Jase wanted to ask so many questions but nothing was coming to him, it was as if he had been thrust into a world he never knew existed and he was so very lost. He sat there, not even feeling the engine as it turned over. All that he knew that he was now trapped in something he had no control over and had no idea how he was going to get out. He wanted to get out of the vehicle as fast as he could but he knew that he had sealed his fate by getting into it.

There were so many thing that he wanted to ask as the vehicle slowly moved through the city; least of all where they were going but he knew that he would not get any answers. He sat back and looked straight out at the road, just to see all the building pass by as they moved quickly through them to where only the driver knew. Jase kept glancing at him to try and figure out where to go or what to say but the only thing was that he did not know what question to ask first. What the hell was going on in this world? He was trapped in this vehicle travelling to a place only a madman knew and there was no way that he could escape. Everything with him demanded answers but he knew he was not going to get any until they reached their destination, where ever that was.

Before he even realized what was going to happen the SUV stopped and when Jase looked at the drive he saw that he was already gone, as if he had never been there in the first place. It was then that he appeared on the passenger side and opened the door which made Jase swear aloud. The man smiled at that then moved back, allowing Jase to get out and see where they were. His eyes widened when he saw that they were in an all too familiar cenetery. He opened his mouth to demand why they were there but before he could the man raised his right hand.
"Do not say a thing. Just follow me and all your questions will be answered soon enough."
The man began to walk into the cemetery and as Jase began to follow him his first thought was that he was going crazy. He was following someone he thought was mad into a graveyard without any explanation at all.
"You are not going mad if that is what you are thinking Mr Richards."

Jase just looked at the ever retreating form of the man in somewhat shock before he hurried up to catch him. He stopped as soon as he saw the grave the man was standing next to with horror on his face then ran at the man but was stopped by him before Jase could even land a blow.
"You bastard! What have you done - why did you dig her up?!"
"Calm yourself Mr Richards. Look closely at the grave."
Jase looked down at the grave that only a month ago had held the body of his beloved, feeling the pain of her death again but now he felt something else. He felt a pure while hot fire of anger flow through him at seeing her grave like this. It looked as though it had been torn apart but something who wanted to get at Violet's body. He felt himself being let go by the man before instantly turning to look at him.
"What the hell did you dig up her grave for?! What did you want to show me this!"
"We did not do this. You truly do not see what I am trying to show you and jumping to conclusions. Look closely at the grave and you will notice that someone has dug their way out; not the other way around."
Just turned to look at the grave, his eyes widening in shock. Someone had dug their way out of that grave and had donw so in a violent manner, they had just want to get out, which meant that.... He turned to look at the man, his eyes still wide with shock.
"Yes. That was her in the hospital in a manner of speaking. What is in that hospital, what you saw has all of her memories but it is not her. I am afraid to say that the person you knew is dead."
"What the hell are you talking about?! I saw her - I heard her in the hospital. If she is alive then I have to go to her!"
The man grpped Jase's arm so hard that Jase winced in pain.
"There is no use going back there as she has already gone."

Russo sighed and dropped back into chair staring out the window, idly tapping a pencil against the hardwood finish of his desk. Swinging his chair around, he turned to stare at his office wall. Rubbing the bridge of his nose as he contemplated the gruesome scenes tacked on his office wall.

Sighing again and readjusting his reading glasses he shook his head and surged to his feet. Walking around his desk, he tapped his pencil against one of the crime scene pictures. A young blonde woman lay under his pencil, her pale skin a startling contrast to the dark reddish tinge of her clothes. Her white blouse soaked in her own blood that had leaked out of the dozen or more deep slashes into her torso.

Russo grimaced as he viewed five similar scenes from five other victims. The MO was always the same. Ritualised slashing of the torso, with throats slit from ear to ear, hair kept pristinely clean and always clothed in white. A stereo with always the same song in the tape deck, the Bridal March was always found at the crime scene. Russo sucked in a gulp of air through his teeth as his pencil rested on another series of photographs. The one thing that made his skin crawl, besides the fact that all the victims had been drained of all their blood, was the message that had been written in blood on the walls in the crime scenes...

"Jase Richards 555 482 758"

He did not know what this Mr Richards had to do with these six murders, but one thing was clear. Jase Richards seemed to have vanished from existence. All phone, address and medical records had ceased to exist as of a month ago almost to the day. He sighed again and sat on the edge of his desk, staring at the grisly portraits. Besides the connection of the bloodied message and the killing style, it seemed that the victims had been chosen by random.

But no serial killer ever killed by random. What was their connection to one another?

A knock on his door startled him out of his thoughts, making him drop his pencil. Cursing he called for them to enter as he bent down to pick up the errant stationary. And looked up to watch as Jane Masey walked brisky into his office. She smiled, somewhat perfunctorily and then slapped a manilla folder onto his desk.

"They all work for him," she said, flashing her teeth in a victorious grin.
Russo raised an eyebrow, straightened and took the folder in his hands. Glancing inside it was the Employee records for Hands On Building Lty. He looked up, "For who?" he asked idly, flipping through the pages.
Masey pouted and shook her head, "Jase Richards of course,"
"And it took us this long to figure that out?"
Her reply was giving in clipped tones,"It's a private business, the employee records were hard to find,"
"Masey, do you really think that this Richards fellow would murder all his employees and then write his own name and number on the walls?"
"Its clear that he's taunting us. He wants us to know who he is and the fact that we haven't been able to find him yet is only making him more secure," she grinned again, "And when he gets complacent... then we'll nab him,"
Russo sighed and frowned at his female partner, "And how long will that be? After two more deaths? Three? Five? There are close to eighty people working for this guy, Masey,"
Masey frowned. "Do you honestly think there is a third party, do you really believe its a disgruntled lover? All the profilers agree that Richards is the serial killer," she pointed out.
Russo shook his head, "They've been wrong before, Masey,"



Russo grimaced into his styrofoam coffee cup and sipped at the inky cold liquid. He grimaced again and seemed to growl at the awful taste. He looked over at Masey and grinned. She really was beautiful when she wasn't frowning at him. He watched as she shifted in her seat, her head resting against the window as she slept in the passenger seat of his sedan. Blinking tiredness out of his eyes and shifted his gaze back towards the house that had one light on in the night. As far as he guessed, it was the bedroom of Sally Hannins, another employee, fortunately still alive, of Jase Richards.

Russo grimaced again as he sipped his cold coffee, he hated stakeouts. In short, they bored the pants off of him, which, he grinned over to his partner, wouldn't ordinarily be a bad thing. He sighed and tried to decide whether or not to wake Masey and have his turn at a little nap. He squinted at the front door and wondered where the woman that was now waiting on the doorstep had come from. He eased his gun from his holster and watched carefully as she rang the doorbell.

Sally opened the door in her dressing gown and they talked briefly. Then she invited the unknown woman into her house, seeming to welcome her in. They were both laughing and smiling and it all seemed okay, except for the fact that it was almost ten o'clock at night. He frowned in concern, if Richards chose to attack at this time, like the last six victims then the other woman was now in danger. He reached a hand out to shake Masey out of her nap, deciding to go to the house and warn the two women of the potential danger.

His hand froze as he suddenly heard an ear piercing scream. "Shit! Masey! Masey!" he roughly shook her awake, barely registering her startled noises and was already running across the street before she had even gotten out of the car. She ran, panting up to him as he stopped at the front doorstep, motioning her to stay there, he made his way, gun unholstered and gripped in his hands, around the side of the house.

Letting himself quietly in the back of the house by way of the back door, shaking his head and wondering why people never locked their back doors. He slipped along the carpeted hallway and padded softly to the front door to let his partner in. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of movement and the house became eerily silent. Trying to unlock the door carefully, he winced at the lock clicked open, seeming to echo in the silence. Letting Masey in, closing the door again, he motioned her to move towards the kitchen while he crep his way up the stairs.

Checking every doorway, his gun cocked, he could hear his own heavy breathing in the unnatural silence and it sounded like, if anyone was listening, they could hear the pounding his heart as his blood rushed through his veins in a surge of adrenaline. Stalking to the last room, he readied himself and then stepped into the bedroom of Sally Hannins, gun raised.

His eyes widened when he saw what was inside. "So, it is a woman," he managed to whisper before the unknown woman hissed and became a blur to his eyes before he felt the distinct cold metal of a blade slicing through his neck. He did not even have time to make another sound before the light in his eyes winked out, his last thought being the strangeness of feeling teeth sinking into his jugular.

As he moved across the snowy ground Nick felt the ice and snow fly into his face but did not care. He was here for a reason and he was pushing himself hard to truly make himself better. He just wanted to forget everything that had happened in his life so far, about what he had lost. He had lost his family, his friends, his job and even his name. None of that mattered though as he had truly lost the main thing in his life, Violet - the one thing that he had lived for. She had become something that he never thought existed and now he was training to hunt her down. He was pushing himself harder than anyone else had and Andrew asked him why or even if he should but Nick had told him that it was the only way that he would get good enough to hunt them down, the things that he had more than anything - the thing that had turned Violet into what she now was. He wanted nothing more than to hunt them all down and slaughter them, wherever they were. Andrew had shown him so much and Nick wanted to prove himself more than anything that he would be the perfect hunter. He still did not want to believe that vampires existed and that Violet was now one of those creatures. Even when he had been shown one of them, had tried to fight one of them and almost lost he did not want to believe it.

He jumped over the large crevasse he knew was there as he had run over this area more times than he could count. He then saw a figure rise out of nowhere and knew that there was only one person that could do that. Andrew seemed to be able to do that and Nick could not figure out how. No matter how much he asked him Andrew never told him and Nick knew that he never would. Nick stopped in front of him and started to breath heavily.
“Why are you pushing yourself so hard Nicolas? You know that you could always take the serum that we made so that you would not have to push yourself so hard but yet you do, why is that?”

Nick shook his head, “I do not want to do that just yet. I know that I will have to but I want to push myself to the limits before I have to. I want to remain human for as long as I can be.”

Andrew laughed and once again Nick was shocked as to how cold it was. “I have always told you that you will remain human Nicolas but yet you hang onto the misconception that if you take the serum that you will lose all that. Do you not think that we want you to keep your humanity so that you will not become like those that we hunt. It is an edge my friend, that is all that it is.”

“But at what cost? Will it change us so much so that we will lose the ability to feel so that we can hunt down those creatures?”

Andrew laughed again, “Nicolas, that is what makes us different from those that we hunt. They gave up feeling anything when they were turned and we never will. Why do you think that we would ever want that Nicolas?”

“Can you please call me Nick Andrew? I know that it sounds stupid but it seems as though all you want is weapons in your fight against these creatures and I for one will not argue that point as I want to wipe as many of those foul things off the face of this earth as I can but it just seems that there could be an easier way to do it instead of injecting a serum into us that makes us better, that makes us into nothing but living weapons.”

“We do not just want living weapons…. Nick. We created the serum so that you could have an edge against vampires because we know that as a human you will never be able to fight them. It is true that you have pushed yourself far more than any person I have trained before has done and I honestly do not want you to take the serum myself but I do not want to see you die needlessly when you go to hunt down vampires. I love you like a son Nick and I do want to see you die.”

That statement surprised Nick, as he had never heard Andrew say anything like that to him, he had never seen or heard him show emotion anymore. In the month that he had been with him, had been training with him Andrew had never said anything like that to him.

“Come, we must go inside. I do not want you to freeze out here.”

Nick shook his head, “I am okay. I should just keep running…”

Andrew moved and grabbed his arm as Nick began to move away, causing Andrew to look at him with wide eyes.

“Please. I do not want you to stay out here. I know that there are things that you need to work out but you will freeze if you stay out here. Will you come with me?”

Before Nick could say anything he heard the door open and looked at the stairs that lead under the ice. It still amazed him that there was this place here and that nobody had ever found it but then again who would look for this place here. Andrew turned and slowly walked down the stairs leaving Nick to stand there for a second then slowly walk down them himself. As soon as he was half way down the steps he heard the door close but did not care, he knew that he was safe here and there were still things that he had to do.

Without saying a word to Andrew he walked quickly towards his favorite training room and stood there, looking at all the weapons that lined the walls, walking straight towards his favorite ones, the two long knives. He pulled them off the walls with a smile and looked at them then started to move to the middle of the room, the knives feeling like an extension of his arm. He looked down at them again and without thinking began to move, moving more with the knives in his hands than letting his body dictate where they were to go. It was like he knew where they wanted to go and he was just holding them but he did not care, he loved how they were a part of him, even from the first second - the first time that he had picked them up he knew. He closed his eyes then and felt everything around him as he moved, every part of his body moving in slow sensuous movements that sped up until he felt the perspiration dripping off him.

He stopped and looked at the knives in his hands again with a smile then heard a clapping come from the direction of the door. He turned suddenly and was shocked to see the woman standing there, the one that reminded him so much of Violet. He just looked at here and wanted to talk to her but he did not want to at the same time even though he knew that she wanted to. He walked slowly towards the racks, put the knives back where they belonged and began to move past her but stopped and looked at her.

“Why are you always here? Why do you want to torment me?”

He saw the shock that was on her face but moved past her and into one of the other rooms. With a shout he slammed his fist against the punching bag again and again, seeing her face every time he hit it - every time he felt the pain from his knuckles.

Masey crept through the house quietly, gun gripped in her hands. She shook her head and steadied herself when she realised that her hands were shaking. She paused at the living room entrance and took a quick quiet breath. Then she shouldered her way past the arched opening and swept her gun around the room. Her sights centered on a beautiful blonde in the middle of the room, standing calmly before the cold fireplace.

She looked up at Masey and her wide eyed shock apon seeing her gun made the detective hesitate. Then she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender and shook like a leaf, fright registering in her and she pointed a shaky hand towards the stairwell, "They... the... they went up there," she whispered and Masey nodded.

"You stay here and I'll get help," the blonde's eyes widened and she quickly shook her head, "No! Please... please, don't leave me!" she ran across the living room space and fairly threw herself at the Masey. Masey tried to take a step back but for some reason, she found herself in the blonde's arms before she could even raise her gun again. How had she moved so fast? As she felt the other woman's arms go around her, she was overcome suddenly with a sense of awe. And something else.

Pleasure. Pure, tingling, sensational pleasure. Her legs become weak and the grip on her gun loosened. She didn't even hear the slight thud it made on the carpet as it fell from her hand. Instead, all she felt were the lips on her neck, nibbling, kissing, suckling and the hands on her back, traveling up and down her blouse. All she could feel was the leg that found its way between hers and the way it rubbed up and down her thigh, the slight dampness between her legs, her lips parted, her breath coming in quick short gasps and her voice moaning slightly.

Her eyes widened as she felt a short sharp pain in the side of her neck and the danger soon dawned on her. Then she began to struggle. The kisses turned into a bite, the caressing hands clamped her upper arms and the legs wrapped around hers to become tight and restricting. In the back of her mind she registered that she was still wet, and getting wetter. There was just something about what was happening to her that made her feel... sexy.
Her gasp of pain only lasted a moment and her struggles even less as the light in her eyes faded just as fast.

Natasha raised her head from Masey's neck and smiled. The blood dripping down her chin, she stepped back, letting the dead woman fall to the carpetted floor. With a grimace she noticed the cream coloured carpetting, there was simply no way of getting the blood stains from that. None at all.

Taking a small square of white from the pocket of her pants, she carefully wiped at the sticky red mess along her chin and felt the slight pain as her fangs receded. Still smiling, still feeling the rush of new blood in her veins she looked up as she heard a slight sound on the stairs. Deep violet blue eyes stared back into her own hazel for what seemed an eternity. Natasha's full red lips curved even further upwards as she recognised the woman she had come to see.

She had time to register sudden fear in that deep violet gaze and then just as suddenly the woman was gone. Starting to move herself, Natasha made it to the front door without even so much as seeing Violet. She stepped out onto the porch and surveyed the dark street beyond, sweeping her head from side to side.

Violet was gone, again. She shook her head and looked at her hands in a ploy for patience. "Fuck," she said and then calmly stepped into the night to resume the hunt once more.

Nick stood there and looked at Andrew in shock, unable to register what he had just been told. He wanted nothing more than to scream at him but he knew that it would not help. Once Andrew had made up his mind there was no changing it and he turned to look at the woman who stood there, trying hard not to be noticed.

“What the hell do you mean you are giving me a partner? I never asked for a partner and I do not need one. They get in the way, especially her. Why are you making her my partner when you know what she reminds me of?!”

The woman stood there in shock, unable to say anything but Andrew’s smile never left his face.

“I know what she will remind you of and that is precisely why she is going to be your partner. She will remind you of what you have lost and what you are fighting for. You are stronger than anyone that I know of Nick but you are shutting yourself away from everything and it is the worst thing that you can do. You have to remain human or you will become just like them, living for death. All you will want is to kill and I see that in you now. It scares me and I want you to remember what it is you fight for, what it is you are trying to protect - if not in those around you then in yourself. Can you even remember who you are, who you were anymore?”

Nick stood there and looked at Andrew, registering those words and trying to find a way to argue against them but he found that he could not. He knew that he had given up that which had made him who he had been; the kind-hearted man that he had once been and he wanted to attribute that to losing Violet but he knew that was not the case. He simply did not care anymore, he had simply shut himself away from everything to try and survive, to try and live out his life but he realized just how much he was giving up now.

“You made me exactly what I am Andrew! You told me that Violet had been turned into this thing and turned me into this weapon. Why is it that you want me to give up what I am now to become human again. All that I know is what you have given me. I had to give up the life that I had for this. What do you want of me?!”

Andrew let out a sigh and looked straight at Nick. He moved forward and placed one hand on his shoulder, sending a shiver through Nick.

“I did not turn you into this Nicolas, you have turned yourself into this. I was stupid enough not to stop it in time and I fear that it is too late. I want you to keep your humanity and I have given you a partner for that purpose. Now I will leave you to talk to her.”

Before Nick could say a thing Andrew turned and walked from the room, leaving Nick and the woman standing there.

Nick turned and looked at the woman, feeling the pain that he always felt when he looked at her. She reminded him so much of Violet that he felt as though he had lost her again. He stood and looked at her, unable to say or do anything but all that he wanted to do was tell her to get out and leave him alone. He knew that as much as he wanted to do that he couldn’t because Andrew wanted them to be partners for a reason, which totally escaped him. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone so that he could hunt those things on his terms but Andrew thought that it was dangerous.

He stood and looked at the door then turned to look at the woman, taking another deep breath.

“Okay, so we have been forced together….”

“I am sorry if you feel that way. I want to help you in any way that I can.”

“You are young, what can you do to help me?”

The woman was obviously taken aback by this and she looked at Nick with wide eyes, unable to say anything. She moved close to him.

“Andrew asked me to be your partner Nick. He saw that you needed someone around to help you and thought that I could-”

“Why does Andrew even care? I am doing what he wants of me, what he wants me to turn into. He has trained me as a hunter, something to destroy that which took my love, heart and soul away and now he wants me to be human again. Why does he not tell me what he wants of me?!”

The woman reached forward to touch Nick who moved away.

“Don’t.”

She took a step back and looked at him with wide eyes again.

“Andrew did not turn you into this. You have turned yourself into this person. He sees that you are the best of us all but you have shut yourself away from everyone and everything that will make you feel. He wants us all to remain human, not turn into those that we hunt.”

Nick turned his back on the woman, “That is a nice speech and sentiments but it is somewhat stupid and naïve. I have not turned into that which I hate, I just do not want to care anymore. If that makes me less human then so be it. It helps me to do my job, that which I have been trained to do.”

The woman moved forward and touched Nick slowly on the back who turned to look at her, anger written clearly on his face.

“That is stupid. Do you not realize that it is your feelings that help you to do your job, not the other way around? Without them then you will not care who you hurt or kill just to stop that which you have sworn yourself to hunt down, do you want to become like that? Do you?”

Nick looked hard at the woman and wanted to tell her that she was wrong but he realized just how stupid he was being and wanted nothing more than to correct her. He wanted nothing more than to prove her wrong but it was then that he realized just what he was becoming although he did not really care about it. He still wanted nothing more than to do his job, that which he was still being trained to do and if that meant that he had to shut himself down emotionally then he would do so but there was an aspect of that which he was thinking about. He wanted to know if there was a shred of humanity left in him and he wanted to ask himself whether he had truly shut himself down as he wanted to.

“If you want to be my partner then I ask one thing of you. You do not question what I do, how I do it.”

The woman opened her mouth as if to protest but she knew that it would truly do no good and nodded.



Nick moved across the rooftops after the vampire with a loud curse. He had come here to this city just to hunt this one, as he knew that it would be a challenge for him. This one was very old and had killed or turned several other hunters but Nick knew that he was different; this one would have no chance with him. He pulled the throwing blade from his back and smiled in triumph as the vampire gave a cry of pain then visibly slowed down. Nick knew that there was only a small chance that he would get to it in time and quickened his pace but as he did he shouted into the headset that he was wearing.

“Taelyr, where the hell are you?! This thing is getting away!”

Suddenly the vampire lurched as though hit by something and when it turned Nick saw the crossbow bolt that stuck out of its stomach. He moved forward slowly, his hands going to the two knives that were at his back. He pulled them out in a quick fluid movement and watched the vampire pull the bolt out with a shout then move towards him.

Before the vampire knew what was happening however Nick moved quickly and sliced through the air towards where he knew where the vampire was going to go, who’s hands dropped to his side, the gash in his side and the blood staining it. Nick smiled and moved towards him, the knives at the ready. He always loved this part.

The skies rumbled, filling the dark clouds hanging ominously overhead with a voice. A voice of discontent; a sad, angry voice gathering its energy for one last scream. The wind moaned, the sky grumbled and the very earth beneath her feet groaned in answer to the dark restless heavens.

The sky screamed and raged/great violent slashes of colour streaked across the face of the earth over and over again. Angry claps of thunder roared and lightning flashed overhead.
Then the heavens cried.

Her body moved easily through the heavy rain. Her long slender legs supported a slim, trim body that swayed in a way that took men’s breaths away. Her form almost seemed to be half dancing to a clearly erotic tune.

The rain seemed to part in around her, never seeming to fall on her, but if one looked closely enough, one would see that she was soaked. Her gaze smouldered and her hips swayed erotically from side to side as she stalked down a deserted street, stepping along the centreline of the double lane road. The water slid down her rain slicked hair, past her dark green gaze, down her smooth, pale cheeks and slid across her full red lips.

Her tongue slide out to slide along her upper lip, tracing the path of an errant droplet of water. The corners of her mouth tugged upwards until her lips curved into a deliciously wicked grin. Her green eyes flashed and she tripped her head back, opening her mouth slightly to catch the sweet water falling from the heavens on her long pink tongue. Then she slowly tipped her head back forwards, tilting her head to one side. She paused, swallowing the rainwater she had collected in her mouth. Then she threw her head back to suddenly scream at the sky.

Thunder crashed and lightning flashed, striking a nearby tree, the branches bursting into orange, yellow flames; the rain failing to douse the burning tree and still she screamed.
Her scream was full of anxiety, fear, and despair and was so full of anguish that a heart would break to hear it. A heart that was beating, that is.

Falling down to her knees, her scream dying down to a dull croak, Violet suddenly, violently gripped her stomach and tried to scream again, her mouth wide open but no sound came out louder than a hoarse moan.
From the shadows a voice came to her ears, a voice she knew; one that never let her sleep at night.

“Tsk, tsk, my Sweet, are you thirsty?” her honeyed, silken voice filled Violet with fear and yet in the same instant, turned her knees to jelly and she could feel the liquid heat between her legs begin to melt, dampening the junction at her thighs thickly with her scent. “Oh my Sweet. You simply have no idea what will satisfy that terrible thirst of yours, do you?” An attractively slim blonde stepped from the shadows, her bright red umbrella matching her red painted lips. Dressed in a simple black dress cut down to the ankles, close to the hips and slashed deeply down her front to expose the creamy insides of her generously soft mounds. A single droplet ruby sat nestled in the valley of her breasts in such a way that any man would be green with envy upon seeing the jewel in such an… intimate setting.

Violet raised her tear and rain streaked face up towards the blonde, sobbing quietly, her shoulders shaking, her breasts heaving, straining against the soft fabric of the white dress that she wore, the rain plastering it against her body in such a way that it almost seemed to be a second skin. “What do you know of my pain?” she fairly growled up at the other woman.

The blonde gently shook her head and moved closer to Violet, covering her with the red umbrella so that the rain no longer touched her, “Don’t you remember my Sweet? I’m the one that gave it to you,” she looked down and smiled softly at Violet’s innocently confused face, “You may call me Natasha.”



The building was dark, oppressively dark. Lightning streaked across the sky in bright blazes of glory with sudden booms of thunder pealing across the heavens soon after. The water slicked down her back, trickling between her shoulder blades. She could feel every single droplet of water as her mind traced their paths sliding down her body to join the slight puddle at her feet. She raised her hands and ran her fingers slowly through her hair, smoothing down the thick, slick strands, her face tilted slightly up, her eyes closed as her mouth opened to catch the flowing water streaming from the shower head above her. Feeling the water caress her as gently as any of her past lovers had. She grinned, letting out a wild chuckle as she felt the water slide lower still, felt it slide into the most intimate parts of her, the water mixing with her own liquid heat. She gasped as a delicious shiver ran briefly up her spine and grinned to herself, speaking without turning, “I thought you would never come,”

A deep male voice chuckled behind her, his sheer presence almost plastering her against the shower wall, “Cumming is the reason I am here my dear,” his rich male scent hung heavy in the air, mixing with the steam from the shower to create as powerful an aphrodisiac as she had ever had. She shivered as she felt one of his fingers slide along the curve of her shoulder and gasped as she felt his mouth come down onto her neck, sucking gently, his arms wrapped around her, cupping her heavy full breasts in his large hands. He growled under his breath in her ear, as he tasted her skin, felt the blood rush to his loins and felt himself harden, he loved that she did this to him. Sliding a hand downwards, he broke from the love bite and instead trailed wet kisses along her shoulder, grinned as her head tilted to one side, allowing even more skin to him to do as he pleased. He heard her short pants of pleasure as he slid one finger against her wet slit; he could tell that she was turned on. He knew that if tasted his finger now, he would not just taste the water sluicing down onto them, he would also taste her.

She shifted back slightly and gasped appreciatively at his heavy hardness pressed against her back. She shivered with delight as he began to play with her clit, his long strong fingers making her t5oss her head with pleasure and forced her to breath through clenched teeth as he suddenly, swiftly slipped two of those thick male fingers into her. She gasped and arched her back up against him, hearing his dark chuckle of pleasure at her reaction. She turned her head and whimpered, moaning softly when he answered her unspoken plea and bent his head to press his hard lips against her softly curved ones.

Inwardly, he grinned at the sounds he could elicit from his little minx and wondered briefly just what he had done to find his perfect match in this world. In bed, at least. Or the shower. Or on the kitchen bench, the washing machine, the back of a cinema… his mind reeled at the delicious memories he was having and dimly registered the soft moans coming from her underneath his experienced hands.

She gasped as his finger began to move forcefully inside her, her knees growing weaker as her legs spread wider, providing him more access as he thrust yet another finger deep inside her. She reached impatiently behind her and soon her long slender fingers wrapped themselves around hi hard shaft. She grinned wickedly at his groan as she slowly began to move her hand up and down him, squeezing slightly every now and then.

“Oh god,” he growled, a sound of deep satisfaction emerging from his throat as he began to pant softly from her ministrations.
“Well, I did ask you to come, didn’t I?” she chuckled to him, continuing their banter from before.
He couldn’t find a suitable reply; his mind was too focused on the feel of his fingers wrapped up in her wet velvety softness as he felt his stiff cock grow impossibly harder under her grip.
“You always manage to make me speechless,” she chuckled as she slide off his fingers and turned around, dropping to her knees in front of him and whispering softly, “Now it’s my turn.” Then she slowly slid her lips over his stiffness. She delighted in the muffled groan she took from him as she felt his hands come to either side of her head, dragging her teeth along him wickedly as he lost himself to the feel of her lips wrapped around him.

They were so engrossed in their little rendezvous that they didn’t notice the two figures that slipped into the bathroom. Both women, one dressed completely in black, the other in white. The only warning he had was the feel of Violet’s hand sliding up along his back before his head was wrenched to the side and he felt her sharp fangs enter his skin, delivering a stinging pleasure that made him forget all about the minx he had had wrapped around his cock.

Natasha watched with obvious pleasure as Violet fed on the human male while her own hand clamped down onto the mouth of the woman who now struggled in her strong grip, her eyes opening wide with horror at seeing her boyfriend fed on. She did the only thing her frantic, horror stricken mind could think of. She bit Natasha’s hand.

Natasha felt the prick of teeth sinking into the flesh of her palm and looked down, her lips curving into a small smile before she took her other hand and calmly twisted the pretty little girl’s neck. Letting her drop to the floor, sliding down Natasha’s body limply, she raised her bleeding palm to her lips and licked at the bite mark absently. The skin already healing over, as she turned her eyes towards Violet again. Her lips curved into another smile as she watched the man’s body convulse in a last effort to keep his body alive as his lifeblood was slowly being drained away. His eyes were glazed over, his mouth hanging open, jaw slack; his arms hanging limply at his sides.

She watched as Violet finally raised her head from the man’s neck, colour flushing through her cheeks as she gasped with pleasure, shuddering as the blood coursed through her dead veins. She opened her eyes and directed her intense sea green gaze at Natasha, her own full red lips curving into a smile of ecstasy, her small pink tongue coming out to lick at the drops of blood still on her lips.

Natasha smirked, her gaze dropping to the man’s still full member and gave a small chuckle. The man was dead and his cock was still fully erect! Violet’s eyes followed Natasha’s gaze and she giggled, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. Natasha smiled and held out her hand. Letting the man drop heavily to the floor, stepping through the water still spilling from the showerhead, Violet reached out to clasp Natasha’s hand. “What now?” She whispered, her eyes lighting up with new life and enthusiasm.

Nat smiled at her, a secret smile that spoke of more pleasures to come. Taking her hand, she led the young woman down the darkened hallway, her heightened hearing picking up every individual rain drop that fell from the thunderous skies and onto the tiled roof overhead. She heard the quiet padding of Violet's bare feet on the thick carpet behind her, her breath coming in quiet little pants of excitement.

Natasha smiled to herself and led her down to the one room that would be perfect for what she had in mind for Violet. She had been left to wander on her own for far too long now. The Blood Lust had gripped the young woman but without the transfer of blood from Natasha, she would soon die. This time, permanently.

As Violet was led into the large master bedroom, she glanced up and noticed the skylight held directly over the bed positioned in the middle of the room. Plush dark red carpet, greeted her bare feet and a décor of dark reds and browns, soft yellows and pinks held her gaze. A stand with a single vase stood by the large French windows, the soft blood red curtains matching the dozen or so roses resting in the porcelain vessel. Natasha's soft, silky voice came to her ears and she turned to face the other woman.
“A skylight, how…” she paused and smiled, “…delicious,” she crooned as she looked deep into Violet's dark eyes.

As Natasha held Violet’s gaze, she slowly slipped from her simple black dress, revealing her full, heavy, bare breasts, her smooth flat stomach leading down to a small, neat dark patch at the junction of her thighs. Her legs were long, slender, her thighs pleasantly muscled and powerful. Her feet small; toes lacquered in dark red as she stepped from her shoes. She watched as Violet’s eyes grew wide, her lips parting slightly, her fangs lowering, the tips gleaming white in the soft light of the bedroom.

Overhead, the rain fell onto the glass ceiling, hitting the skylight with soft pings of sound, the thunder rolling distantly as lighting cracked overhead, lighting the room in brilliant flashes of white.

Stepping close to Violet, Natasha allowed herself another wicked grin as she reached out and pushed the simple white material of Violet’s dress, plastered onto the wet skin, off her shoulder. Violet’s eyes grew wider but she made no move to stop Natasha as she slide her hands underneath the white material, peeling it off her slightly warm skin, down her arms, sliding down her chest, over her won large breasts, down her sides and back, the wet material falling away from her. A breeze came from the open window to cool her skin but she barely noticed the cold, her own internal heat flaring up as she felt Natasha's hands slide all over her body, removing the heavy wet fabric and freeing her body to Natasha’s scrutiny. Standing, her own slender body still as her breasts heaved with her short pants of excitement as she felt the place between her legs dampen with her now flowing juices. She didn’t’ even seem to notice her own fangs extending from her gums, her lips slightly parted as her breaths came out in short hisses.

Violet shivered under Natasha’ soft touch, her breaths coming out in little gasps as she felt the tingle of her nipples hardening under Natasha’s gaze. She whimpered as she was led to the bed and pushed down onto her back.

“Shh, my Sweet,” came the soft soothing sound of Natasha’s voice as she crawled along Violet’s legs to sit, straddles over her. She leaned over and down, placing her soft lips on Violet’s her tongue sliding gently along the other woman’s lips. Violet whimpered again as Natasha pushed her tongue in between her lips and touched her own. With a little gasp of surprise, she closed her eyes and kissed Natasha back, their tongues sliding erotically against each other’s, her hands coming up to slide along Natasha’s back, moving further and further along her body until she elicited a deep growl from the older woman by softly grabbing her ass and squeezing.

Natasha broke from the kiss and smiled, listening to Violet’s whimpers that told her not to stop. Her smile grew wider as she leaned down once again. Instead of kissing Violet, she dribbled little delicate kisses along her jaw line, listening to Violet’s answering whimpers with a smile. Her tongue flicked out to slide along her neck, tasting the slightly salty tang of her delicious skin, a deep growl emerging from her throat as she felt Violet’s fingers spear into her silky blonde hair. Lifting her head, she looked down into Violet’s eyes, smiling, her voice soft and throaty with heated desire stark in her eye, mirroring what she saw in Violet’s eyes, “You like my kisses, don’t you, my Sweet?”

Her only answer was a whimper as Violet tugged her head down, bringing her to the younger woman’s lips once again. This time, Violet was the one who slipped her tongue into Natasha’s hot wet mouth and the older woman soon found herself moaning with need as Violet’s hot little tongue flicked in and out of her mouth, sliding along her lips, tasting; teasing.

Finally Natasha managed to raise her head from Violet’s hot demanding kisses and chuckled deeply. Both women were panting, their lips parted to reveal the sharp canines each both now possessed.

Natasha saw the questioning look in Violet’s eyes as she stared at her fangs and opened her mouth as if to ask but Natasha chuckled again, whispering, “Then you’ll definitely like this,” before she lowered her head again, this time lips descending onto the other woman’s breasts, effectively silencing what ever Violet had been about to say.

Not yet, my Sweet. Soon but not yet, Natasha thought to herself, a grin of pleasure curing her full red lips before she closed them around on of Violet’s nipples, sucking gently. Violet gasped and let out a small moan, tossing her head to the side and gripping Natasha’s shoulders, unaware that her nails were drawing blood. Neither did Natasha seem to notice but she did nip at that rosy peak of pleasure and growled as Violet suddenly dug her nails deeper into Natasha’s flesh.

Natasha’s hand came up to grip Violet’s wrists and she pinned them to Violet’s sides on the bed as she flicked her tongue over Violet’s heated skin. Seeming to purr with pleasure, she licked the valley between Violet’s breasts, eliciting long drawn out moans from the other woman, briefly flicking her tongue over her breasts, pausing just a little more attention to her nipples before moving lower down still.

Natasha slowly drew wet delicious circles with the tip of her tongue, chuckling as she felt Violet’s stomach muscles quiver with barely suppressed pleasure. But that wasn’t her ultimate goal. She slipped her fingers from Violet’s wrists and slid them down along her sides, touching the smooth softness of her skin, delighting in the feel of it. Her tongue went lower still.

Violet gave a gasp as her entire body suddenly convulsed in exploding pleasure as she felt Natasha’s tongue touch her soft wetness. Her legs spread wider for her, her now free fingers gripping the other woman’s head between her legs as she closed her eyes and lost herself with soft whimpers to the pleasure of Natasha’s teasing tongue.

Natasha thrilled in the response she had elicited from the younger woman as her tongue flicked in rapid movements over her clit, her face buried between Violet’s legs. Her hands went under Violet’s ass and she gripped it, bringing the other woman’s heat impossibly closer to her hot and hungry mouth.

She curled her tongue around that little sensitive bud of pleasure and nipped it gently between her teeth, grinning when she heard Violet’s answering cry of pleasure. Moving slightly lower, she took her hands from Violet’s ass and used two fingers to spread Violet’s velvety soft petals and with a smile speared her tongue into her soft warm depths.

Violet cried out, her eyes opening wide with surprise but she soon closed them again, lost in an ecstasy she had never known before. Gripping Natasha’s head in her hands, she pulled her face closer, willing her tongue further inside her, “Uunngh.. please… please..” she moaned, not realising she had spoken. Natasha wriggled her tongue into Violet’s warm wet slit and darted it in and out in quick succession, relishing in the response she was taking from the younger woman. She soon raised her head though to Violet’s dismayed pleading and slithered back up her body, her breasts rubbing softly against Violet’s, her nipples tingling in her own escalated excitement.

“Open your eyes, Sweet,” she crooned and smiled as her own blue gaze met Violet’s sea green. Placing a hand between Violet’s legs, she watched the other woman’s face, her mouth open, her breath coming in short pants of excitement as she suddenly thrust two fingers into Violet’s velvety softness.

Violet’s eyes widened and her mouth opened, her cry of pleasure ringing in Natasha’s ears as her body arched up against the other woman, her hips moving instinctively, seeking more of Natasha’s long slender fingers inside her. Natasha soon began to move her fingers in and out of her hot centre, moving faster and faster as she listened to the moans of the woman beneath her.
“So wet…” she whispered in a hiss, not realising she had spoken. Her eyes widened; her own cry of pleasure dying only after a few minutes. She looked down into an intense, glittering green gaze and her body shuddered in answer to Violet’s now questing fingers inside her. Soon, Natasha was the one moaned and shivering with ecstasy. Her own fingers had not stopped and both women clasps to each other, thrilling in the pleasure they were giving to the other.

Natasha’s mouth opened wide, trying to draw even more breath as she felt her body begin to tighten and Violet’s own gasping stopped. Instead she frowned and opened her own mouth wider, her fingers never ceasing their motion, thrusting harder, faster and deeper into Natasha’s hot wet center.

Natasha watched as Violet’s soft pink tongue slid out from between her teeth and gently explored her newly acquired fangs. A questioning light in her eyes, she stared up at Natasha’s extended canines. “What am I?” she breathed, her breath hitching slightly as Natasha thrust her fingers even harder into the other woman’s moist depths.
Natasha smiled, “Mine,” was all she said and Violet whimpered.
“Please….” She whispered, not knowing for what she pleaded, just knowing that she wanted it more than anything.
Natasha smiled even wider and took Violet’s head in her other hand, bringing her lips up to the skin of her neck, twisting her own head to the side, exposing her creamy white flesh to Violet’s fangs.
“Take it, Sweet,” she whispered and closed her eyes, revelling in the feel of Violet’s fingers deep inside her, waiting for what would come next, for the reason she had brought Violet here in the first place.

When Natasha felt Violet’s sharp fangs pierce her skin, she threw her head back and screamed with pleasure…

Nick walked towards the edge of the building with a slight smile on his face. Every time he killed one of those creatures he felt some of his former self come back to him but as soon as caught a reflection of himself in a mirror he knew that who he had been was long dead and not matter how much he wished it he could never have that life back. Violet; the only reason for him to love was gone and he himself had changed far too much to ever come back. He shook his head to clear that thought but knew just how long he had been fighting with it and knew that those thoughts were not going to go away that easily.

It was then that he heard Taelyr’s voice and turned to look at her.

“Why do you do it Nick. Why risk your own neck where you have a partner who will back you up… who is meant to be here to help you. Do you have to risk your life?”

Nick looked at her in shock and wonder what he should say to her but knew that there was nothing he could say to her and walked away.



As she walked him walk away Taelyr wished that she had known Nick before he had shut himself away to become the person that he now was. There were moments where he was different, more human but that had disappeared far too quickly and he came back to the person that he now was. She wished that there were something she could say or do to make him feel anything at all but she knew that he wanted to remain lost - that he had been hurt too much and it was something that he could not come back. That thought brought forth a recollection of a talk that she had had with Andrew.

“I need you to be a partner Taelyr. No matter what he does to try and push you away or put himself at risk I need you to be around him to help him with what he is still going through.”
Taelyr had looked at Andrew with wide eyes; as if he had gone completely insane.
“I know what you ask of me and know that I must obey your orders but I have to ask what you are asking this of me. He has stayed away from everyone - even going so far as to avoid me completely yet you want me to be his partner; to watch over him when you knew that he wants nothing to do with me. Why do you ask this of me?”
“I was sure that you knew dear child. I forgot to mention it did I…. Nick used to be your sister’s boyfriend. He was the last one to see her alive; before she was turned.”
Taelyr looked at him totally shocked. When she had been told that her sister had been turned she did not want to believe it - she did not want to believe that he sister had been turned into a vampire.
“Why do you want that? What if he found out-”
“He will not find out from me. The only way he will find out is if you tell him.”

Nick’s voice ripped Taelyr from her memory and she looked at him standing at the edge of the roof looking down at the street below. As she walked towards him Taelyr kept wondering if she could ever tell Nick who Violet was to her, how she was her younger sister, the one she had been compared to until she got sick of being told to be like Violet and left home to find out her own way which had led her to the only thing that had called to her - this.

She walked towards Nick who turned his head to look at her, his white eyes still unnerving her.

“There is another one out there. I can feel it.”

Taelyr moved closer to him and looked down at the ground before her not knowing what to say but then saw the determination that was on his face.

“We can’t do this Nick. This will have been three this night; why do we have to hunt down so many of them?”

Nick turned and looked at her and when she saw the look in his eyes she knew why and wished more than anything that she could tell him what she knew, who she was but also knew that she couldn’t because she would hate her as soon as she told him and would abandon her as a partner which was the last thing that Andrew or any others in the council wanted. She had to be with him, she had been given strict instructions to stay with him through everything.

Just was then that she saw Nick jump from the edge of the roof to the catwalk and let out a loud curse. She hated how he did this and moved to the edge of the roof just to see him running out into the street - his coat bellowing behind him as he moved. She let out a loud curse again as she jumped down to the catwalk to follow him and wonder where he was going and why it was he could not stop hunting vampires, even for one night but knew no matter how much she wanted to or ask him she knew that he never would.

He hated them more than she would even think possible and realized all she could do was back him up and hope that he would open up slightly towards her but knew she was hoping too much. She checked that he crossbow was strapped to her back before running after Nick and wonder where he was until he ran past her chasing after a female she knew to be a vampire by the way she moved. She moved quickly to chase after him and hoped that he would not do anything stupid but when she heard the scream of a human she let out another loud curse before she ran quickly in the direction that he had disappeared in.

As soon as she got to the alley she saw that Nick had both of his knives out, oblivious to the human that was being held by the female vampire. Taelyr could see that all his focus was on the vampire and the look in his eyes scared her. There was no humanity in that look at all but it was the look of a predator full focused on his prey.

“Let go of the girl. I am just here to kiss you and try to save her.”

That brought a smile to the vampire’s lips and before Nick of Taelyr could react bit deep into the side of the young woman’s neck, which brought forth a loud shout from Nick. Taelyr’s eyes widened but before she even realized what was happening one of Nick’s knives suddenly appeared in the woman’s chest. The vampire’s eyes widened in surprise but before she could react Nick was on her, his knife in his hand like a large claw.

Taelyr stood back in shock and horror as Nick pulled his other knife from the woman’s chest and while in was still wet with her blood kicked the vampire in the abdomen then cut at her with first one knife then the other. She stood here, unable to move as Nick moved with deadly efficiency around the vampire who was now fighting for her life, his twin blades carving deep gashes in her body. She looked at Nick’s face and saw that he was enjoying this - that he was enjoying what he was doing; the pain that he was bringing to the vampire and wanted so much to stop it but still found herself unable to move.

She pulled her crossbow from her back and without making a sound or taking aim fired a shot - the bolt hitting the vampire in the chest, making her fall to the ground. As soon as the vampire fell she turned to Nick who had the look of fury on his face and his knives held so tightly in his hands that his knuckles were white. He moved towards her, the fury still on his face.

“How could you have done that? It was mind to kill!”

Taelyr was instantly taken aback by his reaction.

“Why must you kill them by yourself. Do you think that this is your crusade, that you will get back what you lost by killing them all.”

“What do you know of what I have lost-”

“Andrew told me.”

“He had no right! My life is my own - to do with what I will!”
“Even if that means endangering your partner? Jase-”

“Is dead! He died when one of those things attacked and turned the one person that I loved more than anything into one. My name is Nick and I will ask you never to use that name again.”

He slammed his knives back into their sheaths before moving past Taelyr, not even looking at her as he did to leave Taelyr standing there once more. She turned slowly to look at the young woman lying on the ground, the slow growing pool of blood on the front of her clothes from where Nick’s knife had struck. She stood there; not wanting to believe that Nick had killed her like that but now she had to talk to him as to how he could do it - how he could kill an innocent person.

She moved after him quickly, instantly finding his retreating form in the crowd of people on the street and knew that she had to speak to him, had to find some small reason as to why he had done it. As soon as she was walking beside him she looked up at Nick’s face to see the anger that was still on it and wondered if this was the right time at all - if she could talk to him at all.

“Why…. Why did you do it. How could you kill an innocent person like that?”

“Now is not the time to discuss it.”

She opened her mouth to argue that point but knew that there was nothing that she could say to change his mind. She had seen this dark mood in him far too often lately and knew that there was nothing that she could say to get him out of it. The two of them walked side by side down the street, not saying a word but knowing that there was something they had to discuss as soon as they reached their destination.

Before took long they were sitting in their SUV and Taelyr knew that it was time; she could not keep quiet any longer. She looked at Nick as he went to turn the key.

“Why did you kill her Nick? Surely your humanity hasn’t been so stripped away that you feel nothing towards her, towards an innocent human-”

“Who would have turned into one of those things and started to kill other innocent people because she had been bitten this night.”

“But she was still and innocent person.”

“Who lost that innocence the second she was bitten.”

Taelyr looked at him as he started the engine as pushed his foot down or the accelerator, sending the SUV down the street. She was shocked by his words and told herself that there was no way they could be true, that he would kill an innocent person just because they had been bitten but he had proven that he could and that meant that she had to tell Andrew, even thought she was his partner and had to back him up. He had still crossed a line this night and she had to report it.

Before she even realized it they had pulled into the small warehouse that they kept as a base and Nick had stopped the engine. As he got out Taelyr watched him walk away then got out herself and moved towards the communication area, turned on the computer and logged in then waited as the message screen came up. She was instantly surprised that she was talking to Andrew.

Is it true? Was all it said on the screen.
It is. I am afraid to report that Nicked killed an innocent person in front of me.
Was she… has she been bitten?
Yes, but he killed an innocent human.
He did the right thing then. You know better than anything what happens to a human once they have been bitten. In less than a week she would have turned and you or another team would have had to hunt her down. Did you think that Nick should have left her alone?
I am not sure but what I saw in him this night - he seemed to be enjoying it.
I do not think that he enjoys killing them. Some small part of him might but I think that he just wants his life, the life he can never have back and thinks that with each one he kills he gets his life back.
But you said that his life was over.
I meant the life that he used to have, the life that he was meant to have with your sister.

Taelyr was about to type in her reply but heard footsteps, turned off the screen and turned around to see Nick standing there, one of his knives in his hand. As he wiped the blade clean he looked at her.

“I am sorry about what I say. You cannot know what I have lost and I do not expect you to. I was not thinking clearly and all that I ask is that you be my partner; no matter what.”

Before she could reply Nicked turned and walked away from her to leave her sitting there - unable to think or say anything.

She moved up off the chair and walked out of the communication area just to see him walked out of the warehouse, closing it behind him. She let out a loud sigh and hated how she would not reach him.

As soon as he walked into his apartment Nicked threw his coat onto the large chair and took off his clothes as he moved to the shower, turned it on then standing under it. As the water ran over him he touched the small little scars that were over his body then without realizing it reached up and touched the scar that was on his face, wincing as he did. He felt the pain that came with that scare and remembered when he had gotten it, who had given it to her. Violet’s face came flowing back to him and let let out a shout then sank to his knees, his tears flowing down his face to be washed away by the water of the shower. He wanted so much to be as it had been before, how things had been before but he knew that it never would be. In one night everything had been ripped from him by a vampire he wanted nothing more than to find and kill.

He slowly got to his feet and turned the shower off before walking to his bedroom and opening the drawer, taking out the small case. He stood there looked at it but not bothering to open it as he knew what was in there before placing it back in the drawer, closing it and walking back to the shower. As he turned it back on and began to wash himself he wonder where she was, whom she had killed this night. He knew that no matter how much he wanted things to be as they had been there was no way that they could and that if he ever found her again that he would have to kill her, there was no question of that. The sweet innocent person that she had been was dead to be replaced by the killer that she now was which led him to one question; had he become one himself?

He turned the shower off and wrapped a towel around himself before walked to the mirror and wiping it down. As soon as he saw his reflection he knew that he was not there - the person looking back was not the person that had been there all his life but someone different, someone new. He had changed far too much himself and knew that even his family would not recognize him, he was so totally lost to his world as was Violet. He looked at the mirror and wanted nothing more than to smash it, to rid himself of the reflection but he knew how pathetic that was as even if he did his face would still be the same even if he could no longer see it. He knew that the face he now had showed everything that had changed in him, everything that he had been through.

With a sigh he good dressed and walked out of his apartment into the hallway but as soon as he did he realized that he wasn’t alone and cursed himself for not bringing his weapons with him. He looked back at the door and wonder if he could make it inside before whoever was out there could attack him and knew it was a stupid thought if a vampire was waiting for him. He reached into his coat and pushed the button on the side of his phone, knowing that Taelyr would instantly pick it up. He hoped that if it was a vampire he might be able to hold it off long enough but before he could finish that thought Andrew appeared as he usually did - as if out of no where which made Nick curse and Andrew smile.
“Relax my friend. I am not here to kill you.”

Nick looked straight at him.

“I suppose you want to come in.”

“Unless you have something else you need to do. We must have a chat.”

Nick unlocked the door then moved aside to let Andrew into his apartment before closing and locking the door. He turned to look at Andrew who had already taken a place in one of the chairs.

“So what for do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

“We need to discuss what happened this night. You are one of the best hunters I have ever seen but you are taking too many risks and you killed an innocent-”

“She had been bitten. She stopped being an innocent as soon as that happened.”

“But she was still an innocent victim when you killed her. Do you think that what you have been through with your girlfriend has taken too much of a toll on you. Would you have killed that young woman before all this happened?”

Nick wanted to laugh - of course he would not have done anything like that before that night in the restaurant because he did not even know any of this existed - in truth he wished he had never found out. He knew that he wished none of this had happened; that he could turned back time so none of it had happened but he knew that as much as he wanted that he couldn’t, he could not bring Violet back. He looked at Andrew, “You know that I would not have. I would have done anything I could to have saved that young woman but when she was bitten I took the only course of action that was available to me.”

Andrew sat there and looked at Nick without saying a word as if he was seeing something that only he could then smiled again.
“I love you like a son Nick which is why I don’t want you to take the risks you have been. You have a partner-”

“Which I never wanted. Why did you give me a partner that looks like Violet? Do you think it will bring my humanity back to me and bring back the person that I used to be because that person is long dead, killed by the thing that killed her. Nothing can bring that back.”

“You know that is not what I want or I would have told you. Do you think I would keep something like that from you?”

Nick stood there and looked at Andrew, waiting for him to say something more but when he knew that he wasn’t Nick spoke up.
“Then why tell Taelyr to report on me?”

Andrew let out a loud laugh.

“Do you think that it is just you who gets this type of treatment. It is true that you are a very special case and that you and being watched by everyone but every hunter is and that is the truth.”

It was then that the door opened and Taelyr rushed into the apartment, surprise showing on her face as soon as she saw Andrew sitting there. She turned to Nicked and opened her mouth to say something but before she could he turned to Andrew.

“You know that everything I do is for one purpose; to hunt down their kind and kill them whatever that takes. I know that my methods are extreme and I take far too many risks but I ask one thing. Do I rid this world of them? Do I destroy as many of them as I can?”

“That is not in dispute right now. What I am saying is that I want you to do it a different way, try to do things differently.”

Nick let out a sound of disgust and turned to Taelyr then back to Andrew.

“I will do things as I see fit, that is all that I can promise you. I will continue to do what you want of me; to hunt down and kill their kind but I cannot promise you that I will change the way that I do things. I will always use Taelyr as my back up; to watch me and I will not bring any harm to her or put her in any situation where she will face hard but I ask you to please not tell me to stop how I do things, how I hunt them down.”

“Are you letting your pain dictate what you do now?” Andrew asked as he got to his feet.

Nick looked at him as if he had been slapped, his eyes wide.
“I do it because I want to kill them. That is all.”

“Nick - talk to me.”

He looked at Andrew but knew that he could not say a word as everything he would say would be changed to meet Andrew’s purpose. He wanted nothing more than to scream at that point but he knew it would do no good and looked at Andrew.

“Can you please leave; both of you.”

“I will respect your wishes but only if you heed my words and take them to heart. No matter how many of them you kill she will not come back. You know that.”

“Get out before I say something I know I will regret.”

Taelyr’s eyes widened at that, “Nick, please.”

Andrew raised a hand. “We will respect your wishes Nick. This is your home and you need some time alone.”

Nicked breathed a sigh of relief as they both walked out of his apartment, Taelyr looking at him as she walked from the room. As soon as they were both gone Nick moved to the chair that Andrew had just vacated, put his had in his hands and started crying. He hated the fact that everything had changed so much and no matter what he did it was forever changed. He raised his head and looked at the wall of his apartment then got to his feet. He need to get out.

Soon after that he was running n all to familiar path - a path that he had run more times than he could count and a path he had run every night. He had run this path ever since he had come back to the city. It was the same path he had gone through the night that his heart had died.

Before too long he came upon the restaurant and leaned against the railing of the wharf to look at the small building, his tears flowing freely down his face.



As she sat behind the wheel of the small car Taelyr wondered what he was going through and what was going to happen to him when he got back; what he was going to be like.

The Birth of Sabriel
________________________________________
Violet opened her eyes, her breath hissing out in surprise. She raised a hand up to her eyes and looked wonderingly at the new inch long nails as the ends of her long slender fingers. She tilted her head, turning her hands this way and that as if discovering for the first time that she had a hand. Where her skin had once been a soft shade of rosy pink, it now had the quality of alabastor. The smooth ivory pallor that had stolen into her body seemed to shine with a slight and ghostly illumination from within. She clenched and unclenched her hand, wondering if she could make a fist with nails that long. She frowned as a errant thought drifted through her mind, not nails, claws, Her eyes widened in surprise as they began to slowly recede until they were just a few centimetres long. Splaying her fingers out wide, she unsheathed her new found claws back to their lengthy glory and smiled with pleasure.

"Beautiful."
Violet's head turned to the side as she heard the other woman speak. She simply nodded, her gaze sliding past the fresh bite marks on Natasha's creamy neck as she lay on her side, facing Violet. Then she went back to silently contemplating her new claws.
"You're a vampyre," came Natasha's sudden silken statement a few moments later.
"Hmmm?"
"You, my Sweet, are a Vampyre," she clarified.
"I know," was the softly whispered reply as she smiled. Voilet was catching on quick. She had made a good choice to turn this young woman, certainly a delicious choice.

Natasha began to slide her finger tips against Violets bare forearm, dragging her own red tipped nails along the smooth ivory skin. They lay there for a few moments more, Natasha stroking Violet's arm in a loving caress and Violet staring blankly at the skylight, both listening to the now steady fall of raindrops on the ceiling, each lost in her own thoughts.

"What now?" Violet's soft voice finally filling the relative silence of the dark bedroom.
Natasha shrugged into the darkness, Violet's now keen night vision picking up the slight movement, "You'll be introduced into the Coven and given a new name, from there..." Natasha shrugged delicately again.

A flash of anger stole through Violet and momentarily heated her blood beyong boiling point but when she spoke, her voice was calm, her expression serene, "A new name?"
Another casual flick of her shoulders preceeded Natasha's answer, "The Elders believe a new name helps with the transition into your new life; all those freshly turned are given a new name,"
How dare she be so casual about ripping my life apart? Violet was seething inside, but outwardly she showed only calm acceptence, "These names, are they chosen or can we decide what to name ourselves?"
Again Natasha had the audacity to shrug lightly before she replied, "Usually their Sire or an Elder decides on a name,"
Bitch, came the unbidden thought but she accepted it and fed it into the steady flame of her anger to keep it alight, "I want to choose my own name," she calmly stated, her eyes turned pleadingly towards Natasha's while inside she raged.

Natasha smiled and caressed Violet's pale cheek with the back of one hand. She chuckled, this was going so well! Why had she waited so long to Sire another? "Of course you can, my Sweet. Just tell me the name and I'll make it happen for you," she spoke softly and carefully as if talking to a petulant child she had decided to spoil.

Whore, another name; another word to add to the flames and she wanted to scream... "Thank you Natasha," she whispered instead and they soon lapsed into that silence once more, only the pitter patter of the slow rain breaking the emptiness. One vampire smiling smugly to herself as another vampire frowned, caught in deep contemplation of her new life ahead.

Violet thought long and hard about a new name, setting the fact that she now and undead monster aside for the moment and battling the rage that threatened to consume her in its firey glory.
"Dawn's coming," came Natasha's sleek voice from the darkness and Violet visibly started. She had let time pass too quickly during her contemplation.
"Sunlight hurts us?" she whispered back softly, loathing to add the 'us' at the end of her question. She kept up her internal litany of insults, feeding her anger as she waited, outwardly calm, for Natasha's confirming nod.
"Direct sunlight can kill us, but if its filtered or blocked somehow, then we will be alright," she clarified one of the more basic sets of knowledge that a newly Turned Vampire should take pains to acquire, "Not everything in legends in true about Vampyres," another loathed shrug, "but the Elders can tell you the rest,"

Violet slowly nodded her head, absorbing this life saving piece of information. When she spoke, she sounded calm, cold; distant. "I want to be alone for a while,"
Natasha's eyes widened but her red painted lips soon curved into a smile, "I'll just be outside my Sweet, don't be too long," she whispered intimately into Violet's ear before lightly nibbling her exposed ear lobe, drawing and appreciative gasp from the younger Vampire. Then she swung her long slender legs out over the the side, swept up her clothing from the floor and exited the room, leaving Violet at last alone in the dark.

Violet's searching fingers found her ear lobe where Natasha's teeth had so recently been and she rubbed the slightly sore spot between her fingers, staring blankly up through the skylight and deep into the weeping heavens above.

A single tear escaped her tight control through the corner of one eye and fell, sliding across her smooth alabastor skin and staining the pillow beneath her head with a small spot of wetness. Other tiny spots soon began to appear next to the first and before long, Violet was openly weeping, curled up onto her side in the foetal position, hands clenched into tight fists, her mouth wide in a silent scream, signalling her souls agony and the departure the emotional barrier her earlier rage had erected. She gathered the sheets to herself, covering her nakedness as if to protect herself from what was now a painful reality to her. She was no longer human. No longer the person that she had once been.

She was no longer the innocent Violet Radcliff that had fallen in love with a handsome and successful business man with a kind smile and a ready laugh. No, Jase was dead to her. She was dead to Jase. They were dead to each other and there was nothing she could do about that now.
Sobs wracked her entire body, spasming every now and again in a series of silent screams as her hot stinging tears of disbelief fell unheeded to create little patches of dampness on the bed beneath her.




She came padding softly into the hallway, closing the door behind her with a soft but definite click. It was as if she had just closed the door to her past and opened the one to her future.... and now she was standing in a hallway of the here and now.

She raised her deep sea green eyes towards the waiting blonde Vampire with a small delicate smile. She reached up a hand to gracefully brush small errant strands of her midnight dark hair from her eyes and blinked slowly at the other woman. Her skin glowing white, melding with the soft white fabric of her dress.

She took her time to pad barefoot towards the stair case, an air of expectation following her ever step. Upon reaching the top stair, she reached out a slender hand, her fingers tipped with unnaturally long nails and she took the banister in a soft, delicate grip.

Turning slightly, she graced the other woman with another small, secretive smile, her voice coming out softly and almost musical in nature, her tone an intimate caress across one's hearing, "My name is Sabriel."

As Nick slammed the blade of the dagger deep into the vampire's chest again and again he let out a loud shout. He knew that even though he was taking another vampire's life his world was still over and nothing he was doing now was going to bring it back. He pulled the blade from the vampire's chest and wiped the blood from it then threw the gloves down into the bag at his feet before looking down at the vampire.

It was then that he heard her voice and turned to see Taelyr standing there, a vacant expression on her face. It was as if she was trying to figure out what to say while she stood there looking at him.

"I know that it is our calling Nick but you do not have to do this alone. I keep telling you that but I feel as if you do not want to listen to me, I feel as if you think you are totally alone in this world. I know why you feel that but-"

"You know nothing. How do you know what it feels like to lose the only one that you truly love. To lose her in your arms. To hear her last breath."

She stood there and looked at him, unable to say anything and Nick wondered what was going through her head, what it was she was hiding from him. He knew that she had been made his partner to watch him, to see how he was coping with things but this was not what he wanted. He slammed his dagger back into its sheath and moved towards her, glaring into her eyes.

"Why don't you just tell me why you are with me, why you are my partner? Is it something to do with the way that you look, does Andrew think just because you look like her that I will open up to you and reveal some of what I used to be before she was taken away from me? Because I will tell you now that will not happen. The person you see before you is who I am and always will be. The person before that, the person you will never know is dead because of one of those things.... the one that I will find and kill took her from me. When that happens to you come back to me.... only then!"

She opened her mouth to say something but before she could Nick walked past her into a different part of the building. He knew what he had said would hurt her but he did not care. She had to know that he was nothing more than the person that was in front of her every day, a person who had lost everything and was no more than a weapon, something that would kill vampires everyday. He knew that deep down he wanted everything back, that some part of him wanted everything to be back to the way that it was but there was the greater part of himself that did not care anymore, that felt as though he was truly dead to the world, that he was someone else. He wanted to stand there and cry out but there was nothing that he could do to bring back any feeling, he had nothing left.

It was then that he felt something, heard something move to his left and let out a shout. He turned to the vampire who was cowering away from his and pulled out his daggers, running at it before it could defend itself. He felt a large sense of pleasure as he felt the dagger plunge into the vampire's chest who let out a shout. Before he realized what he was doing he was plunging his daggers deep into the vampire's chest who was screaming out in pain again and again.

He felt the hands on his chest as Taelyr pulled him away and it was then that the tears came out. He just looked up at Taelyr and wondered what it was he was doing, why he was here in the first place.

"Why, why are we both here... why do we have to do this?!"

Name: Sabriel ( meaning = Hero of God )
Race: Vampire ( Turned )
EC: Deep glittering emerald green
HC: Midnight black with magenta tips
HL: waist length
Weight: 105 lbs
Height: 5" 6"
Age: appears human age 20

Sabriel opened her eyes. She smiled, her lips curving softly, her pearly white fangs extending as her lips parted slightly, her eyes widening in anticipation, the sweet scent of warm fresh blood thick in her senses, exciting her beyond anything she had ever experienced.

Some said the Blood Lust felt just before Feeding was a feeling akin to the climax of sexual pleasure. An irony that the anticipation of killing would be so similar to the sacred union between two lovers. Sabriel did not particularly care to be honest, she thought the Blood Lust a nuisance. Something to be ignored. It interfered with your ability to catch prey, your ability to survive successfully. It was an emotion she was determined to push down, away from her senses. Clearing her head and being able to focus on her intentions was paramount.

Still, it was exciting.

Keeping to the shadows, she crept along side her prey. Her beautiful soft lips twisted slightly in amusement as she thought of her location and that of her prey. Who would have thought finding prey in a graveyard wasn't so cliché after all? She stepped softly, her bare feet padding soundlessly against the damp earth, careful not to step directly over dug graves.

She could feel the earth beneath her feet, the individual strands of grass tickling the underside of her foot, the grains of dirt lined in-between her toes. She luxuriated in the feel, luxuriated in the Vampyric sense now granted to her. She could smell the damp air, smell the rains not far gone from this part of the city. She could see the beads of water that had caught in her prey's dark hair. She could hear the sound of earth worms moving beneath her, coming up for air in the cool dark night.

She smiled as her prey hesitated, his flash light sweeping from side to side in front of him. She stepped on a twig, snapping it, her smile still fixed to her beautiful ivory features. Then ghosted to the side, circling around her prey as he spun, panicked, flashing the torch, illuminating the spot she had just been in with white hot light.

She chuckled... just loud enough for him to hear and ghosted away once more as he spun yet again, lighting the spot she had been in. She watched, her heightened eyesight picking up the slight shiver that ran through him as he began to stumble backwards. She laughed again, a light tinkling sound, a note of mischieveity in it. This time when he swung around with his flash light, she didn't move.

She blinked slightly as the dazzling beam of light was aimed directly at her face. It instantly lowered, along with apologies from the young man she had been Hunting. She smiled and shook her head, "Its alright, I wanted you to see me," she parted her lips slightly as she stepped slowly towards him, her fangs once more extending to shine pearly white against her full red lips. She watched his eyes widen and he began to stammer, she hushed him, a hand held up for silence. Fearful gibberish followed.

If she had had breath, she would have sighed. "Calm down, I'm not going to kill you," she smiled and just as he began to truly calm down, she continued, her voice casual as she continued to smile, her fangtips showing against her red lips, "I'm just going to bite you,"

He ran.

She chuckled and outpaced him, turning around, bringing him up short as he realised that she had somehow gotten ahead and in front of him. She smiled at him, her fangs once more flashing dramatically. He turned and ran the other way. She out and out laughed now and was soon in front and ahead of him again. He stumbled to a halt and begged God to help him before turning and fleeing again.

Straight into a curved dagger.

She frowned as the blade hit his shoulder with enough force to knock him backwards, skidding along the damp ground to land sprawled at her feet, moaning in pain and still, delightfully, gibbering. She looked up, ignoring the downed prey at her feet and watched with a disapproving frown as a tall man stepped from behind a tombstone into full view.

She had neither heard, seen, felt nor smelled his presence. That he had been trailing her was obvious. She tilted head up, her glittering green eyes meeting his icy blue ones, her voice was laced with annoyance and disappointment, "I suppose you've been following me this whole time?" she indicated the groaning man in front of her, "And why did you do this? He's mine, I marked him," she said, her voice dangerously low as her eyes attempted to cut daggers into his own.

Tall at six foot three, muscular and well toned with dark wavy hair and crisp morning sky eyes, Elder Talon didn't seemed to impressed in the slightest with Sabriel's show of anger. In fact, Talon was the kind of Vampyre that didn't seem all too impressed with anything.

Sabriel had been intrigued by his cool, calm and collected visage the moment she had met the Ancient Vampyre. She had sought out his company as soon as that blonde annoyance had left her side, cooing softly to remain in the Manor House while she was out hunting. Sabriel detested Natasha's cooing. It sickened her. Still, it was a useful tool in manipulating her blonde Sire, Natasha just couldn't resist Sabriel's simpering tones, her soft caresses and her sultry, smouldering looks. It made Sabriel want to laugh.

Casting a casual eye onto the young man at Sabriel's feet, Talon raised an eyebrow, his voice calm and almost emotionless. A hint of amusement crept through his tone, however, "You take entirely too much pleasure in the Hunt, Young One,"

She just stared at him. Unlike some others, she wasn't intimated by his cool nature, her eyes widening in indignation as she detected the slightly amused tones in his voice, "It was my prey, to do with as I please," she said hotly, her face tinging pink as the blood rushed to her cheeks.
Talon quirked another eyebrow, "Young One... Sabriel. An odd name choice, "Hero of God" I believe?" he said softly, never raising his voice nor moving an inch, "And you take such pleasure in killing. It is strange,"

She pouted and he chuckled, "You have such potential Young One, yet you still act like a petulant child," he indicated the prostrate man at her feet, "I just saved you some trouble,"
She crossed her arms underneath her more than ample breasts and stared daggers at him, he just chuckled again. He stood there silently and watched her with those icy blue eyes of his, just waiting and watching. A Hunter paused, readying for the move it his prey.

Sabriel narrowed her gaze at him and took a long considering look at the now whimpering and bewildered man at her feet. A hand clutching at his shoulder, trying vainly to stop the blood flowing between his fingers. She looked up at Talon once again, considering her and then nodded. An apparent decision coming to her.

Talon watched as Sabriel nodded and took a measure step away. "You killed him, he's yours," she said softly and melted back into the night, away from his sight and senses. Once sure that she was completely gone, Talon walked to the young human and pulled his dagger free. He watched coolly as the light in the human's eyes slowly winked out and did not mourn the loss of blood for this very important lesson. He smiled, thinking of Sabriel and their various and increasingly strange encounters. She was the student and he the teacher... she just didn't know it yet.

Oh no, not much impressed the most ancient of the Vampyres. Talon had seen and done all that was to be seen and done centuries ago, so nothing ever really came as a surprise, but for a wonder, Sabriel had.

It was the first time since he had become a hunter that Nick felt truly lost. He gripped the handles of his daggers so tightly that his knuckles were white and looked at them to see the blood which made them a sickening colour, a colour he did not want to look at. He knew what he had just done but for the first time he did not know why. It was that first time that he had actually asked himself that question but it did not worry him, instead it made him wonder if he had made the right choice. He had become a hunter to get back what he had lost, get back who he had lost but he knew there was no way to do that. To do that he would have to go back to the person he had forgotten. He turned and looked at Taelyr who he knew would always be by his side and handed her his daggers which caused her eyes to go wide.

“I need some time alone - I need to do some thinking.”

He started to walk away from her before she could say a word but stopped suddenly to look at her.
“Have you ever asked yourself why you do this. If you made the right choice?”

He walked away from her again - not even waiting for her answer and pulled his coat tightly around him as if to shut out things only he knew was around him.

* * * * *

Slowly he walked, watching everything around him as he did and wondered if what he did made a difference in anyone’s life. It was true that he had probably saved several lives by killing all the vampires that he had but did it really matter? Did it bring that which had lost - everything he had lost back? He knew that he should forget about his past and move on with the life that he had now but if he did that he knew he should bury the remnants of Jase that were still within him - the part of him that actually cared if he hurt innocent people, the part of him that felt as if it was still in the same ground Violet had pulled herself out of. He knew that he should cry, to make sure that he was still human but they would not come as if telling himself that he no longer was, as if he had given it all up to become the hunter he now was.

He watched the faces of the people around him, saw the looks on their faces and remembered what it had once been like to be that happy, as if nothing could touch him. He continued to walk slowly, keeping his thoughts to himself as he did until he suddenly came to a park. He stood there for a second and contemplated whether or not to enter it but realized that he would get at least some peace in there - the thing he wanted so very much. With a deep breath he walked slowly across the street, ignoring the repeated honks and abuse that he received as he did. His sole focus was the park - that was all he wanted.

As he entered the park he felt everything leave him and wished that he could stay here but when that thought came to him he felt something in the air and wanted to let out a loud curse, as he knew it meant only one thing - an accursed vampire. He wanted to know at that moment whether or not he attracted them to him but before he could answer that question he found himself moving as if of his own accord towards the vampire and once again wondered if he was nothing more than a weapon, someone or something that was put onto this world for a sole purpose - to hunt down and kill vampires.

When he was close enough though he stopped and watched the vampire as he she moved, oblivious to him but stalking her next victim which left him wondering what he was doing. He was a hunter and he watching one stalking someone that she was going to kill and feed upon. He stood and watched for a second, noting how unsure she was of herself but as he continued to watch he saw something come over her and he knew that she had just found someone. Before he knew if she was running away from him which left Nick standing there watching her. He knew that he should follow her and stop her but part of him did not want to, part of him wanted to watch her just to see what she would do.

He ran after her but stayed just far enough away so that she would not notice him and continued to keep his distance from her. He knew what he was doing was wrong and that he was meant to kill her but he did not want to, he wanted to see what she was going to do, in truth he wanted to know why. When he came upon her he found that he was too late and stood there watching as she fed upon her poor unfortunate victim. As he did he leaned against a tree and knew in that instant just how much he had changed. Only a short time ago this sight would have shocked him but now it was nothing new to him - he had seen far too much to be phased by what he saw. He watched as the poor man beat the vampire’s back who continued to suck the life out of him. As he watched he wondered if this was what had happened to Violet when she had been fed on, when she had been killed and turned into what she was now.

That thought shocked him and he wondered what had brought it on now - just what had made him think of Violet’s turning when he had not thought about it since he had become a hunter. He wondered if it was just another part of his former self coming through. He raised his head just to see the vampire drop her victim to the ground but stand there and look down at him as if unsure of what to do. She is a young one, Nick thought, she has just been turned and now has no idea of what to do.
He stood there and watched her for a few seconds but it was then he noticed she was coming towards him, as if she knew the trees where he was hiding would provide sanctuary for her. She did not even realize that he was there but before she reached where he was standing Nick moved away from the tree, causing her to stop and look at him with wide eyes. Before he could say a word she struck, immediately going for his throat and Nick knew that she was a young vampire as he turned and flipped her through the air, causing her to fall to the ground and once again look at him with wide eyes.

He looked at her and opened his mouth to tell her that he would not hurt her but she struck before he could, catching him across the shoulder, which caused a flash of anger to flow through him. He balled up his hand into a fist and slammed it into her abdomen before he struck the side of her face with the palm of his right hand, causing her to turn and fall. As soon as he fell to the ground Nick looked at her and wondered just what she was doing - what he was doing when all he wanted was to talk to her. He was the look of fear and anger in her eyes, knowing what thoughts lay behind those eyes, knowing that she wondered how she could attack him, what he wanted with her and how she could get away.

Nick crouched down next to her and looked into her eyes.

“There is nothing to worry about as I will not kill you this night. I am only here to talk to you.”

The vampire opened her mouth as if to say something but seemed hesitant to say anything or trust Nick which he knew to be understandable, given the situation she found herself in.
He slowly got to his feet, keeping his eyes on her and put his hand out for her to grab it but still she seemed hesitant.

“There is no need to be afraid. I will not kill you - I only wish to talk.”

She grabbed his hand quickly, once again amazed at the strength someone as small as she was could possess the strength he could feel in her grip. He knew that he was strong than he had been but he knew that he would never have the strength that a vampire possessed.
He slowly pulled her to her feet and moved back slowly, his eyes still on her.

“Know now that I can kill you if you give me any cause to but I do not want to. I have had enough killing this night.”

“You are a hunter; my sire warned me of your kind.”

“I am a hunter - I will kill you if you try to attack me but I just want to talk to you.”

She looked at Nick again with great reluctance but as he began to move away she followed him. The two of them went to a park bench where they sat side by side.
“Why do you do it. Why do you kill innocent humans?”

The female vampire was surprised by the question and Nick knew that she was trying to come up with an answer to a question she had never been asked before. She sat there and looked at him blankly before she finally her voice again.

“You cannot know of the hunger that possess us. I go mad when it comes over me and I am afraid of what I will do if I do not feed quickly.”

“So you are trapped just as I am in a world you do not want to be a part of. Have you ever thought of ending it?”

Once again the female vampire looked at Nick with wide eyes.
“I know that I have never asked for this life but you do not know what it is like, what it feels like to live the way I do. The hunger is the one thing I do not want to have but I do not want to give up this life.”

“Even if you have to live on the blood of humans?”

“You do not know what it is like. You are just human, you are still alive.”

Nick wanted to tell her just how wrong she was but then he realized that she was closer to the truth than he could say. He sat there and tried to find the right words to say but his mind was a complete blank and he could not find the right words whatsoever to say to her. It was then that he found them.
“Just because you were turned into a vampire does it give you the right to kill humans?”

“You should asked the same of yourself. Because you are a hunter does that give you the right to kill vampires?”

Nick sat there looking at her, for the first time trying to find the right words to say to her. He tried to remember why it was he was doing this, why he was killing vampires but then he remember why it was he was doing this, why he had become a hunter - what he had lost. He knew he had lost everything in one night but how could he explain that to a creature that took lives?
“You would not understand. You do not know what I have lost, what has been taken away from me.”

“Do you think I do not know what it is like to have lost my life, to have lost everything that I had to live an existence I never asked for.”

It was Nick’s turn to be shocked and it was then that he realized just how close to his life this vampire’s life was to his own. He thought that he was alone in this world, that he was only one that had to suffer this pain but it was now he realized that there were vampires out there that did not want the life they had, like Violet. She had been turned against her will and was now suffering the turned existence she now had.
He turned to look at the female vampire again.
“Is it possible for me to ask what your name is?”

The female vampire looked at him and Nick could tell hat she was trying to fight something within herself.
“I cannot tell you that as it would give you power over me.”

“I have never heard that as all I want is your name so I know what to call you. My name is Nick if you wish to know it.”

The female vampire looked as if she was still fighting the decision but then she took a deep breath.
“The name I chose for myself is Celeste. The name I was given at birth I lost when I became what I am now and I have forgotten.”

Nick wondered in that instant if Violet had down the same, if she had chose a name when she had been turned into a vampire and therefore killed the person that had been her. He did not want to believe it, he did not want to think it possible but if Celeste had chosen her own name when she had been turned then Violet must have and he had truly lost everything. That made him want to shout out but he knew that it would do no good.
“Will you let me go or will you kill me now that I have answered your question Nick?”

He looked at her as if realizing that she was still there.
“You can go. I am not going to kill you. I gave you my word on that.”

Celeste stood slowly and hesitantly, her eyes still on Nick before she began to move away from him. She stopped suddenly and stood there looking at him.
“Do you want me to go. You look as though you need someone with you.”

Nick slowly raised his head to look at Celeste, the sorrow and hardness in his eyes shocking her.
“You are not her. Please leave me now.”

She reached out to touch him.
“Leave me be!”
She turned quickly and without saying another word ran away from the bench and into the trees, disappearing from view and leaving Nick to sit there crying.

* * * * *

He had no idea how long he sat there, the tears flowing down his face but he wiped them away, slowly got to his feet and looked around, wondering if Celeste was still out there watching him. He shook his head to clear it before slowly moving away from the bench and wondered what he was going to do now. It was then that he felt something near him but this time it wasn’t Celeste - it was something different. Without a second thought Nick pulled his other daggers from their sheaths and turned to see another female vampire standing there looking at him, a smile on her face.

He looked at her to see the beauty that only a vampire could possess, the type of beauty that would make any mortals forget what they were doing. He saw how her blonde hair framed her face as if it had taken her fours to make herself look like that. A large smile came to her face to show Nick her fangs then she laughed.
“You have changed quite a bit. I thought only she had been turned that night by my actions but I can see now that I managed to change two lives that night. You do know that she has changed far too much to ever come back to you, that she now belongs to me.”
Nick gripped the handles of her daggers hard and looked at her.
“What are you talking about vampire. Who belongs to you.”

She laughed again.
“Your girlfriend. The woman that you took to that restaurant - the one that left that restaurant with me although she did not know it at that time. You have never been told, never known that she came to me willingly, that she went into that restroom because she wanted what I could give her because she wanted me. She gave herself over to me willingly and does so every night.”
Nick’s eyes went wide as he looked at the blonde vampire - the thing that had turned Violet into what she now was and gripped his daggers even harder. He wanted so much to kill this thing but he wondered what effect that would have on Violet.

“You lie.”
It was then that he realized what she was telling was the truth, how Violet had been reacting before she had gone into the restroom - what had had forgotten when she had come out with all the blood over her throat.

“You know that I am not. She is now mind and you know even if you do kill me that she will always be mine. If she wanted to come back to you do you think she would not have tried by now? She loves the life I have given her, the freedom and love that only I can give her. She will not come back to you and you and you know it. Just realize that fact and move on.”

In that instant Jase was once again stripped away and Nick ran at her, surprising the blonde vampire. He saw in her face that she never expected this to happen as Nick struck with first once dagger then the other, causing her to move out of the way - her eyes now wide. Nick moved in with a ferocity that he had never known before as all that he knew, all that he wanted was to kill this vampire in front of him. He did not care what would happen to Violet as he knew that she was truly gone and it tore into the very soul of him. She was now lost to him and he knew nothing would get her back, even if he killed this vampire.
He cut at her from every direction, every angle - causing her to back away with every step and look straight at him as she knew if she took her eyes off him she would be dead.
Without warning she jumped up into the nearest tree which left Nick standing there looking at her. She blew a kiss at him, She would not even recognize you,” she said before she jumped to another tree then another.
Nick just stood there then slid his daggers back into their sheaths, watching as she disappeared.
“Another time,” he said under his breath.

* * * * *

He woke to the phone call, slowly got up and made his way to it then picked it up, not even the least bit surprised when he heard Andrew’s voice on the other end.
“What can I do for you?”

“I need you to come downstairs. We have somewhere we need to go and discuss things.”

Nick to a deep breath, “Give me half an hour and I will be with you.”

Before Andrew could answer Nick hung up then moved straight into the bathroom, stood under the shower and turned it on.
He stood there, washing everything from last night away from him and hoping that he could get rid of the memories, forget what she said to him but he knew that it would stay with him. He walked out of the shower and the first thing he saw was his reflection, his hand moving up to touch the still red scar, his constant reminder of what had been taken from him. As soon as he was dressed Nick walked downstairs to the familiar SUV then got into the back, surprised to see only Andrew, Taelyr and a driver in there. When he saw Taelyr in there Nick knew that once again she had told something to Andrew and opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Andrew.

“I understand that you went off on a walk by yourself last night Nick.”

“I did; is there something wrong with what I did? Am I supposed to tell everyone where I am meant to go every second of every day? Am I not allowed to have any privacy anymore?”

“I am not saying that. It is just that in the mood you were in last night, the way you were acting you could have been attacked and killed.”

“How could that have happened. Nobody knows who I am, you made sure of that and nobody knows I am a hunter-”

Nick looked at Taelyr, “You know that is not the truth. There is one vampire who knows who and what you are; a vampire that you let live which I find very strange. You are a hunter Nick and up until now you have killed every vampire you have come across. You have gone so far as to hunt them down; why did you leave this one alive - why is she different.”

“She was different because I chose not to. You always tell me that I have a choice and I made it last night. I know that you see what I did as wrong but I did not want to kill her. I had had enough killing for one night - I could not do it.

Andrew just looked at Nick without saying a word then smiled.
“It is okay my friend. What is done is done and we cannot change that but all that I ask is that you please let Taelyr know where you are going to go from now on. You are the best we have here Nick - we cannot afford to lose you.”

The SUV came to a sudden halt, surprising Nick as he did not even realize that they had been moving. He pulled the side door open slowly but was stopped by Andrew’s hand on his and Nick was for the first time surprised by his grip; so close to that of a vampire.
“Please Nick. Listen to me for once and let Taelyr where you go. I can’t afford to lose you.”

Nick got out of the SUV, wondering what Nick was talking about but did not have a chance as Taelyr got out of the vehicle, closing the door behind her. He stood there and watched as it drove off down the road then turned to Taelyr.

“I am going for a walk. Now that you know, I will be leaving you.”

She reached out and touched him.

“Please do not be like this Nick. It is true that I told Andrew what happened in the park last night but I had to. You have been acting strange lately and I thought I should tell Andrew as it might affect the way you do things. You are the best hunter we have.”

“Can we go somewhere else. I have not had breakfast yet.”

Nick started to move away before Taelyr before she could say a word and when she caught up to him she found him sitting in a café drinking something slowly. She sat down in the down next to him and ordered a large cup of hot chocolate for herself then turned to Nick.

“This was my favourite place to bring Violet. We used to come here almost everyday and this is the first day that I have come back here since then. I wish that you could have known her - she was truly the light of my life.”

Taelyr kept silent but took a sip of her drink as she sat there looking at him.

She walked. Her clothes whispering around her body in the light eddies of wind that surrounded her. Her hair, raven black, wild as the frays of the white dress that fluttered around her tall, lithe body, flowed with the breeze; past her face, her deep green eyes hidden behind the soft, silken mass. It brushed over her soft, full pink lips, hiding the curve of a cruel smile, hiding the glint of lunacy deep in that glittering green gaze. Her humming could not be hidden, though the sound was low under her breath, those of such superior hearing as those that surrounded her, could hear her slow, sad melody; could hear the hauntingly cruel tone of one that they dared not touch anymore. She barely noticed as they parted before her, as the small tide of beings attempted to avoid her notice, cringing inwardly and casting their eyes towards the ground in the age old belief that if they could not see her, so could she not see them in turn. She was lost in her own little world, her maniacal world of words, of actions, of questions without answers, of answers without questions. She had no time to spare for these cowering fools, she was better than they, she had always been better. She would always be better. It was one of the first lessons she had taught them.

They were not likely to forget that soon.

Her bare feet padded across the lush grass, turned a pale sickly green by the light of the full moon overhead. Her tune faded into the wind as she moved up the slight incline, her feet placing themselves precisely on the ground, one after the other. To watch her approach was as to watch a graceful dancer of death in slow motion coming to end your days. Yet others did not see this, too busy casting their eyes downwards to see the deadly grace in her slow, careful movements. It seemed to take an age to get to the summit of the small hill, but it was mere moments in the grand scheme of mortal time. Once to the summit, the winds shifted and her hair parted before her face to stream behind her; a wavering black cloak that inspired fear as much as appreciation. The sight that greeted her now unobstructed gaze made the cruel twist in her lips grow wider.

A man knelt between two other like her. His hands tied behind his back, twisting his arms cruelly to hold him in check. Heavy ropes and chains bound him, secured by the two flanking him. They held his restraints with iron grip and will, ever alert for an attempt to escape his rope and metal prison under the clear night sky. His clothing was but ragged torn scraps that barely covered his modesty. The gaps left between tattered cloth exposed well muscled and hardened flesh. His hair was long and lank, greasy with sweat. His breath was shallow but even, showing a calm that belied the scent of fear that pervaded her attuned senses. His eyes also lowered to the ground, but at her approach, he dared to look up. To meet the gaze of his captor with contempt and defiance clear in his blue grey eyes. All thought of bravado disappeared at seeing the woman’s hard, unforgiving gaze though. The stink of fear on him grew stronger and the whites of his eyes flashed, showing the terror that gripped him. But he could not look away… He knelt, enchanted; repulsed; terrified at seeing deep into the woman’s sea green eyes, but he could not tear his own away.

Her cool green eyes alighted on the man before her, locked under key and chains, bound as much by ropes as by her enthralling gaze. Her smile was cold, bereft of all traces of warmth, the chill travelling up into her eyes, turning his muscles to water and his bones to ice. Her voice, low and throaty, raised goose bumps on his exposed skin, “What a delicious find. And what is your name?” she had bent to whisper intimately into his ear. She softly, gently brushed a few strands of hair from his eyes to give him a less obstructed view of her smooth ivory face. A mask of ice relieved harshly by her cold, cruel smile. He remained silent, a trace of back bone still left in his body. He was trained for worse than this, damn it!
She chuckled and casually back handed him, sending him sprawling to the side, the rope holders grunting in surprise at the strength of the blow and compensated, pulling him back upright and onto his knees in front of her once more. He slowly shook his head from side to side, trying to rid his vision of the blow induced spots that swam before his eyes. His jaws cracked and he spat out a bloody tooth. He tried to grin through his split lip but failed and defiantly met her gaze once more, the former spell of terror knocked out of him by the blow. “Thanks,” was all he said as he tried to grin at her.
She smiled back and stepped closer to him, careful to avoid the small spots of blood on the grass below the man, “Happy to oblige,” she paused and her eyes pierced deep into him, making him feel suddenly stripped and naked, waiting for judgment, then she spoke again, that same soft, throaty tone, “So, you’re a Hunter,” she cast another glance up and down his bent figure, “You don’t look like much,”
He bit back a bitter laugh, “Took down six of your goons all by my lonesome, didn’t I?”
She nodded, “I put a lot of effort into this, but I suppose that casualties can’t be helped when trying to capture one of you,”
Those words chilled him to the bone. He had assumed at first that he had stumbled onto a party of some kind, a late night rendezvous between the creatures he habitually hunted. He had assumed that even though he had been captured, he was considered a prize, something that only the Sire could devour. What she said led him to believe that he wasn’t going to be eaten after all. As if reading his thoughts she smiled and patted him gently on the head as if patting an insignificant dog, “I can keep you alive for much longer, Human, believe me,”
He shook his head, trying not to let a quaver in his voice as he retorted, “You call me that as if it’s an insult!”

Her grin grew wider and he finally noticed the pointed canines that her race was famous for. He tried not to shudder, thinking to himself that he had faced her kind before and had always conquered, no matter how big, smart or fast they had been. But there was something about this one woman that made him hesitate. Something that made him doubt his ability to get out of this one. He prayed that his partner had called in for back up, that he hadn’t decided to get all macho and try to rescue him himself. Luckily, it didn’t seem as if they Vampires realised that Hunters were always at least in pairs. He managed not to cringe backwards as he felt one long tipped finger nail reach under his chin and tilt his head up so the moon light was reflected off his white skin. He watched her, seeking to know everything about her, any small indication of a weakness and he would be all over her. If he could get out of these damned chains!

“Tell me your name,” she whispered up above him, her lips curving into a predatory smile that showed her sharp fangs off to their best advantage. She could see all the thoughts that were running through his head. Though he sought to hide them, they were mirrored in his eyes to someone willing to look closer. While he had been quite talkative before, his tongue again refused to give her this one simple answer. “It is a simple question, I can’t keep calling you ‘Hunter’, now can I?” she smiled again, but rather from inspiring comfort, it was designed to loosen his tongue and inspire fear.

“Gary,” he provided a false name and was suddenly seeing spots, an ache in his jaw telling him that she had just hit him again. He blinked slowly and shook his head, clearing his vision.
“I want the truth, Hunter,” came her soft, sultry tones.
“Greg.” Again he saw spots swim in front of his vision, and again he heard his jaw creak in protest to its current treatment. He spat out another blood soaked tooth. “Elijah,” he finally said after he could coax his aching jaw to form the words. He spat another gob of blood out and silently cursed the strength that these unnatural creatures possessed.
He felt a soft stroking against his skin and he realised that she was stroking the back of her hand softly against his cheek. “Good boy, Elijah. Now that wasn’t that hard, was it?”
He kept silent, he knew now that she had managed to get his name out of him, it signalled a victory to her, that she could eventually get any information that he had and all she would have to do is deliver him pain.
She smiled, this was going well.
Settling down onto her knees in front of him, she began to ask more difficult, more crucial questions.


***************************

”The sick bastards, they’ve got him trapped up on that hill,” Richard grunted under his breath and motioned for Callie to come closer. “Who ever orchestrated this has got a head on their shoulders. We can’t charge that hill unseen. And with their vision, they’ll see us before we’re even out of the trees,” he spoke softly, he knew full well just how good the demon’s hearing was.
Callie shook her head, “Its unusual for a Elder to come out and do the dirty work. And there’s nothing special about Eli, he’s just an average Soldier, Serge”
“Don’t have to be no Elder. And they don’t know Eli ain’t special,” Richard grunted again.
“Come on, Richard, only Elders are this smart. You know that, the rest of them are just killing machines,” she indicated the various vampire dead littered on the ground a few feet from them, “Cannon fodder,”
Richard just grunted again.
Callie shook her head once again, “You know you sound more like a demon than those vamps you keep telling me are demons with all that grunting that you do,”
“I don’t grunt. They’re demons alright. Only the righteous can defeat them, why else do you think Holy Water works so well?” he grinned.
“Richard… demons don’t exist, you know that,”
“Nobody thinks vamps do either,”


***************************

The shapes moved silently along the tree line and Vick’s sharp eyes noted them. He nodded to his guard companion, indicating the tree line, “They’re here,” his voice was barely a whisper but Carl nodded, having heard him. He stood at the ready and wondered silently if “she” knew that the Hunters had amassed to save their fallen comrade. He shook his head, how did he ever wind up in this predicament? The girl was barely older than him and only just Turned! And yet he followed her lead as a faithful blood hound follows his master. He turned and used his sharp vision to behold the woman on the crest, her white flowing dress, her dark, billowing hair. He also saw the bent figure of an ever elusive Hunter, chained and defeated like the animals his kind were. He shook his head and grinned, but damn him if he wouldn’t do it all again just for another glimpse of that!

Richard moved though the trees and signalled a halt. He went over the plan in his head one more time and sighed, he hoped to high heaven that it worked. He raised two fingers and slashed them downwards and silently watched as the whistle of many arrows rose into the air. He watched with grim satisfaction as two, three then another five were cut down with the heavy crossbow bolts tipped with Holy Water. Some others still were wounded and at his signal, men rushed out from the tree line and picked off the wounded vampires writhing in pain on the ground. They used an assortment of daggers, swords and blades of every make and kind to behead the vampiric enemy; gun fire being prohibited in this district. Too many civilians close by would hear the shots and the brass weren’t exactly generous with Silencers.

He left a few men in reserve and radioed in the signal to the other side, commanding them to approach from behind as the vampires were occupied by Richard’s men. He grinned at last as he began to hear the moans of pain from downed foes, “We’ve got the bastards surrounded!” he grunted and Callie smiled thinly at his side. They watched as both sides took casualties, theirs heavier than the vampires, but the humans were giving as good as they got and many of the gathering vampires were soon dead or dying, for the last time.

Richard allowed himself another grin and grunt of satisfaction as his men got closer and closer to the summit, cleaving a bloody and destructive, but as silent as possible, path towards their ultimate goal; their captured comrade, Elijah. Then he frowned as Callie touched his arm and pointed up to the summit. A look of confusion was drawn on the woman’s face and Richard soon saw the reason for his partner’s obvious confusion. There, on the summit, was Elijah. Except he wasn’t fighting to be freed, he was fighting to protect the woman in white. She stood still, the breeze picking up and sweeping long dark hair across her face for a moment and then whipping it away. From his vantage point, Richard fancied he could see a cold smile of death on her lips, but he scoffed at the notion as he wasn’t nearly near enough to see her expression that clearly.
“What the in name of Christ is that bastard doing?” he grunted out, asking no-one in particular.
“I think he’s protecting her, Serge,” said a nearby Hunter, part of the rear guard.
“Why the hell would a Hunter be protecting an Elder?” whispered Callie in confusion, watching with horror as Elijah, a childhood friend, continued to cut down his comrades.
Richard grabbed a pair of binoculars; night vision enabled and tried to see what was going on. The full moon in the sky above his vantage point gave him no end of trouble, but soon he figured out the cause. “He’s been Turned,” he muttered, forgetting for once his habitual grunt.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, no other way it can be… the Demon’s got him,”
Callie shook her head, “The order?”
“Kill him,”


***************************

She smiled and watched as her little toy began to play. She admitted that even after the beating she had given him, he was still as deadly as the hour they had managed to net him. Except this time he was on her side and she was the one controlling his fate, not the Hunter’s private army. She continued to smile and easily side-stepped an attack from one man that had gotten through Elijah’s furiously whirring short curved blades. He was gutted from hip to hip a second later as Elijah finally caught up with him. She cooed softly, “That’s a good Hunter. Aren’t you being such a good boy?” and Elijah’s eyes went wide with fear at the sound of her voice, but he uttered not a word and silently turned to face his former comrades, his blades whirring in a furious circle of death.

The line of black clad men hesitated for a moment, rethinking their tactics. As the line faltered, Elijah sought a way of escape for his new Mistress. She had charged him with her personal protection and he would not fail her… he would not relive the pain of failure in her eyes. He would die before allowing himself to feel her cold touch of anger again.
Suddenly a clear shot rang through the surrounding hillside and the trees echoed the death knell. Elijah’s eyes went wide with shock as he felt a slight sting in his chest. He looked down and saw the neat hole where his heart was. The last sight his eyes beheld was his own blood gushing out of the bullet hole in his chest, his Mistress’s disapproving glare set balefully on his widened orbs. Then his body collapsed, as if in slow motion and her frown deepened as he toppled over, sprawling like a spent rag doll.

She slowly shook her head and stared down at the dead man at her feet. He had been so pretty when he was moving and she had delighted in the control she had exerted over his mind with a few controlled bursts of pain. She had had only a few moments, really, to relish that moment and now the Human was dead. She shook her head again and sighed, “Pity.”
Then she turned to the others now circling her. She looked up at the moon and judged its passage across the sky; she didn’t have much more time to her own. Her Sire was sure to wake soon and want her simpering sex kitten by her side under the silken sheets. She tilted her head to one side and contemplated the ring of attackers. There were eight men left in total and at least a few more, maybe three left in the trees. She turned her gaze from the waiting men to the tree line as her hearing picked up the faint rustling of undergrowth and a clear male voice rang out, its tone gravely and heavy, but commanding none the less. “Kill the Elder!”
She arched a delicate eyebrow as the men began to advance and smiled cruelly.

Five Months Later

As Nick sat there staring at the wall he thought of everything that had changed in his life. He wanted to go back to his old life more than anything but that had been stripped away with two major events. First his soon to be wife, at least he was hoping that she would say yes was torn away from him by someone that he had vowed himself to hunt down and kill. Then someone had made it so he could never go back to that life by killing all those people who were closest to him and making it look as though he was the one responsible; that person also had to die by his hand.
It was then that the phone that sat beside his bed rang and with a groan he ran his fingers through his now long hair. He lay back down on the bed and reached for the phone, knowing exactly who was calling him.

“Hello Andrew. What is it I can do for you?”
The person on the other side of the phone paused for a second or two before answering and Nick let a smile come to his face. It was one of the simple pleasures he still had left.

“Nick. I know that it has been a long time since we have talked but there is a report sitting on my desk about a nest in the city. I was wondering if you could go and check it out.”

Nick let out another groan, “Can you not get someone else to go and check it out?”

“We could, but by the time they get there it might be too late. And besides, you are still the best that we have.”

That statement wiped the smile from Nick’s face. He had always wanted to be the best at everything he did but he never wanted to be the best at killing. Even if they were vampires and they would kill him without even thinking a second time there was still something to it; as though he was losing his soul.

“Okay, I’ll do it. But I have a condition. I want Taelyr there with me.”
He could feel the wheels that were moving in Andrew’s head and wondered what he was going to say to that statement.

“You can take Taelyr with you. I think that you have been a bad influence on her.”
The smile was back on his face.

“I’ll see her tomorrow then.”
He put the phone back on the receiver before Andrew could say another word and knew that he would be saying some very choice things back at the base.

With the smile still on his face Nick got up off the bed and walked to the bathroom. This was the one time that he needed a nice long soak in a bath. He looked over at the shower as he filled up the bathtub and wondered if he should just take one because it would be easier but looked at the water and knew this was what he needed.

He took off his clothes and looked at the water that was sitting in the bathtub as he dropped them to the floor. All that he wanted was that bath right now. He wanted to forget everything that had happened up to this point; the phone call, what he had been thinking about, everything. As he sank into the water he let out a sigh and felt the tension flow from his body. It was the only thing that he could do to keep functioning he thought to himself as he grabbed the soap and started to wash himself; feeling each small bump of a scar as he did so.

Every time he did so he wanted to let out a shout as he knew what had been taken away from him with each one. There was one that he dreaded to touch though and as he lathered up the soap and started to wash his face he felt the ragged tear that ran down from his hair line to his jaw. As he did so he remembered how it had come about; what had given it to him and wanted more that anything to cry out but knew that no tears would come, that he had not shed a tear in more than a month.

As he rested his head against the back of the bath Nick went through everything that had happened that night, about how Violet had run away from the table into the ladies restroom and reappeared half an hour later with blood flowing freely from her throat. They had both been taken to the nearest hospital where he thought he had lost her only for the love of his life to come back to him. Just when he was at his happiest it was ripped away again by what she had done to him; his hand going up to the scar that ran down the length of his face as he thought about it.

He wanted so much to scream out, he would have given everything at that point just to have her back but he knew that it was not meant to be the day she clawed her way out of her grave. She had tormented him while she sat there in the hospital, a ghost of the woman that he loved with her voice still clawed at his heart. He did not want to admit that she was still alive, that she could reach out to him when he least expected it.

It was then that he felt the wetness of tears on his cheeks and let a small smile come to him. It told him that in some way he was still human and would be so for at least a little while longer. That fact alone made him hope that he could claw his way out of the grave that he had made for himself, that grave where he had buried Jason Richards.

He slowly got up out of the bath and as he did he was aware of the fact that the phone was ringing once more. With a loud groan Nick walked back to the bedroom, not even caring to throw a towel around himself; who was going to see him?

As soon as he picked up the receiver he heard a person he had not heard from in almost a month.

“I heard that you wanted to work with me. Why is that Nick? We haven’t talked to each other in a month and suddenly Andrew tells me that you want to work with me.”

“You know that you are the only person that I will work with, especially with a nest of them.”

He heard a sigh from the other side of the phone and Nick knew that she was trying to come up with a reason why she didn’t want to work with him. He knew though that there was nothing from stopping that happen again.

“Okay. Seeming as I cannot train people anymore because they are scared of me I will come and work with you.”

“I will meet you outside of the palace tomorrow then Taelyr. I think that you will recognize me.”

Taelyr didn’t say another word before she hung up which left Nick to put the phone back down. He then looked down and realized that he needed to get dressed as he was getting cold and tired. He just hoped that he wouldn't have the same dreams that he had every night

Lightning forked across the sky, arcing its white brilliance with the beat of the rain that pounded on the rooftop of the car. Long, slender legs crossed at the knees unwound as a red tipped hand reached over to press down the electric window button. The glass glided down without a sound, droplets of rain finally allowed to splash against the garish red leather as the slow moving car kept going on its predestined route. A soft voice issued from the owner of the legs, disapproval clear in the feminine tone. "Why do you insist on walking, Sweet?"

Beside the car, rain lashing her slight frame, walked a bare footed angel. At least, at first glance, she seemed to be an angel. Her soft white dress wrapped around her frame, the rain slicking it to her body, moulding the white material with unerring accuracy. Dark, waist length, raven black hair plastered itself atop her heart shaped head, winding its way around her shoulders and running slick against her back.

A long neck followed by slightly rounded shoulders flowing into large, full breasts which narrowed to a thin waist flaring into rounded hips and ending in long, luscious legs. Her feet were petite, the curves of her arches placed just so and her toes perfectly aligned.

The wet dress was of course, coming wet and thus completely see through. Small pink nipples stood out, hardened by the cold water and surrounded by a small circle of pink flesh. The junction between her thighs was completely bare, the curve of her ass defined in such a way that it swayed hypnotically with every step.

Her voice, when it came, was soft and low; throaty with an undertone of lustful menace that was hard to match, "I like the rain. Do you remember, Natasha, that we first met this way... well... after you Turned me."

The beautiful, busty blonde in the relative dry of the car smiled then, in memory. "I remember Sweet. You were so lost and alone... I rescued you." Then the brusque commanding tone the other was so used to came back, "Now get in the car. You'll get sick."

Sabriel smiled, "Vampires don't get sick."

The reply was short and terse, "Physically, no."

Sabriel smiled again, letting her arms fall back behind her as she arched herself backwards, staring into the sky as she kept walking beside the car that strove to be slow enough not to overtake her. This was a new city, a place she had never been in her old life or this one. It wouldn't do to lose her, now would it?

The young vampiress stuck out her tongue, tasting the water that rained down from the heavens. She twirled around in the rain, feeling each and every droplet as it fell on her skin. Each pill of water felt as unique as snowflakes to her enhanced senses. She closed her eyes and grinned, enjoying the tiny pellets that struck her skin with an uneven rhythm.

Again the blonde's voice intruded on her seclusion, "Get in here now. I won't be taking you to the Elder in that state!" the tone was rising steadily and Sabriel knew that hysterics were soon in coming. She sighed.

Natasha started as Sabriel spoke up, suddenly seated in car next to her. "You don't have to be so mean."

"Don't do that! You know I hate it when you sneak up on me."

"Sorry." There was no sincerity in the reply at all.

"You know that you can't just go out on your own around here. This is Talon's jurisdiction. We have to obey him and his rules. You may have flaunted your strength and speed back in San Fran at him, but you can't do that here. He has power here. Just like Michael did back there."

"You just don't want him to see how good I am," came the petulant reply.

"Stop being such a baby. Now come here, Sweet. I want a kiss..."

Sabriel, of course, complied.


***********


Lightning flashed, striking white light into the dimly light manor. Candles flickered in errant breezes that wafted from shuddering casements. Rain pelted the roof in a steady stucco as people padded back and forth in near silence along the plushly carpeted hallways. The main dining hall was, as always, full with mingling beings. There were an assortment of cultures, tastes and fashions here. Dark, red velvet drapes hung heavily alongside the wide arching windows. Lightning cracked across the sky, the booming of thunder was muffled by the thick, elegant lushness of the manor's decor.

A winding staircase dominated the dining hall. It wound up from two sides onto the landing above. Gold filigree was inlaid into the railings, dark red carpets lining the steps with the feel of a lush field of grass.

Old heavy oaken doors faced the staircases, they too gilded with pure gold. The familiar dark red featured here too. Surprisingly, the hinges were soundless as the door suddenly swung inwards. The occupants of the dining hall all turned their gaze to the newcomer, some arching their eyebrows in question.

There stood a bedraggled and wet rat. A woman completely encased in a white dress that was plastered to her skin and showing more than it ought to, dark long hair slicked back over her head. Her fangs glinted in the flash of lightning as she grinned, a glint of lunacy deep in her sea green eyes.

A tall, leggy blonde followed, irritation clear on her finely chiselled features. "Sabriel! I told you -"

"Ah there you are. I've been waiting." The blonde was interrupted by a deeply masculine voice that belonged to the man that was just now moving down the staircases. Sabriel's eyes visibly tracked the man's progress, even when he disappeared from sight, down the heavily gilded steps. A lightly tanned hand rested on the railing, guiding the man's progress with a feather light touch.

When he stepped onto the highly polished wooden floor of the dining hall, Sabriel grinned and moved to stand directly in front of him with so much speed that her white dress and hair were instantly dry. There were some barely inaudible gasps from those present. Not even some of the older Vampires in the room had had success tracking her movement.
She stood before the man, a defiant grin on her lips, her back arched in pride, her head tilted to the side.

Talon simply smiled in a gentle, grandfatherly fashion, "Welcome to London, Young One."

As Nick opened his eyes he knew that he had to meet Taelyr but it was that last thing that he wanted to do. They had not parted on particularly good terms and he still didn’t know why he had asked to have her back. He had worked by himself since that day and the call from Andrew had been the first since he had left her; a month ago. The group had cut themselves off from him which was okay with Nick as they were beginning to meddle with the way that he was doing things. He just hoped that Taelyr would say that she would help him; even after clearing out the nest. He knew that it was strange of him to even think of something like that after he told himself he wanted to work alone, that it was the only way that he could get to whoever had taken Violet out of his life. He told Taelyr that before she had left him and she had told him that it was the stupidest thing that she had ever heard.

Very slowly he got up off the bed and fell to the floor to start this day as he had started every other one. Minutes later he got up off the floor with perspiration dripping off him. He looked towards the bathroom and knew that he should take a shower but something else came to him instead and he walked over to where his dresser sat. With a quick pull of the handle the drawer opened and a smile came to Nick’s face when he saw the knives sitting there as if wanting nothing more than to be back in his hands. As soon as he picked them up he felt more alive than he had in days. As he moved away from the dresser he felt the weight of them in his hands and began to cut through the air with them, moving slowly as he did. He looked at them in his hands and watched as they moved with him; it was as if he could feel them slice through the air itself. He knew that he could keep this up all day but would be late if he did; he hoped that Taelyr to be late also.

It was then the alarm that sat near his bed began to beep loudly which made Nick look at it then at the knives in his hands again. He hated the fact that he had to stop but he knew if he didn’t Taelyr would not be in a good mood and this was a time that he wanted her to be in one. He moved back to the dresser and pulled it open, sliding them back into their sheaths with a practiced skill. He flicked his hair out of his face and realized that he had to have a shower now; much to his annoyance.

As he walked into the shower he went past the only window that looked out into the city and stopped. He had been here for just over a month and had still not had the time to go out and look around. The only time he had ever seen the city had been at night and it always looked different during daylight. He shook his head to clear that thought away before he moved into the shower and turned it on, standing under the nice warm water. He felt it slowly run over his face and over his hair to his back and wanted nothing more than to stay here until the hot water ran out. The last thing that he wanted was to go out into the city but he had asked to meet with Taelyr and he knew the last thing he should do was stand her up.

Several minutes later he walked out of the shower and grabbed the towel that hung on the rack. As he wrapped it around himself he walked out into the bedroom and stopped as soon as he saw himself in front of a mirror. It was as if the person that he had been was completely gone now to be replaced with the seasoned killer that now stared at him. He could tell by the look in his eyes that he had killed several people and would have no qualms about doing so again. He knew that they were only vampires but as he thought about it knew that it was only a single step and he could kill humans without thinking twice. He shook his head, trying to clear it but the thought stayed with him as if telling him that it was the truth; that he was a killer and nothing more.

Turning away from the mirror Nick looked over at the dresser and wondered what he could wear out to the meeting with Taelyr. He knew that he usual night wear was something he couldn’t go out into the streets of the city with but it didn’t leave much for him to wear and with a sigh walked to the wardrobe. As he opened the door he hoped that he could find something to wear but in truth didn’t really care. He knew that he was not going outside for a fashion show but he also knew that he didn’t want to be noticed either. He had found that blending in with the crowd was the best thing for a person in his profession and started to look through the clothes that hung there.

After he pulled out a dark colored shirt and pants he looked over at his coat and wondered if he should wear it. He knew that it would be stupid of him if it was going to be a warm day but almost laughed out loud as soon as he thought of it. He pulled it out and threw it onto the bed without a second thought then reached down to grab his boots. He knew that if he fucked around that he was going to be late for the meeting with Taelyr and he knew that would be the worst thing that he could do as she would readily walk away from him and he would be stuck trying to empty a nest by himself. It was a job that he did not want; at least not by himself.

As soon as he was dressed Nick looked once again in the mirror then let out a slight laugh. It had been the first time that he had done something like that in more than a month and yet here he was doing it because of Taelyr. He knew that it was strange of him to worry about what she would think of him but when he looked in the mirror he knew that was what it was. After what they had said to each other a month ago he was worried about this meeting. He knew that she was the only person that he could truly trust in this world which in itself was something hard for him to say but he knew that it was the truth.

As he walked towards the stairs that led to the main floor of his home Nick hoped that Taelyr would listen to him when they came face to face with each other. He knew that the last things they had said to each other had been hard and hoped that they were things she would forget. The last thing that both of them would want was a fight to happen in the middle of London, especially where they were going to be. He knew that he needed to talk to Taelyr; that he wanted to be back with the only person that he could trust.

He cleared his head of that thought before he walked to the front door. After he locked it he walked to where his bike sat, got onto it and started it up, watching the faces of the people in their windows as the deep rumble echoed up the street. Nick looked at them with a smile before he put his helmet on, brought up the stand and turned the bike around to roar down the street.

As he rode the bike down the street Nick knew that he would probably never get used to the streets around here, they were either driving on the wrong side of the street or they were so crowded that he was worried about having a major accident. The one thing that he wished more than anything was that he was back in his home town, even with the memories that was associated with the place. He cleared his mind of that thought as soon as he had it and turned the accelerator handle even harder, listening to the rumble of the bike turn into an almost roar as he weaved through the traffic. As he did he heard some of the drivers cursing at him but he did not care about what they thought. He needed to make it to that meeting with Taelyr. If he didn’t she would never forgive him.

Before he realized it the palace came into view and the first thing that Nick saw was Taelyr standing there with a somewhat impatient look on her face. The first question that came to him was how long she had been waiting for him but that was replaced by a more important one; where was he going to park. He knew that parking in front of the palace was out of the question so he went with the flow of traffic until he saw a parking sign off to his left. He guided his bike in that direction, ignoring the honk of the horn behind him as he did and when he came to the parking area went for the closest empty parking spot.

As soon as he got off his bike Nick put his helmet onto the handle bar and set the trap for it then turned and walked back towards the palace. As he did he was glad that he had brought the coat as it was somewhat cold out here. It was replaced though by the first words he was going to say to Taelyr. He knew that he had to pick the right words to say to her but he still didn’t know what to say.

Minutes later he was standing in front of the palace looking at the back of Taelyr who was looking the other way. He wanted to shake his head at that but knew that she was doing it so anyone would think she had an unprotected back. As soon as he took another couple of steps forwards she turned around and looked straight at him.

“Hello Nick.”
“Hello Taelyr. It has been a long time-“
“Okay, that is enough with the pleasantries. What do you want me for?”
Nick was taken aback by this because if he didn’t know any better he would have sworn that he was talking to himself.
“The first thing that I can say is that I am sorry-“
Taelyr’s eyes widened and Nick knew that it was not a good thing.
“You are sorry. You tell me in no uncertain terms that you want nothing to do with me and then disappear without a trace. Andrew had a lot of fun tracking you down.”
Nick winced at that. The last thing he wanted was for Andrew to know where he was until he was ready to come back. He knew that it wouldn’t be long until they found him though and pulled him back to the fight.
He looked at her and took a deep breath, “I am truly sorry Taelyr. I know that I said some things I should not have and that I hurt you more than I can ever put into words. I just hope that you can forgive me as I need you with me again. Not just for this job but because you are the only person that I can trust in this word. I know what I said before but I do not believe that now. I know that I cannot do this alone. Please; will you help me.”

As Nick looked at Taelyr’s face he half expected her to start shouting at him but it was then that he noticed the look in her eyes. It was as though there was defeat and relief written in them. Nick looked at her and wanted to ask her what she was thinking but he knew that it was best not to.

It was then that she let out a loud sigh, “I will help you. I will be your partner again Nick but on several conditions. That you trust me with everything and I do mean everything and that you talk to Andrew again. He needs you to come back into the fold so to speak and wants to talk to you; just talk.”

Nick let out an exasperated sigh. He knew that it would be coming but he still didn’t like being blindsided like that.

“Okay. I will talk to Andrew but I have one condition for you. How good are you at holding onto a speeding bike?”

He saw Taelyr give him a questioning look.

Natasha was not pleased. Sabriel's lack of obedience since coming to London, to both her and Talon to whom she had to defer to had been seriously lacking. Her heels clicked busily along the marble hallways. Her steps were short and sharp, echoing along the walls. Her companion could not be as easily heard, bare feet padding gently across the stone beneath them, lighter than air, it seemed.

Occasionally Sabriel would reach out to her sides and skim her finger tips along the walls, a completely vacant and uncaring look on her face. The corridor was cold and she could feet the grains on the smooth marble beneath her bare feet. She revelled in it. The sensory information that was available to her had never ceased to amaze her. She had only expressed this once to Natasha, the other woman had simply snorted and told her to stop being such a child. She was so old that she took it for granted while Sabriel was determined to experience the world through her new found powers of observation.

"Come along!" intruded the blonde's thick, sultry voice into her thoughts. Sabriel suppressed the urge to sigh, instead sulkily padding faster along the corridor, almost stepping on the high heels of the woman leading her down to her chambers.

"How old is Talon?" she asked, somewhat absentmindedly.

"Don't ask such questions. He's an Ancient, that's all you need to know."

Sabriel nodded absently. So he was far older than he cared to admit? Or was he older that others cared to admit? She still didn't know just how old Natasha was. The only things she ever hinted at were the wars at her time, however, studying history hadn't been a strong point with Violet. Sabriel was the same; that much had carried through her previous life. She looked around her, not really noticing anything in particular but drinking in everything around her. She noted every crack in the marble face, every line of age, every finite mark and pattern was indelibly etched into her mind's eye. Her sight alighted on the blonde strands of Natasha's free swinging hair.
The young vampiress had to admit that the blonde before her was rather attractive. If you didn't count in her pettiness and arrogance. A rather good example of inner and outer beauty not matching as perfectly as people would have liked. Still, those long legs attached to those hypnotically swaying hips took the breath away.

"I'm hungry." Sabriel suddenly piped up, her voice somewhat higher pitched than normal. She had learnt that this tone of voice could either irritate or soften the blonde's unbeating heart. She knew that this time would be the latter as she could practically feel the blood draining from the pale woman's body. Natasha was starving after their little trip overseas and that was when she was most vulnerable to Sabriel's wishes.

"I know, Sweet. I know," came the somewhat distracted reply as they moved further and further underground.

After a while, Sabriel came to realise that the manor on top of them was simply the tip of the iceberg. Due to Vampires being somewhat affected by the sun, the majority of the coven were dug deeply underground. There was an enormous maze of corridors and hallways that lead to numerous rooms, both public and private.

Sabriel remembered every turn they made.

She gave a small whine, indicating she was hungry yet again, only stopping when Natasha threw her head backward and gave her a glare, intending to shut the young woman up. Natasha was actually quite lost and her Hunger was only making things more difficult.

Every where they went, every where Natasha led them, they attracted curious glances and more often than not, stares. Word had spread quickly about the 'prodigal' vampire that had come from the States. Some were repulsed, some sceptical but most were simply curious.

Sabriel didn't give any of them so much as a flick of her attention.

Natasha rounded a bound in the corridor and nearly bumped into another vampire that had been crossing the hall in the opposite direction. Blake reached out a hand to steady her as she took a reeling step backwards. He chuckled, his voice a deep, rich rumble. "Have you lost your way again, Natasha?" his tone was less than friendly, although it couldn't be said that he was threatening in any way.

He swept his blue gaze over Sabriel in a quick, assessing glance.

Natasha pouted, "I was simply looking for Talon," she lied, blood heating up her face. She tugged herself away from what turned out to be a fairly firm grip on her shoulder. She found, much to her annoyance, that he wouldn't let go. A flash went unheeded in Sabriel's eyes.

Blake grinned, fangs flashing, "You know Talon rarely comes down so deep. This is my territory and I don't remember giving you permission to be down here."

Natasha hissed, her own fangs showing as she snarled at him, "Don't presume to tell me what to do," her eyes scanned the hallway and she scented as far as she could but they were alone. It was just the three of them.

The male vampire ignored her and switched his gaze to settle firmly on Sabriel once more. "And what's this? Your precious Sweet? Is this the one that Talon is so interested in?" he sneered. He reached out to run the back of his index finger down Sabriel's right cheek. Unblinking, she took a step back, avoiding his touch. He hissed, "Come here, bitch!"

When she didn't comply, Blake went to forcibly grab her. That's when Natasha stepped in. Rather, she ripped herself away from Blake, hissing as she brought up her palm to smash against his nose. Blake, clearly faster and stronger, simply back handed her across the face with enough force to knock the vampire out cold. Natasha fell to the floor between them.
Sabriel looked down at Natasha, then looked up at Blake. He snarled at her, advancing a step. "Are you Talon's favourite?" she asked, her voice low and calm with that self same low menace that she could never quite mask. Blake's pupils dilated and his eyes narrowed, "What is it to you? I'm far stronger and faster and more able than you could ever be. Do you enjoy killing as much as I do? Are you really faster? Stronger?" his voice was full of scorn as he asked, his mouth twisted in a derisive sneer.

Sabriel took a long quiet look at him, tilting her head slightly as she considered, her gaze traveled from the prone body of her sire on the ground, to the menacing countenance of the male vampire before her. Her voice came out softly, barely able to be heard, even by a fellow vampire.

"Yes."

Blake roared and was in the process of lifting his arm to, claws extended as he used his speed and strength to attempt to slash at her body when he was suddenly up against the wall that had been two feet behind him, his feet dangling above the ground, his pale blue eyes wide and shocked as he stared deeply into the glittering sea green gaze of the woman that held him off the ground with but a single hand.

He hadn't even seen her move.

Sabriel studied him, her eyes cold and hard as she looked at him as a lioness would look at potential prey, calculationg when and where to strike next. Her clamping grip on his windpipe did nothing to block his airflow as vampires didn't actually need to breath, it was simply an echo of the past that their body's remembered and something done out of habit. Her grip could, however, break his neck. Something that would bring instant death.

Blake found himself praying as it suddenly struck him that Sabriel was indeed considering him her prey. It did not matter that he was a fellow vampire, did not matter that there were strict rules against attacking another vampire, or indeed, killing said vampire. Staring into those cold eyes made him realise that he could very well be seeing the last thing he would ever see.

"Let him go," a deep baritone voice pierced the air.

Sabriel looked back, recognising the unique timber of Talon's voice. She smiled, "he struck my Sire."

"I know, but let him go. He is useful, if only for hunting." Talon didn't raise his voice, he was neither insistant, nor uncaring. But there was a note in his voice that warned her not to go against his wishes, if only this time. "If he does it again, I will do nothing to interfere, I give my word."

Blake's eyes went wide. How could Talon, a man that had been grooming him since being Turned to lead in his stead when he was finally gone suddenly be abandoning him now? This upstart, this woman was suddenly better than him? How could this be?

Sabriel grinned, "Next time," she whispered intimately into Blake's ear before she loosened her grip, letting him slide down to the ground.

"You must be hungry, come Young One, bring your sire." Talon turned on his heel, the danger passed, and began walking back down from where they had come. Sabriel reached down, sliding her slender ivory arms beneath Natasha's body. She straightened up, carrying the older woman with barely a blink of her eyes. Dismissing Blake, she also turned to follow the Ancient.

"Why?" came Blake's wheezing voice. Sabriel had managed to damage his voicebox. Silently, he wondered if it would ever heal.

Talon turned back, his voice was mild, "I wasted time on you. I rarely make mistakes, Blake, but you were one of them. You were never going to be fit to lead this coven, no matter how hard I was on you."

"And her?"

Talon simply looked at Blake for a long time before he abruptly turned on his heel and continued to walk away, leaving Blake without an answer, Sabriel following readily behind.

As soon as they walked into his home Nick turned to look at Taelyr. He wanted to smile at her, to say that she was welcome inside his home. That would not go over well and he knew it so he kept his mouth closed and walked into the hallway.

"Okay, so where do I start?"

"You can start by calling Andrew. He really wants to talk to you Nick," Taelyr said as she moved closer to him, sadness written clearly in her eyes and on her face.

Nick let out an exasperated sound and turned quickly to look at the stairs. He turned back to look at Taelyr and opened his mouth to answer her back. He shut him mouth though and started to slowly walk away. That was one thing his father told him that he had never forgotten; If you cannot win a fight then the best thing you can do is walk away from it. He knew though that his father had never had to fight someone who was as stubborn as Taelyr. It would have been a fun thing to see though and he wished that he could. There was no way that he could ever see his father though which made him want to cry out.

"I'll show you to your bedroom if you wish to stay here. If not then I know a good hotel where you can stay."

"Don't do that to me Nick. Do not shut me out and start to walk away every time I mention Andrew. You have to talk to me-"

Nick turned quickly to look at her, trying as hard as he could to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Why do I have to talk to you? I asked you if you wanted to come with me a month ago. I asked you whether you thought we were doing the right thing? I am nothing more than a killer because of what they did to me-"

"They had nothing to do with that. You turned yourself into the person that you are. You shut yourself away from everyone that could care about you because of what happened to you and for what reason; to keep those that you care about safe. To me that is a crock of shit and you know it. The only reason you are the way you are and why you ran away the way you did is because you cannot handle what happened to you."

Nick took a deep breath of air, "Can you see your parents, your best friends, the people that you love the most? Do you have to hide in the shadows just so you can get a glimpse of them because you are supposed to be dead?"

He took a step forward, his eyes never leaving hers, "The reason I came here is because I could not take that anymore. I want nothing more than to call them; to tell them to their face that I love them more than anything. I just want them to know that I am alive. I don't what their last memory of me to be that of an accused murderer and the funeral. In this world I am totally and utterly alone and I know there is nothing I can do about that. I just want everything to be the way they were before that night. I want to have Violet in my arms. I want to tell my parents how wonderful she is and hope that they accept her into the family-"

Taelyr let out a gasp and when Nick saw her eyes go wide and her hands fly up to her mouth he knew that something was up.
"I- I didn't know. Nobody told me."

Nick took another step towards her before reaching into his coat to pull out a gold chain, an emerald ring hanging from the end of it.
"Nobody knows because I didn't want them to know. I was going to ask her that night. That is why I took her to the restaurant; because I wanted to make her my wife. Before that blonde bitch took her away from me."

Suddenly Nick's mood changed and he turned back towards the stairs. He started to move towards them which left Taelyr standing there in total confusion.

"Wait, where are you going. We haven't finished this conversation."

Nick continued to move, slipping the chain with the emerald ring back into a pocket on his coat.
"Yes, we have. Now if you want to see where your bedroom is I suggest that you follow me. If not then we can discuss this business about the nest."

Taelyr just stood there for a second, her eyes still wide and looked at Nick as he started to walk up the stairs. She knew, just by the way he was walking that there was no way he was going to stop and started to move quickly after him. By the time she had caught up with him he was pushing the door open to a room. He stood to one side as she looked into it.

"This is your bedroom. If you don't like it then you can sleep where ever else you wish to except for my bedroom. I'll meet you downstairs whenever you wish to talk about this nest problem. Just don't be too long because there isn't much sunlight left and I would rather get this over and done with as quickly as possible."

Taelyr just looked into the room before turning around to look at Nick, "This room will be fine. If you will give me a second though there is something I have to do first but I will meet you downstairs asap."

Nick just let out a grunt before turning and walking away from the door, "You just come down when you want to."

Taelyr stood there and watched as Nick walked away before she closed the door, moved to the bed quickly, unzipped her bag and pulled out the satellite phone Andrew had given her before she left. She dialled the number on the phone and waited for someone to pick up, hoping that someone was home and they would answer before Nick came back up.

As soon as someone on the other side picked up Taelyr said, "Hi Mom, it's me Taelyr.... No Mom, I'm not there anymore..... Mom..... Mom; there is something important I have to ask you......"


* * * * *

When she came back down the stairs Taelyr could still feel the weight of her mother's answer pressing down on her. She could not help but look at Nick and feel the sadness well up within her. In that quick conversation she knew more about him than she ever wished to know and hated everyone for not telling her the truth. She walked slowly over to him and watched as he raised his head slowly from the map that he had been studying.

"Oh good; you're here. From what Andrew told me the nest is somewhere in the Charring Cross district. I know that it isn't very discreet of them but what is about a vampire. What I was hoping was that we could get to the nest before it turns dark and try to kill as many of them as possible before it time for the bastards to rise. We can then kill the rest; if there are any of them alive."

Taelyr just looked at Nick and wanted to talk about the conversation they had just had, about what he had just said but knew that there was no way he was going to talk about it this night. He had his mask back on and she knew from lots of experience that there was no way she was going to get to Nick once the mask was back on. She was so startled when he straightened that she could only stand there and look at him, not hearing anything that he said until he spoke again.

"Do you need a weapon? If so then follow me."

She slowly turned and started to follow him as he led his way to the door under the stairs. He punched a code into the box near the door and then stood aside. As soon as she walked to the door Taelyr saw the stairs and turned to look at Nick. She wanted to ask him what they were there for but knew that there was no way she was going to get an answer from him. Instead she just walked slowly down the stairs, wondering what she would find. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs she let out a loud gasp and turned to Nick who had just come into the room.

"I hope that you find something to use," he said with a slight smile before he walked over to one of the racks and pulled off a pistol.

The night was dark and stormy. Something the woman loved. She lived for nights like this, were the chaos in her mind was reflected in perfect sync in the world around her. Thunder crashed, lightning arced across the sky and ran fell in bruising pellets.

Sabriel reached out her hand and collected a few drops of the clear, cold liquid in her palm. Ruby red lips smiled as she brought her cupped fingers to them. She scented the earth and air and her smile grew wider. Then her olfactory senses picked up the scent of fresh blood and her fangs flashed in a brilliant strike of lightning.

“I don’t know why, but she gets like this on stormy nights.” Sabriel turned to the voice and smiled even wider as she betook the scene before her.

Natasha stood, completely naked, rivulets of blood streaming down her smooth ivory skin. Hanging upside down from the ceiling above her was an equally naked woman. Her neck hung at an odd angle, the red gash so wide you could see the white bones of her spine glistening red. Blood rained down onto Natasha and Sabriel felt her own excitement grow. The damp heat between her legs melted and she longed to pull off her clothes and take the blonde there and then. But the second occupant in the apartment stopped her.

Talon moved from within the shadows, “Put some clothes on.” He was short and curt and didn’t bother to acknowledge Natasha’s uncharacteristic pout. He crossed over to Sabriel and took her hand, turning her around to watch the chaotic skies once more.

“I like it too,” he murmured, “it just seems right.”

Sabriel said nothing. She was fast learning the internal politics in this new city. She had also found that silence was the best key to use when dealing with Ancient Elder. He seemed to like talking to her. As soon as she started talking, however, he would stop and she soon found that she didn’t like it when he did. And so she remained quiet, her sensitive hearing picking up the faint rustling of cloth as Natasha dressed herself.

“Yes, I find that one can truly think when one looks on such disorder,” the Elder tapped the side of his head, “it all just seems so clear.”

His other hand kept a tight grip on hers. His fingers wrapped over hers and he tightened his grip until her was fairly crushing her. For all that she wanted to, though, she did not pull away. A second later Talon seemed to nod to himself and he released her. His voice was ancient and soft, barely able to be heard over the crushing thunder, “You will Hunt with another tonight. Celeste. Teach her what you know but be gentle, she is new to this life.” Then he turned from her and held out his hand to the now fully dressed Natasha, “Come my lovely, you and I shall rule the night together.”

Natasha shot a look of triumph to Sabriel. The younger vampire simply smiled which seemed to anger the blonde even more than anything she could have said.

Frankly, Sabriel did not care. Though she had been burdened with an even younger vampire, she was for the first time in a fortnight free of her overbearing Sire. She couldn’t fathom just how much she despised the woman who had given her this life but there is was. If she could get away with it, Natasha would have been dead long ago. But the blonde had powerful friends and she had used her years to insinuate herself into their inner circles. Despite what she was, Sabriel knew that she was simply not powerful enough to go up against her Sire. Not yet at least.


*****************

Hours later, Sabriel easily looped along the rooftops, running barefoot over the buildings, luxuriating in the feel of concrete and brick beneath her. At her side, doing a credible job of keeping up, ran Celeste.

Sabriel had no idea why she had been chosen for the honour of teaching Celeste about her new life. Hunters had killed Celeste’s Sire some time ago and she had been drifting from Master vampire to Master vampire every since. Though Sabriel was too young to be a Master vampire yet, it was clear that Talon had thought her capable of such a role. And now Celeste was hers! Sabriel revelled in the power she now had over someone else’s destiny. Celeste was there for moulding and Sabriel was certain in what direction she would push her new protégé.

Stopping abruptly, Sabriel paused on the edge of a three storey apartment block. Celeste barely stopped beside her and Sabriel frowned to see the other woman’s breast heaving in effort to draw breath. Sabriel herself was breathing easily, their run having taken nothing from her.

Reaching out, Sabriel touched Celeste’s shoulder, “Never show what you don’t wish others to see.” Crouching on the edge, overlooking the city, Sabriel removed a small dagger from the sash that now hung from her waist. The dark red colour clashed with her white dress and had been a gift from Talon. Aside from the colour, it also sported an extraordinary amount of small pockets and hidden loops. She wore it always.

Taking the dagger, she suddenly stabbed herself in the thigh. She uttered not a word, though surely it must have hurt as the blood welled up around the blade and ran down her leg. “No pain.” She smiled and laughed right into Celeste’s face. Then she pulled the dagger free and the wound began to heal.

“I will teach you what being a vampire really means,” she laughed again and stopped when she detected fear in Celeste’s eyes. The grin grew feral, “Yes! I will teach you how to be feared by others like you fear me now.” She deposited her dagger back into the sash and stood, her voice a semblance of normalcy now, “But only when you want them to.”

Sabriel turned and held her hand out to Celeste and the other woman would in that instant see that Sabriel was never ever what you thought she was. Conflicting emotions warred inside her. The desire to hold the same power Sabriel held fought with her over whelming desire to run screaming and hide.

In the end Celeste took Sabriel’s hand and together they jumped from the edge and for Celeste, into a whole new world of possibilities.

As soon as Nick got off the bike he knew he was being watched. He did not ever bother looking around as he knew there was no way he was going to see them. He looked at Taelyr and could tell just by the look on her face that she knew they were being watched as well. He walked slowly towards her, helped her off the back of the bike and looked at her as she stood beside him.

“Do not show that you know. Even if they can read our minds I rather them not know why we are here.”

“I know what I am doing. Just because we have not been partners for five months it does not mean I have forgotten how to do things.”

Nick just let out a loud sigh. He knew there was no arguing with her and in doing so it would expose them even more than they were. It would also slow them down even further; something both of them could not afford to have happen. As they moved away from the bike Nick adjusted his backpack and coat, hoping he had not exposed any of his weapons as he did.

“Whose idea was it to come here at this time of day? You do know how close it is to sundown.”

Nicked stopped and turned to look at Taelyr, “Yes, I do know what time of day it is and I do know it is just the pair of us. I could say that they will not be expecting this but I know your will just argue that point which will just slow us down.”

Taelyr opened her mouth to argue her point but closed it quickly as Nick walked away from her. As he walked towards the closest alley Nick kept his eyes on the building they were walking beside for any movement. He knew it there were any vampires watching Taelyr and himself from any of the windows he would be lucky to see them. From experience he knew they were watching both of them though and if he gave any indication he knew it they would have a nasty surprise waiting for them as soon as they got into the building. As soon as Taelyr and he reached the alley he stopped, pulled out his earpiece and slid it in, waited for Taelyr to do the same before he slid off his backpack, pulled out the crossbow and assembled it. He looked over at Taelyr to see that she had pulled out the silenced Uzis she had picked from his basement and was now pulling out the two silenced pistols from it. She slid them under the jacket she was wearing before looking at Nick. He could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to smile at him although he knew not to and bent down to pick up the packs.

After she packed their packs in a hiding spot Nick walked up to the door on his left, knelt down and checked it. He reached out to turn the handle but stopped as soon as he noticed the wire near one of its edges. He looked at it closely before reached into his coat and pulled out the small can of liquid nitrogen. He began to spray around all the edges of the door, listening to the crackling sound as he did. Nick then slowly stood with a rare smile, pulled out a pistol, turned the handle of the door and walked into the building. He turned as soon as he heard the footsteps and squeezed the trigger, shooting the person square in the chest with a slight pop. As the person fell to the ground Nick turned to the next one as she came closer and squeezed the trigger. She fell to the floor with a soft thud just as Taelyr walked into the building, the silenced Uzis in her hands. She looked at Nick but did not say a word before she walked further into the building.

Nick stood where he was for a second or two before he followed Taelyr further into the building, pulling out a second pistol as he did. It was then that he heard the slight popping sound ahead of him and started to run in that direction. He stopped as soon as he reached Taelyr just to see her firing at several people as they moved towards her. Nick could tell, just by the way they moved that they were vampires and brought up his pistols, squeezing the triggers on both as he did. As he first at the vampires he knew there was no way he should stop firing for any reason because the vampires would not give him a chance to do so again. He watched as one of his bullets struck a vampire in the head and as it fell to the floor he heard another one off to his right. A he turned in that direction he knew there was no way he was going to be fast enough and readied himself for the hit that never came. It was then e saw the vampire on the floor, a bullet hole in the middle of its head. He looked over at Taelyr to thank her but it was then that he saw the vampire coming up from her side and without a word of warning raised on of his pistols. As Taelyr looked at him with wide eyes Nick squeezed the trigger, the bullet slamming into the vampire’s shoulder. As the vampire let out a shout Taelyr turned and squeezed the trigger on one of the Uzis, the bullets ripping his head apart. As that one fell to the floor Nick slid magazines into his pistols and walked even further into the building, Taelyr by his side. As they walked along Nicked thought it weird that no other vampires or human guards had appeared.

Just then Nick heard a shout off to his right and looked in that direction. When he saw the large male vampire running towards him, two long bladed weapons in his hands he shook his head, let out a sigh and shot it through the head. He turned to Taelyr who looked like she was trying hard not to laugh and opened his mouth to say something to her. It was then that he noticed her eyes were wide and wondered what she was looking at. When he turned it the direction she was looking he was surprised to see the number of vampires standing there looking straight at him. His first thought was the question of how many he was going to kill before his ammunition ran out. Even as that thought entered his mind one of the vampires stepped forward and said, “Not enough. You know that you and your friend will be dead before you run out of bullets.”

Nicked looked at the vampire as he gripped his pistol even tighter, “I guess you are the leader of this nest.”

“If there is a leader that would be-“

Nick did not let the vampire finish as he raised the pistol and squeezed the trigger in a fluid motion. As the bullet struck the lead vampire in the head, causing him to fly off his feet the other vampire let out a sound that was between a hiss and a growl. As the sound echoed through out the room they were in Taelyr turned to Nick with wide eyes.

“You know they are not going to let us leave here.”

“They were not going to do that in the first place. At least this way we know we do not have to go hunting for them.”

Taelyr’s eyes grew wider, “You had tis planned all along, didn’t you.”

Nick did not get a chance to answer. As one the vampires ran at the pair, giving Nick just enough time to fire off a couple of shots which hit two vampires in the chest, drop the pistols to the floor and pull free his two knives. He ran at the two closest vampires and without a sound sliced deep into them. He then started to move quietly and quickly through the vampires, cutting them down as though he were death itself and his knives were scythes. As he did so he wondered how Taelyr was doing and as soon as he heard the continuous popping sound from her Uzis he knew she was alive, letting a smile come to his face before he cut down another vampire.

As he cut down another one a thought came to Nick. What would Violet thing of me if she saw me like this? Would I be so different that she would not recognize me and end up trying to kill me? That thought made him pause long enough for a vampire to strike him across the back and send him a few steps forwards. As soon as Nick stopped his forward momentum he turned, let out a shout and ran at the vampire. Before the vampire could offer any sort of defence Nick started to cut and slice into him so deeply that the blood was flying through the air. As he cut it into the air Nick let out shout after shout until he stopped abruptly and looked down at the mutilated corpse. When he did so all he wanted to do was fall to his knees in anguish but stopped when he heard footsteps.

He turned quickly, his twin knives in hi hand but stopped himself when he saw Taelyr who just stood there looking at him. Nick could tell that she wanted to say something but he knew no words would ever come to his ears. It was then she cleared her throat and spoke.

“I think they are all dead. What should we do next?”

Nick lowered his knives out of sight, “You should know the answer better than that. We go and find their coffins and kill the bastards that are asleep.”

“But it is almost nightfall. They will be waking up soon.”

“All the more reason to hurry, “Nick said as he pumped the slider on the shotgun he had just pulled from underneath his coat. Without another word he ran in the direction the vampires had come from and after letting out an exasperated sigh Taelyr ran off after him.

She found him standing in front of a bare wall, staring intently at it. She walked up slowly behind him and started to speak but he raised his right hand to stop her.

“What do you notice about this wall?”

Taelyr moved closer, looked at the wall then turned back to Nick, “Nothing. There isn’t anything interesting about that wall.”

“That is where you are wrong. You cannot design building without knowing a thing or two about hiding a room or two.”

With that Nicked started searing the face of the wall until the suddenly stopped, reached out with one and pressed it.

Just then the wall in front of Taelyr opened up and she was surprised to see the coffins in front of her. As she tried to contemplate the amount Nicked walked into the room and lifted the lid of one of the coffins. As soon as he did a vampire rose out of it to attack him. Nicked squeezed the trigger of his shotgun quickly and as the vampire fell back into its coffin, turned to Taelyr and said, “What are you standing there for? We only have a short amount of time to do this.”

The voices of excited children hung in the air, their laughter wrapping the two women up in joy. The night air was clear and the stars above shone like happy fireflies against the velvet darkness. Bright lights twinkled in their eyes and Celeste could not help but smile as she remembered her own happy childhood. The woman that walked beside her laughed as a stray little boy came up to her and handed her a red balloon. She watched as Sabriel bent to pluck the balloon from the boy's fingers and looked up as the mother came hurrying into the scene.

The flustered woman gave her thanks for finding her errant son and Celeste waved as the boy was led of, waving back at them. Then she turned to Sabriel and caught the vampiress's odd expression. Before she could ask, Sabriel's soft voice came to her ears, "He said he strangest thing. He gave me the balloon because he thought I was sad." Sabriel turned to look at her, her eyes bleak for a moment. Then she shook herself and closed her eyes, the balloon string sliding through her fingers. When she opened her eyes, Celeste determined that Sabriel was back to her enigmatic self, the bleakness gone, if it had ever been there.

Celeste wasn't sure what had happened. Sabriel had been a hard task master since she had been sent to her, and she had had some very difficult lessons to learn. But for all the time they spent together, Celeste was still nowhere nearer in uncovering Sabriel's true nature under all of the layers of manipulation and deceit. As such, Celeste was not sure how to take this momentary show of weakness. Was it a trick? Was it another lesson to learn? Or had Sabriel's hard shell finally been cracked by a little boy, no less? Celeste was uncertain, and so said nothing. Her face blank to her inner confusion, just as Sabriel had taught her, she silently watched the balloon float up into darkness. Sabriel paid no more heed to it and when Celeste finally looked down again, she found the other woman already moving through the crowd again. With another brief look skywards, Celeste hurried to catch up with her mentor.

When she arrived at Sabriel's side, the other woman said nothing. Instead, she silently led Celeste through the late night carnival crowd, the London Eye staring down at them all the while. Celeste made sure to note and process everything she saw. Though she did not have an eidetic memory as Sabriel did, she was quickly realising the uses of memorizing every detail of her where-abouts. At first she had done it to satisfy Sabriel's training technique. Her mentor had had a knack of questioning her on odd details, sometimes hours after the fact. The first few weeks, Celeste had been a miserable failure on this front But soon after she came to expect the questions and soon became more and more proficient with the exercise until Sabriel began to ask less and less questions. And when she did, it was often further and further back in time. Tonight would mark the fifth since Celeste had had to answer on of those questions. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but she no longer took her memorizing task as a chore. It had become challenging and enjoyable to her. She began to revel more in where she was, in the sensations she could feel, on the noises and scents around her. As Sabriel had once said to her, "Being a vampire does not mean being dead. It means being more alive than we have ever been before."

This was not the first time Sabriel had taken Celeste out in public but it was the first time that the vampires had not been actively hunting. The sexual cloak; the sensual movements of her hips, the swaying of her shapely butt, the precise movements of her legs beneath that white dress and the seductive pout of her pale lips were all gone. The pale ivory glow that almost always surrounded Sabriel nowhere to be seen. The predatory glint was carefully blanked from her eyes and her smile seemed more innocent than malicious. As she watched the woman buy two candy apples and delicately bit into one before giving the other to some random child she had met a moment earlier – Celeste was struck with realisation. Sabriel, tonight, amongst all of the carnival revellers, looked human.

Celeste had a quick look around and noticed once again something that she had filed away in her newly acquired memory moments before. Amongst the crowd were several other vampires. Women mostly, but some were men. Celeste had assumed that she had known they were vampires from their scents – but she realised that she could not smell them. Her sense of smell was not as refined as an older vampire’s, especially here amongst a crowd of so many. Celeste watched the vampires, unobtrusively and soon realised why she could mark them out from the humans. Though they were all doing a credible job pretending, they didn’t quite get it right. Once male vampire, long hair sweeping over broad shoulders, had the normal colouring of life, but his eyes looked dead. There was something unsettling about his gaze and she instinctively knew that his Hunt would be unsuccessful tonight. Another vampire, a woman this time, seemed normal enough. She appeared young and carefree, attracting some young men’s glances; but that was all. Celeste soon understood why. Although her sexual aura was in full swing so were her predatory instincts. Her movements were too fluid, too graceful. She moved through the crowd like an eel through water and there seemed to be an air of wrongness about her. Of something not quite right, of something weird. Celeste turned to face Sabriel and found the other woman staring at her, “That’s it, isn’t it? That is tonight’s lesson.” Understanding dawned and she watched as Sabriel slowly nodded and smiled. She felt a tingle up her spine at that smile and couldn’t help smiling back. She hadn’t known when it happened either but Celeste now saw Sabriel as her Sire. One she respected, looked up to, obeyed and loved unconditionally. She yearned for Sabriel’s approval and though the lessons were hard and often life threatening, once she learnt them she understood just how much of a weapon a vampire could truly be.

Tonight was no exception. Celeste immediately understood the use of this lesson; the plethora of uses, actually. Of the five or so vampires at the carnival, only Sabriel had been successful at luring prey to her. Crowds were tricky for vampires and they often challenged themselves to Hunt in them. A crowd made Human’s feel safe – as such though, they were more wary of strangers and also harder to lure from the safety provided by numbers. A vampire couldn’t just overwhelm their prey either, causing a scene was forbidden. Besides it was an ill-disguised secret that there were Hunter patrols at public events such as this one. Unless a vampire had a death wish, they did nothing in such public venues. Having the added ability to actually appear human was a bonus Celeste was sure not many vampires had.

“You’re doing it too, you know.” Sabriel’s voice startled her from her thought’s but she carefully kept her expression normal. “You’re acting like them.” Sabriel smiled at her but something leaked into the edges of her eyes, a malice that left no question as to what she was. “You’re more like them, sound like them, speak like them.” She shook her head, “I taught you how to control yourself, but that was for vampires. Now, you have to learn for humans.”
Celeste nodded but Sabriel said nothing. After a few more silent moments Celeste realised that she would have to learn this one on her own. Sabriel had shown her the desired effect, but now she had to find a way to emulate it.

Celeste closed her eyes briefly and allowed her muscles to relax. She moved her chest to a rhythmic beat, emulating her breathing. She rearranged her features to something slightly more pleasant and tried to blank out thoughts of her Hunger. When she opened her eyes again, she felt she had done a good job. There were no more odd glances her way and she no longer felt the scrutiny of the other vampires. But as she swung her gaze at Sabriel, she found the other woman frowning. Instantly, she felt her shoulder begin to slouch as she visibly wilted at Sabriel’s displeasure. But before she could finish, Sabriel touched her on the shoulder and gave her a small camera.
“Get that clown to take a picture of you.”
Celeste frowned and looked behind her, noticing a clown selling balloons. He was also taking pictures for carnival goers. Not questioning, one of her first lessons had been not to question Sabriel, Celeste turned and began to walk towards the clown. As she did, her eyes ran over all of the little details and she soon came to realise that the clown was armed. She thought it odd, but reasoned that he was probably serving as a security guard as well.

Celeste tried not to think vampiric thoughts as she walked up to him, consciously making her breast rise and fall rhythmically and keeping the hungry glint from her eye. When she reached him, he turned to her and she gave him a warm smile. She gave the quick, assessing glance he gave her, strengthening her idea that he had something to do with security. He was tall, not overly muscled, but under his clothes she could see that he was fit and toned. His eyes were cold and distant, though his smile was friendly enough. His voice was deep and a little gruff when he spoke, “What can I do for you, Miss?”
“Hi! Um, sorry to ask but could you take a picture of me?” She handed him the camera and posed, flashing a victory sign, being sure to blink after the flash had gone off. Thanking him, she took the camera and walked away.

Meeting up with Sabriel, she gave the camera back. She watched as Sabriel flicked through the images and then raised it to take a snap of the clown’s face. Celeste leaned over and saw his features clearly, he didn’t really have much makeup on; just red cheeks, lipstick and a wig. Then she watched as Sabriel made a small gesture, one of the vampire’s she had observed earlier coming to her side. It was the male. He did not say a word as Sabriel showed him the picture of the clown, “I am Sabriel. This image is of a Hunter. Process it and add it to our database.” Celeste’s eyes grew wide and she knew that if she had had a beating heart, that it would have stopped. The male narrowed his gaze and made a move in the clown’s direction. Sabriel grasped his arm, “Talon has strict orders.” The male glanced at her, gnashed his teeth and then moved off. Before he could take too many step though, Sabriel called out, “I want that camera back.” He nodded stiffly, and then disappeared into the crowd.

As Celeste was processing this, a familiar male voice called out, “Ah! Found you!”
She whirled around and came face to face with the Hunter. He smiled, “You dropped your keys when you left.”
“Thank you….” Celeste just managed not to stammer. Now she knew why he was packing the heat.
“No worries. Stay safe.” Then he was gone.

Celeste turned around, her nerves jangling, only to see Sabriel frowning again. Then a moment later, the other woman gave her the tiniest of nods. Holding out her hand she took Celeste’s and they began strolling through the crowd once more.

Celeste had passed her first human lesson, but just barely, and it looked like Sabriel had even more in store for her tonight.

As he stood there Nick once again felt a sense of loss flow through him. It was not the loss of life in this room, that he had faced time and time again but it was once again the sense of losing the person he had been. He shook his head as he looked at the open coffins, the vampires sprawled throughout the room in different places and knew that the person he had once been, the once Jason Alexander Richards would never have been able to put up with all this death. He would have seen it all, that was true but the very next instance he would have been in the corner of the room throwing up. He shook his head and turned to one of the hunters who had come with him and Taelyr, "Make sure that when the cleaners come here that everything disappears."

"I think they should know how to do their job by now," the hunter said, a smile starting to show on his face.

Before another word was spoken Nick grabbed the hunter, pulled him closer and looked into his eyes, "Just make sure they do their damn job properly."

As he turned to walk from the room he heard the hunter say something under his breath. At any other time Nick would have turned around and swung his fist into the man's face but he just shook his head and kept walking. The instant he left the room Taelyr was by his side looking straight at him, "Whatever you are going to say don't. I know what I did was stupid so please do not say a word."
"I wasn't going to say anything. You know what you did so there is no need to."
Nick stopped suddenly and looked at Taelyr but closed his mouth before he could say anything. He knew that there was no need to start an arguement and it was the one thing that was going to happen if he said anything back to Taelyr. Once again he shook his head but this time he let out a deep breath as he did so. All he wanted to do right now was get out of this building, sit down, have something to drink and forget all about this night. He knew this was life he had chosen or more to the point the one that had been chosen for him. He did not have to like it though and as he walked away from the vampire's that littered the inside of this building he found that he just wanted to go somewhere and forget everything that had happened.

It was then that the beeping alarm went off on his arm and he looked down at it with wide eyes. Without even shutting it off or saying another word to Taelyr Nick ran off down the hallway, dodging hunters left and right as he did, most of them trying to get his attention. One of them even got in his way, trying to stop him but Nick crashed into him with such a force that the hunter fell to the ground just as Nick ran past him. He did not even stop to see if the man was alright as he ran closer to the entrance, his sense of urgency rising with every single step.

Just as he reached the door to the outside he felt a hand on his arm, stopping him. He looked behind him just to see Taelyr standing there, concern written clearly on her face. She opened her mouth but before she could ask her question Nick cut her off and said, "Let me go. Now!"

Taelyr's eyes widened as she let go of his arm, letting him run out into the open. As soon as he did the sun started to rise over the buildings bathing him in light. Nick just stood there with his eyes closed, feeling the sun's rays hitting him and letting out a loud sigh as it did. It was then that he heard the footsteps behind him and turned to look at Taelyr.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to-"

She just raised a hand, cutting him off, "It is okay Nick. I understand."