Blackened Hearts, Undying Love *For TimeMaster of the Spirits and WolfSpirit 1094* Private!

Demitri glared at Lucepheros as he got up and dusted himself off, then said, "Watch me." He then held up another energy ball and hurled at his brother, and as soon as it hit, Dominike crashed to the ground.

When he went down, Nyreena's defensive instinct kicked in, and started to rush forward, but toppled over as underground roots came up and twisted up around her legs, thanks to Demitri. "And where do you think you're going?," he asked, and evil glint shining in his eyes.

"Going to help my friends, no thanks to you," Nyreena said, acting like she was trying to struggle.

"Not when I get through with you," he crooned, getting closer.

"I'd like to see you try," she smirked, making her legs intangible, slipping out of the roots, getting up and moving towards her friends. "And by the way," she said to Izin. "If you knew anything about ghostly magical artifacts, you would know about the ones that can absorb another person's, or demon's, powers." She then took out a winged amulet and held it at Fuery and said, "I send the call to the sun, moon, and stars above! Absorb this demon's power of a cure for an act of good faith!"

The amulet instantly glowed bright red as it absorbed the counter-spell to save Pierce from his icy fate. As soon as it stopped glowing, she tossed it to Chance as she ran over to Dominike and said, "Put this on Pierce so that the spell can activate and get rid of the the Ice Coffin."

Chance caught the amulet with ease.

Izin cursed under his breath, but Fuery seemed as casual as ever, "and if you knew anything about my brother, you'd know it would take alot more than that just to, 'put it on'," she said with crossed arms.

Chance smirked, "hm, yeah right," she said as she went to slip the amulet over Pierce's arm.

Izin seemed to arrive out of thin air. He appeared right infront of the two and delivered a sharp, swift kick to Chance's hand knocking the amulet across the clearing.

Chance watched the amulet hit the ground and roll in dismay. It stopped about two yards from the edge of the clearing.

As she wasn't looking, as soon as Izin's foot returned to the ground, he switched feet and spun around and round-housed her out from under Pierce and a couple feet to the side.

Chance was still for a moment, "your powers may be strong... but your fighting capability is weak."
She forced herself back to her feet and looked at him. She looked around and again found the amulet in her sight.

A gasp of pain sounded from Pierce as the ruby ice spread across, a little over half, of his side.

It was Chance's turn to curse under her breath. She darted toward the amulet.

"So you wish to see more of my powers?" Izin asked retorically, "very well, here you go!" He exclaimed, slamming both of his hands down flat on the ground. From his hands, the ground began turning to ice. At a rate to where it would beat Chance to the amulet.

Chance didn't notice the ice. She was about a yard from the amulet when something ensnared her ankle.
She fell face forward, but caught herself with her hands. She looked back to see what it was that was holding her and saw the ice, but that wasn't what was holding her, not exactly. A hand had formed from the ice, and kept growing untl half of a human firgure was distinguishable.
She looked around as more began to form.

'This can't be good...," she thought to herself.

With her free heel, she smashed the hand that was holding her ankle. She went to get up, but couldn't. A crackling noise made her look back once more. The hand she had smashed had reformed.

"Oh this is just lovely," she growled, and this time smashed it's head with her heel.

It shattered and the figure melted faster than normal ice would've.
'So that's how it's done...," she made a mental note in her head.

This time, she was able to get to her feet, but when she looked back for the amulet, it was gone.

The moonlight was blocked out and there infront of her stood another ice figure, it was holding the amulet.

This distracted her long enough for another figure to latch onto her from behind. Before she knew it, two more had joined in and where restraining her.

Chance heard Pierce cough, but couldn't look back to see him.

A stream of blood now ran down the corner of Pierce's mouth as the ice krept a little further and began over his stomach and chest.

Chance struggled to get free but couldn't.

For some unseen reason the figure holding the amulet's head shattered and it melted into a small pool of water. Before the amulet hit the ground, something that Chance couldn't make out, snatched it out of the air and surged it back into the woods.

"Get the amulet!" Izin demanded of his ice troops and immediately all but the ones restraining Chance charged into the woods after it.

'What the?' Chance thought aloud.

A pure black owl flew silently and stealthily above. Completely unnoticed by all except Chance. It held what seemed to be a metal rod in it's talons, and around that metal rod was the amulet.

The ice figures stopped and bunched together in a cramped clearing looking for signs of a direction to go to follow the amulet.
An explosion shook the ground, an explosion that blew all the ice figures to pieces.
At that same moment a white clad figure flew out of a tree weilding the same kind of metal rod that the owl carried.

It brought the rod down, smashing the first two ice men. As soon as landing it jumped into the air and kicked the third's head clean off its shoulders. The body melted but the head bounced off the ground. It began forming a new body when the figure in white casually placed a foot on it and smashed it to pieces.

The chest size gaver her gender away but no more but the color of her eyes and skin could be said about her for she was completely covered, mask and all. She now held the rod to the ground like a short staff.
The black owl swooped down, dropping the rod with the amulet into her out-stretched hand. It circled, then landed on her shoulder.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Izin yelled in pure annoyance.

Back when Izin had first kicked the amulet out of Chance's hand Fuery had stepped infront of Nyreena, "If you want to help your friends, you'll have to get through me first," she said with a mischevious glint in her eye, "I may be the younger sibling, but when it comes to combat... my brother is an infant compared to me." She warned, a over-confident and crooked smile accompanying the look in her eyes.

"Then you forget the first rule of being ghost," Nyreena said, sliding into the ground then reappearing behind Fuery. "We're not attached to this earth, so we pass through things quite easily." She then delivered a nerve blow to Fuery's back then ran up beside Dominike and knelt down beside him. "Dominike, wake up," she said, touching him on the back, but not realizing that there was a bit of an electrostatic charge clinging to her when she passed through the ground. As soon as the static touched the prince's back, the suprising jolt woke him up and instantly sat up off the ground.

"Whoah, that was some crazy wake-up call," Dominike said as he shook his head clear. He looked to his right, then to his left and saw Nyreena there. He quickly scrambled up off the ground, lifting the ghostly by the arms at the same time, and said, "Are you okay? Are you hurt? What's happening so far?"

"Dominike, I'm fine. But Pierce isn't. He's got an Ice Coffin spell in him, and he's dying. I tried to help, but the amulet I was using was knocked away and a new person's owl somehow retrieved it," Nyreena told him.

"Alright, go stay with Pierce. I'll handle everything else," he said, absent-mindedly kissing her cheek as he left her to deal with the situation.

Nyreena turned as he lefttouching her cheek where Dominike kissed her, blushed a little, then went over to where Pierce was laying. But just as she was about to kneel down next to the dying vampire, a sudden blur came out of nowhere, snatched her up, and carried her out of the opposite side of the clearing, then slammed her against a tree in a darkened part of the area by the neck. "Alright, who's this now?," she managed to choke out.

"Nothing more than your darkened fate coming to fruitition," Demitri whispered in her ear, placing a kiss on her lips, then traveling down her cheek to her neck where he then expanded his fangs and plunged them into her throat.

Nyreena screamed out in pain, but was instantly silenced as Demitri grasped her throat tighter to dull the sound. Meanwhile, while Dominike was oblivious to Nyreena's disapperance, he was heading over to Chance and the new girl.

Advantage was taken from Demitri's momentary lack of awareness about events around him. Something sharp pierced his back in three, equally spaced, places. It was one of Pierce's sais.

Pierce stood where he had fallen. He stood awkwardly due to his stiff, ice covered side and panted, quavering shallow breathes. He watched Demitri out of eyes that squinted in pain.

The ice expanded further making Pierce gasp and callapse face first. There was no further movement for a few moments, then he began to slowly move and shake as he tried to get back to his feet.

Izin appeared infront of Pierce as he managed to get to his hands and knees.
"I wouldn't move if I were you...," he warned Pierce, "moving increases the rate of growth."

"I-I don't c...," again the ice expanded, but only slightly, cutting off Pierce's words. He caught himself by his elbow and wrapped his other arm around his torso. Blood spattered the ground as he coughed. He rested his forehead on the ground and clenched his fist.

The white clad woman stuck the rod she held in the ground and slid the amulet off the other one. She held the rod that used to weild the amulet over the one stuck in the ground end to end. She let it go, it hovered momentarily then connected as if it were magnetic.
She now held the solid, single rod in one hand and the amulet in the other.

Chance watched her carefully, unsure of her purpose or intentions. She readied herself as the woman approached but there was no sign of aggression from her. Without expecting it the amulet was placed in her hands. She blinked at the mystery woman, "Who are you?" Chance questioned curiously.

"Who I am is irrelevant. You have to help your friend," the stranger shot quickly.

Chance looked over at Pierce, then back at the woman and nodded. Both of them took off and were soon beside Pierce. The woman stood between Pierce and Izin and held her staff diagonally out infront of her deffensively.

The same hollow laugh from earlier sounded from the side of the clearing, it was Lucepheros. Fuery now stood next to him.
"So much drama...," he said sarcastically, "Come Fuery, let us leave Demitri and Izin to deal with the rif-raf. We have other matters to attend to. Holden and Angel have already departed," he said.
There was a whirl of black smoke and one of fire, and when both cleared they where gone.

As Demitri fed, he felt the sai pierce his backside, which caused him to clench his fangs further into Nyreena's neck, which caused more of her blood to be released from the new broken blood vessels. He then slowly slid out hsi canines, slowly turned around while sliding out the sai from his back and letting go of the girl. She stayed upright just for a few seconds, then began to fall, but was caught by Dominike who appeared out from behind the tree. He knelt down while cradling her in his arms and applying pressure to the woulnd to stop the bleeding. Unknowing to him, Demitri was slowly making his way over to Pierce and the others, saying, "How dare you interrupt me, trying to see my destiny come to realization. By doing this, you shall recieve no mercy as I destroy you one by one."

"Chance, get that amulet on Pierce right now," Dominike cried. "Then get down and stay down until I tell you to." Just to make sure that the amulet made it onto Pierce without another interruption, the prince used his own power and chucked a ball of spell energy at Izin and said, "Prato Reversin!"

Of course, no one saw the pair of glowing green eyes up in the tree as a black cat with silver boots, a silver ring around its neck, a dip of silver at the end of its tail, and a tuft of silver on its head jump down and land in front of Dominike and Nyreena, then instantly grew into an adult-sized panther with the same markings. Without warning, he charged foward, reared up, and slashed Demitri's back with long, talon-like clawsThe evil prince cried out in pain and crumpled to the ground, blood gushing out from the wounds. As the great cat backed up to guarding Dominike and Nyreena again, there was a silence for a few seconds before Demitri was back up again, his wounds almost closed up and disappeared.

"Stupid furball," the vampire growled. "Now that I have drank the blood of my destined bride-to-be, some of her truly greatest powers are mine to use. Amazing how the power of healing is so benefical for my cause."

"Oh, crap. This is not good," Dominike said under his breath. "Chance, stay down." He then sent a powerful energy sphere at his brother, which caused Demitri to be thrown back several feet, seriously injuring him. As he struggled to get up, he said, "Izin, return to Lucepheros. They're will be another time to finish them off." He then disappeared into the darkness surrounding him, healing himself again while he left.

Izin glared at Dominike and Nyreena with angrily twitching eyes, "Tch! Giving me orders like he's Lucepheros...," he spat. His figure turned to ice then seemed to sink through the ground.

Chance knelt next to Pierce as the amulet began working the counter curse. Pierce yelled again in agony as the blood red ice rapidly receeded back into the gouge on his side. He coughed once more and more blood ran down the corner of his mouth.
As the last of the ice dispersed Pierce took a deep breath and his breathing went back to normal, but he remained unconcious.

The woman in white stood back watching with her staff in hand and owl perched upon her shoulder. She held her hand up flat to the owl and it twittered and pecked gently at a few morsels in her hand, "Go to, Izeikial, your work is done here, for your help, I thank you," she said softly. The bird chirped and flew off.

Chance looked up at the woman, her speaking reminding her that she was there, "Who are you? Why did you help us?" She asked in a more demanding tone than before.

No answer. The woman just closed her eyes and gently crossed her arms.

"It's best that you answer," Dominike advised the white-clad woman. "You don't want to incite her wrath with the temper she has."

"Is she going to be all right?," a voice inside the prince's head echoed. Dominike, instantly becoming defensive, searched around for the source of the voice when it said, "Look down here, you dummy." Dominike's gaze instantly snapped own to now normal cat in front of him. "Did...you say that?," the prince replied telepathically. "Yes, I did," the cat replied. "I ask you again: is she going to be alright?"

Dominike quickly checked the wound on the girl's neck if it was still bleeding, in which it had stopped, and told the little beast, "For now, she is."

The cat breathed a sigh of relief, then said, "Thank you. Just if you are wondering, I am Cobrinak, master of magic for the Tribunal of the Mystic Order."

"The Tribunal? I thought the Tribunal was lost hundreds of years ago," Dominike told him.

"It was lost all right, but the masters took on a beast form to protect themselves so that the Tribunal could reform again," Cobrinak explained. "Now, how about we join the others?"

"Good idea," the prince agreed, getting up and walking over to the others while carrying Nyreena, with the cat right behind them.

Chance rose to her feet, "Are you trying to start something? Because I will be glad to oblige..." she growled at her mortal enemy distastefully.

The stranger waved her hands deffensively infront of her, "No, no. It's alright I understand the tension between your two races," she assured. After a moment's silence she reached up and removed her mask. Irish red hair fell, covering one eye and her long braid held in a tight bun. Something was barely visible underneath her bangs, next to her eyes, but what it was, was uncomprehensible and Chance thought better then to ask.

"My name is Nuffiyne Celtric, you probably already know me by my bad reputation as assisting in the Tribunal's demise...," she admitted with closed eyes.

Izin's figure of ice arose in an abandoned building that served as Lucepheros' current hideout. His features came around and he looked around the small cavity. No one was here. He put his pointer and middle finger together and to his temple and closed his eyes in concentration.
He opened them again, "What are they doing there?" He questioned himself aloud.
Once again his figure turned to ice and melted through the floor. This time he turned up in a darkened, gloomy bar. He looked around, a look of shock crossing his face. At first he had thought it deserted but as he looked around he saw the many shriveled corpses around him.

Out of the silence came Lucepheros' hollow, empty voice, "Beautiful, isn't it?" He asked Izin retorically, appearing behind him in a whirl of black smoke as before.

Izin didn't respond, just starred, horror struck around the bar.

"What's the matter?" Lucepheros continued.

"Th-this wasn't supposed to happen...," Izin managed through his practically locked jaw, as he turned slightly to glance at Lucepheros, "...why? Why them? Why did you kill all these innocent people?" He continued, getting more frantic as he did.

Lucepheros simply smirked. He walked by, pulled something out of his red trench coat and handed it to Izin as he walked past. At first, Izin refused to look at it but when he finally did, his pupils shrunk to nearly the size of needle heads. He fell with a thud to his knees starring down at what he held in his hand.
He felt weak and faint as he starred at a small 5" by 6" picture frame with broken glass and blood smeared across it.
The picture was that of a young couple holding two twin babies, one a girl... and one a boy.

"Not going soft on me are you?" Lucepheros asked as he cruelly shoved a corpse off of a barstool, lazily sat down in it and propped his blood-stained boots on the bar.

"H-how could you? You swore you wouldn't...," Izin's voice trailed off as he champed his teeth and tears began to fall. They turned to ice and rolled across the ground with small metallic clinks.

"Wait a minute," Cobrinak said, leaping up on top of Nyreena and staring Nuffiyne straight in the face for a few seconds. "I remember you now. Yes, yes, I saw you just before the other masters took refuge in their new forms. Why did you do it? For sport, pure ambition, why?"

Meanwhile, Nyreena was stirring, but not much, due to still being weak from the blood loss. As soon as he felt her starting to regain conciousness, Dominike lowered her legs to the ground, while the cat jumped to the ground, and the prince helped her stay steady while she came her around. As she put a hand to her head, she slowly opened her eyes while saying, "Oh, what happened? Man, I must have been really knocked out because my head is throbbing. And why am I so weak?"

"Easy, Nyreena," Dominike told her. "You've lost a good amount of blood when Demitri fed on you. You're still going to be a little under the weather until you can get your strength back."

"Is Pierce okay, though," she asked, her voice coming out as a whisper.

"Yes, your amulet worked. He lives to see another day," the prince told her, a somber smile crossing his face.

As Izin appeared in the bar, so did Demitri, fully healed again thanks to Nyreena's regenerating power in her blood. He remained in the shadows until the man of ice fell to his knees and began to cry. He then emerged, saying, "Oh look, the iceman has a warm and fuzzy heart. Let me guess, you went against your word on something, Lucepheros?"

"Naturally," Lucepheros began in a matter-of-factly tone, "I just didn't want dear ol' ma and pa getting between us."

Izin was now silent and still, starring at the picture. His mind flew back to the night before as he sat on one of the posts of his parent's bed and watched the gentle heave of their breathing as they slept.

Fuery stood in the shadows on the other side of Lucepheros, watching her brother in sick amusement.

Out of the silence Lucepheros spoke again, "Not gonna hold any grudges are you? That would make working with you a little difficult... I would have to send you back up to meet your paren..." He was cut off.

"You...bastard...," Izin managed under his breath. His whole body beginning to shake in anger.

"Oooh the iceman's got a little fire in him," Lucepheros said in mock-fear.

Izin exploded, "Shut up!" He screamed at him, twisting and throwing three ice daggers in Lucepheros' direction. In a blaze that melted his daggers and evaporated them completely, Fuery appeared between Izin and Lucepheros.
She went for a counter attack but his figure had already turned to ice and sank through the floor. Fuery went to follow, but was stopped, "Let him go," Lucepheros demanded, "He has become too soft for our cause."

"But..."
"Don't worry, because of you it will be far too easy to monitor him," Lucepheros reassured her before she could finish her protest.

She turned to face him, "With all do respect sir," she continued despite, "He cannot survive on his own...on his own the enemy will deffinately kill him."

"And what's the significance of that I wonder... your not going soft on me too are you?"

"I assure you...no. Sir, if he were to die...I would die as well."

"Aaahh...," Lucepheros slowly got down off the bar stool. He stood facing Fuery now, "Then it would only make sense for you to give us what we need from you now."

"What?" Fuery replied, but before she could comprehend the words Lucepheros spoke again, "Bearium!" He yelled, a shadow extended out of those on the ground and solidified, binding around her. She wasn't able to move.
Lucepheros walked up and examined his work.

Fuery struggled but found her efforts futile.

"Demitri, you are the last person i can truelly trust to get the job done... first dibs?" He offered, indicating to Fuery.

Izin appeared atop an old abandoned church not far from where the clearing was. He yelled at the top of his lungs and punched the roof with all his might, making a hole and a dust cloud rise. His yell rang throughout the forest and the clearing.
"No...it was nothing like that, it was...," Nuffiyne was cut off by the yell and everybody looked in the direction of the source.

"What was that?," Nyreena asked.

"No clue. But I think we should check it out," Dominike suggested. "My senses are telling me it's something distressing."

"Well, then. Let's go," Cobrinak said, already running in the direction of the church.

Helping Nyreena along, both she and Dominike hurried after the cat, with Chance, Pierce, and Nuffiyne bringing up the rear. A few minutes later, they were all looking over a hedge of bushes on the side of the church where Izin was on the roof.

"Hey, isn't that Izin," Nyreena whispered, recognizing the outline of the guy who nearly killed Pierce.

"It is," Dominike replied, also recognizing him. "I wonder what he's doing here."

"I thought you would never ask," Demitri replied, going up to Fuery, holding a ball of dark, evil, magic encasing his hand, and simply touching her with it, began sucking out her power as well as her life. "Then let's see if we can get your brother to come to your rescue and take what he has for our own as well."

"Down to my last breath in the realm of the living...," Izin began quietly to himself as he sat on his knees right before the hole in the roof, "even if it means I will never see my parents again...Lucepheros...i'll kill you...I'll kill you!" His voice rang out even louder than before.

Thunder clouds above finally released their heavy load as it began to poor and lightning fllashed furiously in the distance, followed by the great rumble of thunder.

Nuffiyne propped Pierce against the shelter of a tree and gently whiped his forehead. Behind her, next to Nyreena, Chance spoke, "Who is he talking about? Where are the rest of them?" She directed to no one in particular.

Nuffiyne stood and turned, "Let me go talk with him." She insisted without emotion. Not waiting for consent, she walked past the group and through the bushes.

"Wait!" Chance exclaimed in a loud whisper.

Nuffiyne stopped, but didn't turn, "I have lived my life with what I have done, and have tried like hell to make it better. Truth is, that's impossible, there's no such thing as forgiveness for the things i've done..." She closed her eyes.

"But he'll kill you...," Chance protested

"...and if he does?" Nuffiyne countered

Chance was smitten with shock.

Nuffiyne continued, "Then I will have finally gotten what I deserve...," she looked back with a re-assuring smile, shocking Chance even further. She continued toward the church and put one hand out to her side, "besides, when it all comes down to it...he's still just a kid."

"but still...," Chance whispered to herself as she watched Nuffiyne's retreating figure with sadenning eyes. 'I just met her...yet I feel so close to her...'

Lucepheros watched, unphasedly, as Fuery struggled against the binding. With every second she fought less and less, "If you...drain me...you do the same, to Izin... and he'll be worthless to you...," she managed between heaving breathes.
Lucepheros looked beyond her to Demitri as if to ask what he wanted to to about it.

"If this is the path you choose, then I say this to you: if it works, your future will be bright, but if you should fall, then your history will still be known to all who wish to know it," Cobrinak said to Nuffiyne, in reality commending her for her time on the earth.

"Always spitting wise words and commencements, aren't you?," Nyreena asked, scratching the cat behind the ears.

"I'm old, what else is new, miss?," the master replied, purring.

"Well, better get going now before he decides to move on," Dominike suggested, not wanting to rush the opportunity.

"Then a pity to that you shall both suffer an undying death so horrible that your screams will be heard everywhere who have crossed from this earth," Demitri whispered to Fuery. "Welcome to my undead army, you fool." He then looked up to see Lucepheros's expression asking the question, and replied, with an expression saying, "All in due time, my friend. All in due time."

Another blinding flash of lightning blazed and lit up the entire midnight sky. In that flash, Nuffiyne appeared on the other side of the roof from Izin.

The rumble of thunder was louder than before.

"The storm is slowly drawing nearer," Chance observed, now looking off into the distance beyond the church. The noise must have reminded her of Pierce, because she looked back at him under the protection of the oak tree behind them, "I'm amazed that the storm hasn't awoken him," she admitted, though she knew he was more unconcious than asleep.

The only sound now was the harsh drumming of rain and Izin's soft sobs as Nuffiyne silently watched him from where she stood.

"You will be able to see your parents again child...," Nuffiyne told Izin softly, making him start at the realization that he was not alone.

Izin quickly got to his feet and stood deffensively, expecting her to attack.
"Who are you?" He demanded, then something came to his attention.

As the wind blew, Nuffiyne's bangs were tossed and the secret that subsided beneath it, beside her eye, was revealed. A small cross scar seemed to have been burnt into her temple. Upon further inspection, Izin noticed many more scars around her forehead. His pupils shrank to almost non-existant specks.

"Mo...ther?" He managed though he was breathless, finally realizing where he had recognized her from, "but how?"

Nuffiyne sighed, "A long time ago before the fall of the Tribunal I was a mortal woman who found love with an Irish vampire, because of what he was both of us ecknowledged the fact that we would never be able to bring a life into this world. Time passed and we lived in love for the time. The Tribunal excepted his request and he became a close member. One night he came home in high spirits when he found out that the Tribunal's scientists had developed a way for immortals to bear living offspring, but the next day they denied us of it's use when he asked. That night when he came home we both decided we would seek those who planned the demise of the Tribunal for help on the matter. They were happy to have him, but for me to join I would have to be turned. That was the day that I recieved my powers and joined the cause. Izeikial's being a member of the Tribunal helped their cause jurastically. That is the only reason we were successful and when we were, we stole the formula, because he was never suspected, I was the one labeled traitor. We retreated together without a trace and went into hiding. My first child was born...," she paused.

Izin, who was listening intently with the same face of shock as when she began to speak, spoke in response, "I have another sibling?"

"Yes Izin...I named him, Pierce. The very man you almost killed this night," she replied, closing her eyes.

Izin hung his head in remorse.

Nuffiyne continued, "A month later we were betrayed by Holden and Angel, two of the cause's members. They found us and murdered us by means of the cruxifix curse. He was the only survivor and the reason Holden and Angel have tracked him his whole life. Not to mention he works so hard to create a counter curse...so nobody will ever have to go through what his parents did."

"If you died...how is it possible that you came back to Earth and had us?" Izin asked as his head shot up and he tried, desperately, to grasp what she had said.

"I was sent back, not unlike you two," she answered with a slight smile. Izin's shocked expression came back to him.
"I ended up falling in love again, with the man i was sent to protect and then you two came along. You were born human because your father was, yet you retained the powers you would have as immortals. Then that day came...the plane crash you two died in fifteen years later...," she paused, fighting back tears unsuccessfully, "I was able to pull off the job I was sent to do. I protected your father...but I couldn't save you two... I let your father believe he had survived by chance and that i had perished in the crash as well, and i went back. For leaving I was cast out of heaven but was given the job to watch over Pierce. I couldn't let him find out I still remained on Earth... then I find that you two had been cast out as well..."

There was silence as Izin hung his head again. His mind drifted back to that night's happenings. Upon remembering the look on Pierce's face, the look of pain, when he had plunged his dagger into his brother's side. Izin began to shake, "Your lying...," he mumbled barely audibly without raising his head. More pebbles of ice hit the roof between his knees. He was crying.

Nuffiyne looked at Izin in shock.

"Don't toy with my head!" Izin screamed and launched himself over the hole, at Nuffiyne.
She didn't move, a tear rolled down her cheek almost unnoticed due to the rain. She closed her eyes.

Izin drew an ice dagger and drove it into her stomach. For what seemed like an eternity they both stood there, motionless. Finally, a stream of blood formed in the corner of Nuffiyne's mouth. She rose her arms shakily and wrapped Izin in a hug despite the pain in her stomach and the fact that this movement drove it further in.

Izin was shocked. More than ever.

Below, Chance watched in horror. She felt useless.

The pelting rain had worked Nuffiyne's hair loose. It fell all the way down to her thighs. She remained hugging Izin, resting her chin gently ontop of his head.

Izin was too shocked to fight. He felt himself getting weaker, but thought it was just because of all he had been through this night.
Suddenly, both him and Nuffiyne collapsed on the roof. Nuffiyne still holding Izin in her arms.

When the flash of lightning appeared and Nuffiyne transported to the roof, it made Nyreena jump a little, not expecting the older woman to use that power.

"You ok?," Dominike asked, feeling her jump beside her.

"Yeah," she replied. "Just didn't expect her to go over there so fast."

"Well, ther's somethig familiar about her, that's for sure," the prince thought aloud. "But what it is is still a mystery to me."

"Maybe if you two ill shut up and listen, you might be able to find out," Cobrinak snapped, jumping up on top of the bush, crouching down, and curling his tail around his legs. "I want to find out for myself why this woman is risking her afterlife to simply speak with this boy of ice."

The two eyed the master a minute, then nodded in Chase's direction while eyeing the Irish vampire themselves.

Then as the wind blew and revealed the cross-shaped burns, the row of eyes between the prince, ghost and cat got bigger, and bigger still when they heard Izin called Nuffiyne his mother. AS they heard the history of her life unfolded, they could only watch in silence and dumbfoundment. Then, when they heard that Pierce was Izin's brother, all three head turned in unsion to look at the unconsious vampire. They only turned back as Izin asked his question and Nuffiyne answered with her explanation. At firfst, they thought there was nothing else to be said but the real shocker came when Izin said he didn't believe her and attacked. After they collasped, Cobrinak instantly shot up, jumped off, and ran over, using his magical skill to easily jump up to the roof. "Dominike, Chance, I require your assistance!," he called, his voice ringing through the rain.

"Are you going to be okay here?," Dominike asked Nyreena, still concerned about her attack.

"I'll be fine. Cobrinak needs you first," she replied. "Hopefully Pierce will wake up soon."

He nodded, then helped her over to where Pierce was, then leaped over the shrubbery to help the cat.

Chance's mind was hesitant about helping alongside Dominike but something compelled her and she was first on the scene behind Cobrinak. She knelt about two feet from Izin, and slowly, unsuredly reached her hand out to check his pulse. Her hand was shaking and her eyes, unblinking.

Izin's hand shot up and grabbed her wrist, making her jump, "Please...make it quick," he whispered to her.

After a moment Chance's eyes sadenned, "We aren't here to harm you...we're here to help you," she explained to him with a faint but sad smile.

Izin turned his head to look at her with barely opened eyes. He did not speak, instead, he put his fingers to his temple and closed his eyes completely.
After a few silent moments an image from nowhere flashed in Chance's head. 'It must be what Izin is seeing' she thought, seeing the image of the bar, Fuery, Lucepheros, and Demitri. She saw Demitri draining Fuery's powers and life fource but didn't know exactly what he was doing.

"Me and my sister will soon be dead," Izin said, looking back at Chance after he removed his fingers from his temple.

Chance realized Izin still held on to her wrist, 'So that was how...' She turned to Cobrinak, "Sir, we have to stop them, or they will die..."

Another bolt of lightning surged, but this one was unique. It headed straight for the roof top on the opposite side from the small group. It seemed to be controlled. It struck, but did no damage to the roof. When it had subsided, a rather handsome and clean-cut young man was standing in it's place. He wore a white tailcoat tux and his hair was long and deep teal colored. He had a mild smile and a polite glint in his seafoam green eyes, that seemed to glow in the midnight darkness.

As soon as Chance recieved the vision, Dominike was right beside her and instantly picked up on it and saw all that was happening.

"I understand," Cobrinak replied. "Go. Dominike and I will handle things here."

He then leapt over to her, touched her forehead with his tail, which was glowing a light cream color, and said, "I am giving you the power of telekinesis, but is only a temporary power. Once it runs out, you must use your other skills to aid you in your mission. Now go, there's not a moment to lose!"

Suddenly, the cat's fur stood on end as the lightning struck the roof and the man appeared. He quickly whipped around, already shifted into his panther form, and fell into a defensive position. Dominike was on his feet as well, sword drawn and pointing at the man, and demanded, "Who are you, why are you here, and what reasons do you have for being here?"

Nyreena, from her position behind the bushes was watching all that was happening, and was getting a really uneasing feeling about the newcomer.

Chance growled and drew a dagger, reacting alongside the other two. Her canine side reacted to their tension, but the young man was calm and had a sirene aura about him. She still couldn't help but remain deffensive.

"No offense intended, Sir Cobrinak, but usually masters recognize their apprentices even if their hair has grown out," the young man admitted with a small chuckle. He looked to Dominike and bowed stifly, then continued, "Prince Dominike, I am Ubin, I have come to release Nuffiyne and take her place. She will be returning to Limbo for the rest of time." As he spoke his voice was not threatening, but soft, gentle, and calming.

Pierce took a deep breath, coughed a few times, then slowly opened his eyes. He didn't move yet, he felt as though he couldn't. He was still weak from blood loss and he hadn't fed all day.

Cobrinak stared at him for a few seconds, trying to match the young man up with face in his memory. Then, as he remembered his apprentice, it clicked and he said, "Ubin. What happened to you? The last I saw of you was when the Tribunal fell."

"I have heard of you, Ubin," Dominike said. "But very little."

"Chance, what are you doing here?," the cat realized. "You need to go now!"

"Pierce," Nyreena said, looking at him when she heard him breathe. "How are you feeling."

"Yes," Ubin walked up to Cobrinak and knelt in a bow like he used to do, "I am sorry that I could not hold them off longer than I did, but I am glad it was enough for the elders to escape. After you had left I managed to defeat Izeikial, but I was blindsided just moments after by Daeanook, I was too weak then to counter."

Chance starred at Ubin as he spoke, the name, Daeanook, sounded so familiar to her, but Cobrinak's words cut off her thoughts. She looked at the ground and spoke, "It's not that I am ungrateful...," she began, " but what is of a gift if you do not know how to use it?" She asked him turning her unsure gaze upon Cobrinak.

With all the distraction, nobody noticed when Izin got weakly to his feet, "Trust in yourself...you'll know what to do, but for now, there is no time to waste." He spoke with difficulty but with urgency as well.

Chance ran over and supported him against her side before he fell. "Are you sure about this?" She asked.

"For now, I will get us there. Don't be afraid and stay still," Izin advised. Both their forms turned to ice and they both melted through the floor.

"I feel as though i've been stabbed in the side," Pierce joked with a weak smile.
"Nyreena...i'm sorry I wasn't there for you...partner," he told her as he saw the bite marks on her neck. He tried to sit up, but his side and the pain, both, had stiffened him to the spot.

Lucepheros had gone back and sat down, waiting for the process to be over with.
The forms of ice formed on the opposite side of the bar from him and Demitri to reveal Chance and Izin.

"I get it now," Cobrinak replied. "At least now I know that you did survive and now we both can bring back the Tribunal and begin it again."

"It's all right, Pierce," Nyreena said. "Be thankful I had an amulet that saved you or else things would be a lot worse without you. For right now, rest. You need to regain the strength you lost."

Demitri saw both Izin and Chance appear out of the corner of his eye. His vision snapped to their direction and he said, "Well, lookie here. He finally came, and he even brought the mutt with him. It's too late anyways, for all of you. Fuery is just about dead, and there's absolutely nothing neither one of you can to do to stop it."

"I would be honored sir," Ubin told his master, "but first I must see to why I am here." He returned to his feet and walked over to Nuffiyne who lay silently and un-moving on her back. Ubin knelt next to her and simply touched the hilt of the dagger. A light seemed to burst out of nowhere and the dagger began to glow. Once the light had vanished so did the dagger.
Next, he placed his hand gently over her stomach, closed his eyes, and whispered a few words that no one could make out. Her entire body burst into the same kind of light and was gone as the light was.
Ubin once again returned to his feet and turned to face Dominike and Cobrinak, "You have comrades down there, this night has lasted long enough," he said smiling kindly, "You should get to a dry place and see to it that they recover. Tomorrow will be by far a more pleasant time. I will go and assist the werewolf princess and the cast outs." He offered, his kind smile keeping.

Chance growled while Izin just analyzed the situation. Izin leaned into Chance's ear and whispered something that he made sure no one else could hear.
Chance let a sly but slight smile crawl onto her face, "are you sure that is how it works?" She asked, not taking her eyes off of Demitri.
Izin nodded, "Positive." He assured.

Chance took out her dagger again, but this time threw it. It flew through the air, aiming straight for the hand that Demitri used to drain Fuery.

Lucepheros simply remained sitting where he was. He took a glass from the bar and drank from it. When it was empty he casually tossed it. It was on a collision course for the dagger.

Chance saw the glass heading for the dagger and instinctively stuck out her hand. The dagger somehow dodged over the cup, letting it smash to the ground, and continued it's course.

"What?!" Lucepheros growled.

"It's telekinesis," Demitri told him. "It had to have been that cat. There's more to the furball than I thought." He quickly retracted his hand, causing the magic to cease before it could suck the power and life out of Fuery. He then quickly grabbed the hilt of the blade before it could damage him. "It's going to take a lot more than simply using a little mind trick to stop me," he told her.

"I agree," Dominike said. "Come on. My senses are telling me that Pierce is awake. He's probably going to need nourishment to help him get better."

"I concur," Cobrinak replied. "We need to go to a secure location so that we can sort out what we need to plan to stop your brother."

The prince nodded, then he and the cat jumped down to where Nyreena and Pierce were at. "You guys doing ok," Dominike as soon as he landed.

"Yeah," Nyreena replied. "Who was that guy?"

"My old apprentice, Ubin," Cobrinak replied. "He helped the other elders escape the downfall of the Tribunal."

"Oh," Nyreena said. "So what are we going to do now?"

"Right now, get you and Pierce to safe location so that you can rest and heal," the prince replied, going over and helping her up.

The same way that Ubin had appeared, he had vanished. Before he knew it he was standing outside the bar. He looked around to see where this place was, but there was nothing else around. Not even a plant. Just mud and the bar itself.

"Well that bought us some time...but what are we gonna do now?" Chance asked Izin in a whisper.

"Demitri...what a shame to see you like this...relying on little girls for your power? Tsk tsk...," a voice sounded from the darkened and now open door. Lightning flashed again lighting up the place and revealing the person to be none other than Ubin.

Fuery struggled a little more, "What are you guys doing here? Why are you trying to save me?" She asked as she began to gain her breath back.

"Well to be quite frank darlin' we're not here to save you...technically we're here to save your brother." Ubin answered before anyone else could manage. Feeling the reluctance of the place he took off his glasses and whiped them clean on the bottom of his tux top as he leant against the door-jam.

Pierce smiled, "That's the best thing i've heard all night," he agreed, trying with what was left of his strength to get up on his own.

"Who are you?," Demitri growled. "How dare you mock me, you little worm. Give me a good reason why I shouldn't destroy you where you stand? And don't think I'm done with you, Fuery. You and you're brother will be part of my undead army, just you wait. And when I'm done with the both of you, I'm putting the mutt down as well."

"Come on, let's head back to the lab then," Dominike suggested. "At least there we can come up with a solution to our delimma."

"I agree," Nyreena said. "With the lab equipment, we could create something that will stop your brother once and for all."

Chance growled.

"Hmmm... that's a tough one...," Ubin said sarcastically as he slipped his glasses back on, "Let's see...You shouldn't destroy me...because you can't." He stated flatly, looking up at Demitri sharply. He now started over toward Fuery in a simple walk, "I am Kozekono Ubin, the one who killed Izeikial and single handedly fended off the march against the Tribunal." As he spoke his glasses flashed reflecting the lightning.

Pierce finally managed to get to his feet. He stumbled forward a little but caught himself. He couldn't, however, manage to stand straight, "No, I have a better place...," he protested, as he swayed.

"Ah, so you're the one who fought off everyone of the resistance," Demitri figured. "But of course, I have grown in my power. You say I can't destroy you, but I have a power more destructive than what the Tribunal could ever teach!" He then summoned this power, and blasted it in Ubin's direction. "Fall at my hand!," the evil prince cackled.

"Then let's go," Dominike said. "Tell where it is and let's get going."

"The Tribunal fell hundreds of years ago... I was killed then and I have been chosen to come back. Of course I have some new powers alongside those that have grown," Ubin held up his arms and crossed them infront of him. He whispered a few words and a white shield of light formed infront of him blocking the attack but sliding him back some few feet.

Lucepheros simply watched Ubin in odd facination, when an arrow of the same kind of light as formed the shield shot from around it and stuck on the solidified shadows that bound Fuery. The bindings errupted into flame and crumpled to the ground as ash, dropping a weakened Fuery to her knees.
Lucepheros growled in anger and went for Fuery but found that he couldn't move his feet. He looked down to see that the floor, and his feet were covered with ice. He looked over to see Izin with his hand to the ground and shot his hand out infront of him, aiming a ball of fire that he threw at Izin.

Ubin broke off his shield, his shoulder getting caught by the attack, and ran over, knocking Chance and Izin out of the way.

Fuery had managed to gain enough strength, she had disappeared in a whirl of fire.

Seeing this Ubin held on to both Chance and Izin with one hand and shot his free arm into the air. A bolt of lightning came down through the roof and they were gone. Along with it, the ice that held Lucepheros to the spot.

"Aaaaarrrgghh!," Demitri cried, his attack failing to complete. As they disappeared, he cried, "No! How could you just stand there and let him defend himself like that? Are you trying at all?!"

"Pierce, if you want, you can ride my panther form just in case you get too winded to our destination," Cobrinak said, shifting forms. "And where would it be, by the way?"

Lucepheros chuckled, "well... no." He stated simply. "Do not fret, my distressed friend. This is but a minor set-back. It's not like we don't have all the time in the world. You are far too hasty in these matters." He walked over and placed a hand on Demitri's shoulder as he spoke.

Pierce smiled weakly "Thanks for the offer but I would much rather suffer through the walking myself then to ride atop the back of an honorable elder... especially with the things I have done in my past." He said limping ahead. He looked around then back to the small group, "the place we are going now is about three miles North-West of here."

The familiar flash of lightning signaled the return of Ubin and the others, but it was somehow weaker than before. Pierce turned and saw their figures infront of the church, "over here!" He called out. The small group waited until the others rejoined them. Izin still lent on Chance but he was beginning to gain his strength back. Ubin held his shoulder and the entirety of his white sleeve was now stained red with blood and it was dripping from his fingertips.

"Ubin, what happened?!," Cobranik inquired, concerned when seeing the injury. "Is everyone else alright?"

"You're right," Demitri replied. "We need to take our time with our goal and plans. We should retire to a more secluded location where we cannot be found to brew a better scheme to get at our enemies."

"Let's talk as we're heading to our hide-out," Dominike said, beginning to walk with Nyreena and Pierce with them.

"There! See? Much better of conduct. Now you're thinking like a rational and more effective demon. But tell me friend... you're looking a little pale...when was the last time you fed? You know, being what you are." He questioned in a slightly genuine sounding tone.

Ubin kept a firm grip on his wounded shoulder, but the bleeding did not cease nor slow. "You needn't be concerned with this, it is a small wound." He assured Cobrinak then continued, "We lost track of the girl, but everyone else is well and Izin seems to be gaining back his strength slowly." He explained as he started walking with Izin and Chance, following Pierce, Nyreena, and Dominike.

"That's good to know," Cobrinak replied, reassured.

"Alright, then," Dominike said, deciding to get everyone moving quickly. "Pierce, take the lead. The sooner we get to the hideout, the better chance we have to get a plan together."

"The last time was when I fed on that ghost girl," Demitri replied. "Ever since, I've been able to exceed my normal strength level....."

He stopped for a second, thinking of what he just said, then his eyes got very big. "That's it," he said, realizing what he said. "That girl's blood, it's the key to extending my people's power. I must have her to see the full effect are to this discovery."

Pierce nodded and limped ahead as they headed up the hill, being the only one knowing where they were headed. As they went the trees got thicker and the rocks got steeper and sharper. The rain also made the land muddy and unstable.

"Your power may have increased... but not your health. It seems as though you still need the blood of the living to survive." Lucepheros told him looking over the minor scrapes and bruises that Demitri had that should have been long since healed.

As the terrain got harder and steeper, there was a few times that Nyreena slipped a little and Dominike had to keep a good grasp on her so that she wouldn't fall all the way down.

"You're right," Demitri agreed, also looking himself over. "I will go and hunt before the sun rises. Where shall I meet you when I finish?"

Finally, after what seemed an eternity of climbing and stumbling the group arrived at the mouth of a great cave. It was dry and warm the instant they stepped inside. At first the cave looked empty all except for the rock pillar made up of a stalagmite and stalactite that joined over time, that was found in the center of the cave. Pierce walked up to it and pulled a match out of his pocket. He struck it to light it then held it to a crevice in the pillar. A little flame sparked inside the hole and shot up through the hollowed middle and across the ceiling of the cave. Candle chandeliers that hung from the ceiling lit up in the blink of an eye and a log cabin was now visible at the back of the cave. It went from the floor all the way to the ceiling and had large windows across the front. This was where Pierce lived.

"I'll find you." Lucepheros told Demitri, and before protest could be stated he was gone in a whirl of black smoke.

The sight of the cave astounded everyone as the light surrounded them and revealed the cabin. After a few seconds of marveling, Dominike and Nyreena moved forward towards it.

After being left alone, Demitri quickly began detecting human scents and immediately sped out to the nearest location, where a young hobo was walking around, never knowing that the vampire prince was there. After a few seconds of watching him, the nosferatu quickly attacked and drained him of every last drop. After standing up and letting the new life flow through, the cuts and bruises healed instantly, restoring him.

"Ahh, much better," he glowered, his red eyes glowing intensely.

Pierce smirked at the reaction of the others, "The perfect place to restore ourselves." He stated proudly as he walked up to the front door. He placed his hand on the security pad aside it and a green light flashed, scanning his hand. It blinked green and the door lock clicked signaling that it had been unlocked. Pierce swung the door open and gestured for the others to enter before him. He flicked on a switch when all the others had entered and the first room inside was the living room/kitchen. It was open and wide and full of finished wood furniture and floors. The cushioning on the living room furniture and the rugs were animal fur of all kinds (except endangered and illegal) There wasn't a single electronic device in sight.

A crow landed on a tin roof of the alley, where Demitri attacked his victim, with a loud clatter. It cawed at him then scanned him with deep maroon eyes.

"Oh, Pierce, it's so beautiful," Nyreena said, her eyes reflecting her amazement. "This entire place is yours? It's more perfect than I could ever imagined."

But all of that took all the strength that she had saved from being attacked by Demitri, and almost collapsed onto the floor if not for Dominike catching her in the nick of time.

"Is there a place where I can place her? I think my brother may have attacked her a bit harsher than I thought."

Demitri looked up when he heard the caw of the crow. He met its eyes, smiled, than nodded, understanding the bird's message.

"Yes, follow me. I'll show you the guest rooms, and I can show you yours while we are there." Pierce offered heading toward the hallway off of the kitchen. He lead them through it. They passed a door that an odd glow streamed out of the cracks around it, then they came to a small, wooden spiral staircase lit very dimly. At the top there was a hall with multiple rooms leading off of it. Pierce opened the closest door and flicked on the light. These rooms where completely unlike downstairs. They looked as though they were now in a five star hotel.
"Go ahead and put her on the bed while I show the rest of them their rooms. I'll come back to show you yours once the others are settled in." He explained then returned to the hall and showed Ubin, Izin, and Chance their rooms. "Sir? Would you like a room of your own or would you like to stay with someone? Beg your pardon for asking..." Pierce asked Cobrinak.

The crow cawed again then flew down and landed on Demitri's shoulder. It took off again not seconds after and began leading the way down the more discrete end of the alley.

"Sounds good to me," Dominike replied, helping the ghost girl over to the bed and gently setting her down.

"I'll stay with Nyreena," Cobrinak answered, hopping up onto the bed. "It's best that I stay with her in case anything happens."

Demitri quickly followed the crow, not knowing where the bird was taking him, but trusting the guide either way.

"Yes, that's true." Pierce agreed then nodded and entered Ubin's room. He was sitting on the bed with his eyes closed, deep in thought. Pierce cleared his throat as a sign that he was there. Ubin slowly opened his eyes and looked over at him. "That wound needs tended to." Pierce told him in a matter-of-factly tone. Ubin looked at Pierce then at his arm and didn't bother to argue.
Pierce smiled and walked into the bathroom of Ubin's room and came back out a few minutes later with some supplies. He started tending to the cut on Ubin's arm and soon after came to a conclusion, "All I can do is stop the bleeding. This is a wound from dark magic at a magnitude that I have never dealt with before. The pain will remain with you for quite some time." Pierce explained regretfully. Ubin smirked, "I've dealt with worse before I assure you."
When Pierce had finished and cleaned up he headed back down the hall to get Dominike and show him his room. "Sir Dominike?"

As the crow lead Demitri they came to an intersection with another alley. At the moment Demitri was in the middle of the intersection a man smacked into him. The man was a young, muscular african american. He was heaving breathes and sweating. He landed on his back, knocking the breath clean out of him. The crow flew up and landed on the head of a gargoyle then cawed and flapped at Demitri.

"Just tell me where it is," Dominike told Pierce, heading towards the bathroom. "Nyreena's going to need help taking care of her bite wound."

Demitri growled and quickly pushed the young man off and into the opposite wall. "How dare you knock me off my path. Who are you and what is your purpose for your interference?"

"It's number 5 sir. Can you tend to it or am I needed to?" Pierce asked.

The man coughed then startled and bolted back up to his feet. "Oh great another one...," he panted. Suddenly he heard a heavy thud and then another lighter one behind him. He spun around to see Holden and Angel at the entrance to the alley. "Give it up! You're never gonna catch me!" He hollered at them then remembered Demitri behind him and jumped back up against the wall glancing between Holden and Angel, and Demitri.
When Holden saw Lucepheros his cocky smile turned to a frown, "What are you doing here?" He asked, walking closer.
'Great, that confirms it...they know each other. Now what?' The young man thought to himself.

"I can," Dominike replied, coming out with a wet towel. "But if you got any ointments or medicines for a vampire bite, it would be appreciated."

"You tell me," Demitri growled, walking right up to the young man. "And if I were you, I keep my mind shut or else something might slip out unexpectedly."

"In-fact I do," Pierce said, "I shall return momentarily," he said turning and walking out the door.

Not two seconds after Pierce left the hall did Chance appear in the doorway of Nyreena's room. She leaned against the door jam and silently watched Dominike then, after a few moments, she spoke up, "so I guess we're on the same team for once...for now" she said with a certain reluctance.

Pierce stumbled down the stairs. He began to feel the fatigue from being so active with the blood-loss. He went down the hall and stopped at the door with the mysterious glow behind it. He opened it and the glow lit up the entire hallway. He entered and closed the door behind him. Just inside was another part of the cave untouched by the cabin. Most of the floor was a brilliant blue pond. It glowed due to the glowing of the lichens that covered the walls in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Pierce walked around the rim of the deep pond and down a tunnel, equally lined with lichens, with chizzled-in stairs. At the bottom there was another wooden door with a lock on it. He pulled out a old key and unlocked the door. Again, it was like stepping into another world. The walls, floor, and ceiling, was lined with metal plates. He rounded a corner and flipped a light switch. Row by row florescent lights flicked on, a process that seemed to take forever, revealing a seemingly endless garage. There were many cabinets, desks, papers, and gadgets slung about in an oddly organized way. Pierce went straight to a cabinet against a section of wall that looked like a larger version of the one in his lab. He used the same old key to unlock the glass doors of the cabinet and grabbed a jar of controversial looking, yellow ointment. He locked the cabinet back and the door as well on his way back up to the guest hall.

'What?! This one can read my mind?!' The man thought with widening eyes and quickening breathes. He shrunk himself back against the wall as much as he possibly could wishing that he could just dissolve through it. He glanced over noticing that Holden and Angel were now standing right there.
Angel smirked and put a hand on Demitri's shoulder and walking between him and the young man, "Cool it tiger, you wouldn't want to mess up one of the master's plans would you?" She tested slyly.

"I guess, if we can put our past encounters and differences aside for a good long while," Dominike replied, quickly hinting the reluctance. "And what's with the hesitation? I'm beginning to suspect that you're as not what you've been lead to believe. Especially with the true way you act around someone close."

Demitri glared at her, then with removing her hand, replied, "Just learn to keep your distance when it comes to my ways of work. And yes, I can read minds. Just keep yours shut around me. I have ways of digging that you don't want to experience."

"I am as myself, Dominike. I am a wolf... and wolves don't get along with your kind. It's natural and that's how it has been for eternity. Our past doesn't help that fact... but yes, perhaps we can put that behind us for a good...long while." Chance agreed with a small smile, walking up to stand next to him and looking at part of the reason they were currently working toward the same cause, Nyreena.

Angel rose an eyebrow at Demitri, "learn to keep my distance with your work?" she began retoricallly, "you would be dead right now if it wasn't for master's need of you, which would have been a real shame...cause you're kinda cute."
When they started talking the young man waited for his chance and ran for it without any one of them noticing that he had. "...we've been after this guy for months, he is a crucial part of the master's pla..." She was cut off by the screeching caw of the crow that had been watching the entire time.

Dominike nodded, then began wiping away at the dried blood at the area of Nyreena's neck that Demitri bit, getting it cleaned up enough to apply the medicine. After finishing, he discovered that the wound was just about healed. "Huh, figure that," he said under his breath.

"Don't press your luck," Demitri sneered. "It won't do you much good, anyways." He never knew that the young man had made a run for it until the crow cawed, warning them all. "Now look what you've done!," the undead prince cried, quickly following. "After him!"

'At her rate of healing I hope she doesn't completely heal before we get the ointment applied or we will have to try to inject it...either way it will at least reduce whatever effects may result from it...' Pierce thought as he tried to hurry back up to Nyreena.

"Ah!" Angel fumed, offended. "What I did?!" She yelled as she quickly ran after Demitri followed by Holden. When she finally caught up to him she continued, "You know your negativity and stubborness is really counter-productive. Which isn't a good thing when you have to carry out a very intricate plan that decides your destiny." She told him.

The young man ran as fast as he could winding down the allies. He turned as many times as he possible could in an attempt to mislead his pursuers, but the crow was fixated on him. Everywhere the young man turned the crow did as well, leading the trio.