Re: Hunter and The Thief

[questor]

Dante tried to answer all the questions that was thrown at him. "We have four beautiful children. Quintuplets. Three boys and a girl. Kat and I will be bringing them out and about when they are ready to be. How did we meet? I was trying to aquire something and met her that way. She was there to show me the particular piece of art." he grinned. They didn't need to know the particulars.

"After that, well I guess that is when I started working for her brother, and we were seeing each other."

Anubis also was answering questions and building up the story that they would have to discuss so that everything fit.

Inside, Casha rubbed that growing sore spot for a bit longer and took some deep breaths. While Kat, Mary and Marla were busy picking what outfits they liked, Elsa noticed the discomfort in their rich customer and moved over to her quietly, "Are you alright?" She asked. Casha shook her head, "Not really. I need to walk this off." Elsa nodded, "I used to get the Hicks pretty bad. Would you like some iced water or something?" Casha shook her head again and struggled to her feet. "I just need to walk a little, that's all." She replied and made her way to the door. Kat noticed this and quickly dropped everything she was holding. "Casha? Casha, are you ok, honey?" Casha looked flustered and really uncomfortable. "I need some air." She said and went outside. Kat waved her hand at Anubis to get his attention and then pointed to Casha. The woman took some deep breaths and leaned against the wall just out of sight of the still lingering reporters......

Anubis held up his hand and shook his head. "No more questions for now. I will set up a press confrence at my new headquarters downtown tommorow. As you can see Casha is not up to all of this excitement." he smiled and went and put his arm around her. "You ok?" he whispered.

Casha concentrated on her breathing as Finche had instructed her to and eventually, the pain began to subside. When Anubis came to her, she leaned over slightly and put her hands on her knees. She gave him a small nod, "I'll be fine." She said quietly, "Uncomfortable chair, stuffy manager, too much going on at once. I'm just having a hiccup, that's all."....

"Well you can lean on me and once Kat has cleaned out the store we will head on back. I told the reporters that I would have a press conference at my headquarters down town tommorow." He had an office building that he had begun forming into a fortress like structure and making it the central hub for his underground government. He held on to her so she could relax some. The guards were still

keeping them all at a distance. Dante was still at the edge answering questions, but soon had enough himself and stepped back.

After several more minutes and much pleading from the reporters, the guards finally pushed them back far enough that they gave up. A few more snapshots were taken for good measure and the crowd began to disperse. Once this had happened, Casha began to feel better. Her flustered skin began to pale a little, showing she needed to feed. The pain ebbed to a dull ache in her back and she stood up straight again. Soon after that, Kat was finished with the store and emerged with at least two dozen boxes and several attendants. The shopping was handed over and put into the limo and then she arrived around the corner. "Feeling better?" She asked. Casha waved her off somewhat and nodded.....

Once the others had emerged, Anubis and Dante ushered them back into the Limo and the guards retreated to the escort vehilces. Dante waved at the reporters and people and then got in and soon they were on the way. "Well now Michael Vance and ontarouge has made themselves known."

Kat couldn't sit still, "I know!" She squeaked, "Isn't it fabulous? We don't have to hide away anymore." Casha simply sat in silence. Fromt he front of the car, Gabe slid the partition glass aside and turned to look into the cab. Casha had him worried. "Maybe next time, we could do things a little easier." He offered, nodding at the still paling Casha.....

"You need the blood of a live one." Anubis told Casha. He had a couple more of those that the public would not mind seeing executed, locked up in the cell in the mansion. "She will feel better after that. He had a feeling the little one was putting more of a drain on her then they had thought.

Gabe cringed slightly, but said nothing. Across the space, Bernard sat in silence and stared at Casha, then Mary. Casha gave a small nod, deciding not to argue the point over the live blood. The limo soon arrived back at the mansion and Gabe was quick to scatter the guards to their patrols and Garret was quick to help bring Casha indoors. "Should I call the Doc?" He asked Anubis?.....

[questor]

"Just to be safe yes. Since this is basicly the first birth of a child between two of our kind." he told Garret and got Casha back down to the dungeon as he called it. There two men were chained to the wall. One a serial rapist and the other a murderer that had gotten off on a technicality. Those on the police force that were either lycan, vampire, or in their pay, had managed to steer the two into Anubis' clutches. No one would regret that the deaths had occured, nor would there be an investigation into their deaths. The coroner was one of lycans that had managed to get the job and he would simply pass off their deaths as natural causes.

Marla carried in those boxes that had clothing that she had chosen. She had a big grin on her face when she passed Gabe. "Out with the drab and in with the new me." she chuckled. Mary was also carring some boxes, really more then she could really handle and one of the guards helped her.

Dante made the comment to Gabe. "Guess the old man and Mary will have to have body guards detailed to them. Since I guess they will be living her now and will be out and about at times."

[LadyRaven]

Gabe stood with his shoulders firm as he watched Anubis lead Casha down into the basement of the building. He knew what was down there, but he had chosen not to include it in his patrol route through the house. He would leave that to the others. He did however, smile at Marla as she passed him with her shopping. "You were never drab to me." He told her quietly and then smiled openly at Mary as she came past with more boxes and a guard helping her. Bernard, he remained cautious of. He still wasn't sure about that man yet, like he wasn't sure of the old gypsy woman he'd seen. Just for a moment, he wondered where she had gotten to. He would have a guard snoop her out descretely and report back what she was up to and where. Then his thoughts were broken as Dante spoke to him. He gave a small nod, "Casha's Mom, fair enough." He offered, "But I don't like the idea of the old monk here. Not with Anubis and Casha so distracted with this baby." He eyes the old man again cautiously as he wandered through to the living room on his cane.

As usual, Kat sauntered into the house, but instead of gathering with Bernard and Mary, and Marla in the living room, she went upstairs to tend her kittens. The growing wet patches on her shirt said it was feeding time.

In the dungeon, Casha all but clung to Anubis and Garret. The lycan pulled his phone out quickly and made the call. Once he was done, he shifted his form so he could inspire some added fear in Casha's victims. She spied the two men in the cell, noting they were chained to the wall and the second they spotted her, they shuddered. Then, when they saw Garret, they all but started climbing the walls to get away. The cell door was opened, but Casha didn't have the energy to rush in like before. Seeing this, the rapist began to find his spine and smiled coyly at her.
"Well, looky here." He said as he stuck his hips out, "Ain't she just the perdiest thang you ever did see." The fear was fading and Casha could feel it. In response, Garret shot in and pinned the man. That brought the fear back and Casha moved into the cell slowly. The other man stood frozen with his fear and Casha made quick work of him. The rapist, Garret had to hold down somewhat as he tried to fight back against Casha's fangs. It was clear this was taking some effort on her part. With both men dead, Casha staggered back to her feet, but as she moved to Garret, her usual colour didn't return. She looked slightly better than before, but not as she had done that morning. Leaving the cell, Casha stared at the bodies and licked her lips. "I'm still hungry."

[questor]

Anubis nodded as he saw that the two were not enough. The baby was taking alot from her and she needed to feed more. That was not a problem. The scum of the city was always plentiful and he made a call to round up several more. "Lets get her to the security room where she can rest on the couch until the they get here." he told Garret.

Garret nodded and placed himself where she could all but ride him to the room. Casha leaned heavily over him and then put her head down on his heckles. Oddly, by the time they reached the room, she had fallen into a light sleep....

The old Gypsy lady had moved about the house exploring and watched the lycan guards. When they returned she watched Gabe from a door way of one of the rooms at the top of the stairs. She smiled and shook her head. "You keep your suspicious mind my young friend. It will keep them safe." she whispered to her self before decending to the the ground floor and passing Gabe to follow Bernard into to the living room. "Your work is far from done old man. You say you are retired, but does one like you ever really retire?"

Gabe narrowed his eyes as he spotted the gypsy and motioned to a guard to remain close and listen. He wanted a full report on everything. The guard seemed to understand this and did as he was told. Bernard eased himself into an overstuffed chair and put his cane down carefully. He smiled distantly at the old woman and rolled his neck slightly. "When you get as old as I am," He said, "You

don't get that much of a choice. Besides, could you honestly see me chasing down a demon, or even a vampire like this?" he shook his head, "No, I'm definitely retired. And I intend to enjoy it for as long as I can."....

"Even knowing that the evil is coming back and may entangle your family?" she took the chair across from him. She spotted the guard and smiled. "I fear he is making a move. What I do not know for he has managed to shroud all in darkness. All but brief glimpses of a future in which the young ones are together in battle."

Bernard eyed the gypsy carefully, but then nodded, "Even so." He admitted, "But I will defend my family to the best of my ability. You said before that you saw the two sons fighting together. This vision must be some years in the future, correct?"....

"Yes, for them. But I fear there will be a more earlier battle, or perhaps meeting. With the darkness clouding him it is hard to know." she sighed. "I must return to my people, for they need me to guide them and keep them from trouble. When she can, my daughter, your oracle will inform you."

Bernard nodded, "I will trust in her judgement, as I have always done." He replied, then turned his eyes to where he had seen Casha and Anubis disappear with her personal guard. They had been down there a while now and he wondered what was taking so long. "I hope Casha is recovering from earlier." He mused, "Her colour on the way home worried me. She has Anubis and the hunter worried as well."....

"She will be well. The child takes much and she needs more. The child is strong and very healthy. As Anubis is seeing, having a child like this one is not the same as a human would have. I see an earlier birth then thought of, but there will be no need for concern, the child will be fully formed and healthy." she rose from the chair, and laid a hand on the old man's shoulder. Then she passed

Gabe again and smiled. "Still the non beliver?" she asked him. She chuckled. "Have no fear about the old man. He would die to protect Casha and hers."
:
Gabe remained stoic and narrowed his eyes again at her. "I'll believe it when I see it." He said sternly before passing his eyes over Bernard, "And don't tempt me to try testing your theory, gypsy." In the living room, Bernard stared at the wall and let his thoughts carry him off somewhere. An early birth, but the child would be fine. Casha would be well. What did that mean exactly? And would she stay well? He silently prayed as he let his head fall back. A few minutes later, he was snoring. Downstairs, a guard came to the secure room and knocked quietly. "Sire." He said with hushed tones. He could see Casha was either sleeping, o resting at least. "The scouts have come back with four males for the Queen.".....

"Bring them in and place them in the room." he told the guard. He then gently shook Casha's shoulder.

The guard nodded and left again. On a long sofa, Casha opened her eyes slowly and gazed at Anubis with a hazed expression....

"Are strong enough to feed more?" he asked her and nodded back towards the other room.

Casha turned her eyes slightly before they closed again. It was like she was there, but wasn't at the same time. Shortly after, Finche was brought down by a guard and offered a warm smile to Anubis, "You called for me?".....

He nodded to Casha. "The child seems to be draining her." he told him. "She needs more fresh blood then one should."

Finche came forward and knelt down by the sofa. He checked her vitals quickly and nodded, "I had expected this." He said, "But she shouldn't be like this. How often has she been feeding?"....

"She fed this morning and just a bit ago. But this time it was not enough." he told him

Finche shook his head, "She should have been feeding daily for a few months now at least." He said, then cast an accusing look at Anubis, "I did discuss this with you, Sire. Hot decanters would never have kept her going." He shook his head at Casha, "You and your lingering respect for life." He scolded, "Now maybe you'll actually listen." He pulled his bag out. "Have you sent for fresh supplies?"....

"They are here." he told him. Casha had not in the past wanted to feed upon humans. Now she had to and did not seem to mind it. "There will be a constant supply from now on." he told the doctor.

Finche pulled a few items from his bag and moved closer to Casha. He nodded briefly as he put a stehoscope to her stomach to check on the baby first. "She'll need at least four a day from source." He said, then nodded and put the stethoscope away. He then teased an eye open and flashed a light across to see her reaction. "And no more hot decanters." There was very little reaction there, telling him a number of things. "She's going to need some power blood as I call it to give her a boost." He flashed the torch in her other eye, getting the same result, then checked her pulse in both wrists, then her ankles, then her neck. "A strong lycan or vampire should do the trick. Plenty of adrenaline and hormones to feed her nervous system."....

Anubis nodded. He actually thought it was better for her to have the fresh blood of the human then the warm decanters of it. "A vampire or lycan blood?" he asked him. That was something that he would have to figure out. He looked at Garret, "Have anyone in mind?" he asked.

Garret instantly stuck his paw out in answer. He was offering himself. Finche nodded, "She needs the extra boost." He said, "Her eyes aren't reacting like they should and her pulse is very slow. She's going into hybernation.".....

He shook her once again, "My love you must take some of Garret's blood." he told her. "Wake and drink, but only a little."

Casha barely moved at all, so Garret came closer. With a slight yelp, he stripped away some of his fur from around his forearm and opened a small wound. The smell did more than anything and instinctively, Casha opened her mouth. Her fangs appeared larger than ever and actually seemed to grow as Garret's arm came closer. Finche paid close attention as she fed, making sure she didn't kill Garret. After a few moments, the lycan began to falter and Finche had to apply a lot of pressure to her jaw to make her let go. "Ok, bring in the humans while she's distracted with Garret's blood. She won't know the difference right now."....

He nodded to the guards and they brought the first in but had the other's where they could see. The fear would make the adrenalin pump even more.

Finche took hold of the first human and made a small pinprick in the neck so Casha could smell it. He then pushed the man's neck to her mouth. He fought, but Finche held him firmly and after a few minutes, his body went limp and his skin a pale grey. Casha had drained him. "Next!" he called.....

Anubis grinned as the men were brought in. He would have a steady supply of them hunted down and brought in when needed. He figured that like him, after the birth, she would only need to feed once and a while. When that time came he would have her go on the hunt with him.

One by one, Casha drained them dry. Her colour began to return and Finche checked her over a second time. Her reactions were still slower than he liked, but her complexion told him she would recover quickly. "She'll probably sleep for a couple of days now." He said, "Try not to disturb her. Once she's slept and recovered, she should be back to her old self." He looked at the bodies being taken away, "I'd recommend you keep the staff away from her. All of them."....

Anubis nodded and carried her up to the bed chamber himself and laid her on the bed, cleaning her face of the blood. She was truely his love and wife. He would have to talk to her grandfather again to see who would perform the marriage ceramony. It would be private and nothing lavish. More in the ways of a recluse. "Rest my love and return to me."

[LadyRaven]

Casha seemed oblivious to what was going on around her. She opened her eyes briefly when Anubis wiped blood from around her mouth. As his fingers touched her lips, she instinctively opened her mouth and moved to bite, but Anubis' hand was quicker than her fangs and she lost out. She heard his words, but they seemed far away and mumbled. It was like her head was in a fog and she felt like she was floating somewhere. Over the hours that followed, she was haunted by many dreams and memories.

The staff were warned to stay away for a while and allow Casha to recover and Gabe even arranged guards to make sure it happened, but as always, human curiosity and even some immortal curiosity found a way around Gabe and Anubis, and their rules. After several hours of peace, and with the house once again back to the normal routine, no-one noticed two young servants slip past distracted guards. They were busy watching Kat flaunt her new outfit to Dante. The two young women were intrigued and curious, and somewhat worried over their normally polite and less needy mistress. Not today.

Screams and shouts rang out through the house just as the main hall clock struck the evening hour. Bernard had remained in his chair, Gabe was doing his rounds with Marla and Kat, well, as told before, was showing off her new outfit to her beloved. The guards had seen Anubis leave briefly, probably to eat, when the first scream rang out. Both lycans rushed in to find a bloodbath. The two servant girls had literally been shredded. The room was plastered in blood and all manner of tissue, especially the bed. Stepping over clumps of hair and bone matter, they found Casha curled up in a faetal position in the middle of the bed. She was actually sucking the blood out of the sheets. How she had done so much damage in so little time and so quietly, astounded them. But what happened then, even they couldn't have predicted.

The tiny sounds of the girls entering the master bedroom had disturbed Casha and when she had smelled them, she had woken from her sleep just long enough to catch them and take what she needed. In the process, she had evicerated them. And now, she had two very large, very dangerous, and incredibly tasty looking lycans invading her domain. It took only the blink of an eye before the first lycan guard found himself pinned to the wall by the tiny queen. He couldn't yell out, for she had ripped his throat open. The second guard didn't and couldn't know what to do. If he fired on her, he could kill her and her child. Anubis would surely do worse than she ever could. If he didn't fire, he would surely be her next meal. In the time it took him to think over these two options, Casha had finished with his friend. The lycan knew he was now next on the menu.

Down the hall, Gabe was settling down for the evening with Marla. He had done his rounds and was done for the day. At least, he thought he was. The shouts and screams brought him racing from his room, gun in hand. More guards were arriving and Garret was trying to prise the door open. He couldn't understand why it wouldn't move. He couldn't have known there were two lycan bodies jammed against it. Gabe also put his shoulder to the wood, but couldn't move it. Inside, they could hear movement and they could see blood oozing from under the door. Everyone feared the worst. Eventually, Garret, Gabe and three others managed to move the door just enough for one to peer inside. Unfortunately, it was Gabe.

"Casha!" He yelled, "Casha, open the....!" What he saw made his stomach turn over twice and then lurch up into his throat. Then he saw Casha lift her eyes to meet his gaze and he knew he had to shut the door again as quickly as possible. The resulting thud against the strong door made him shudder and he openly groaned, "I'm gonna hurl!" And he did. Garret ducked down slightly and tried to peer through the keyhole. What he saw made his stomach turn over too. After defending against Gabe's intrusion, Casha had returned to the remains of the four staff scattered on the floor and had ripped an arm from a lycan. Stripping the skin and tissue from it, she began knawing on the bone, prising away the stiff outter layers of it until she reached the innards. She then sucked out every last drop of marrow before dropping the bone and moving onto the next one.

Garret moved away from the door and took some deep breaths. Once Gabe had regained his senses, he had to figure out what to do next. He saw Anubis striding down the hall towards the door and quickly shook his head at the big man, "You really don't wanna do that Boss." He said openly, "Trust me. You don't wanna go in there!"

Inside the room, Casha had taken what she wanted and had returned to bed. She curled up again on the bloodied sheets and gave a long, satisfied yawn. Saturated in blood, she smiled and gathered up enough of the soaked sheets to suck the blood out. When done with one patch, she moved around the bed in stages to the next and the next after that. If left uninterrupted, it was likely she would end up in a clean bed again!

[questor]

Anubis had left for a while to go meet with the nobles as he now called them. A court function that Casha would one day be attending as well. Here he discussed the problems, successes, and future plans of his secret empire. He felt that with Casha sleeping and guards posted to keep everyone away from her that there would be no problems.

Dante was there immedately when he heard the screams. He saw Gabe turn several shades of green before he lost everything he had eaten that day. His hearing could hear more then Gabe's could beyond the door. He was no fool to try and enter to see what was going on. From asking a few questions he got the jest of what had happened and he shook his head. It was all his fault that all of this was happening to her. He had given her his blood and now she had turned into something that even he feared.

Dante slowly walked away from the others and then down stairs and out side. He moved to the garage and selected a car and grabbed the keys and took off. He had no idea of where he was going but he just drove and drove for what seemed to be a couple hours at least. He found himself on a road boardering the coast, high above the ocean. He pulled off the road onto what looked to be a place to look out over the ocean and parked the car. Getting out he sat on the hood of the car and looked out over the ocean.

Alot had happened since that day on the roof top when Casha, then Mac had spotted him and chased him over the roof tops. Now because of him she was a vampire and perhaps something worse. For the sounds he had heard in the room beyond the door was nothing like a vampire. It seemed she was part animal or something worse. Why was he not like Anubis or her. His blood, his DNA was changed, but it would not make people like him, but who knows what. What made him so special that he was not changed like that.

Casha was his friend and he was worried about what he had made her into. He sat there for hours looking out over the ocean, listening to the waves crash against the base of the cliff below.

Back east, again the large figure of a man met with another. "In LA the one called Anubis of the Nile has formed an unseen empire. He has gathered all the vampires and lycans from about the world it seems. "

The man grinned, "Ah the spawn of Cain." he chuckled. "Perhaps he should be brought into our fold. After all he is Kin of sorts. The blood that runs through his veins is part ours." Putting his hands behind his back he nodded, "Yes send Azreal to LA, with a message that says Asmodeous wishes to talk with him." He then dismissed the other to do his bidding as he turned to look upon the naked figure of the woman hanging by her wrists. "Now where were we my dear."

Back in LA Anubis finally returned back to the mansion, his meeting with the nobles done till the next one. When he got back he was immediately informed of what had transpired and he was not to happy about it. He looked at Finch with narrowed eyes, "I thought you said she would sleep for two days, not wake up and rip apart four people!" He looked over at Gabe, "And how did two servents get past the guards?" If they could do it then someone else could just as easily slip past them. That was something he did not like. He looked around and didn't see Dante. He saw Kat and the four young ones, but he was nowhere in sight. "Where is Dante?"

[LadyRaven]

Kat was sat in tears as Anubis spoke to her. All she could do was shrug her shoulders, "He took off after Gabe tried to open the door." She sniffed. Her eyes then turned to the still grey looking Gabe. The man looked as though he'd be haunted for the rest of his life and visibly shuddered when Anubis spoke to him.
"I have no idea how they got in." He said honestly, "I set two guards on the door and told them not to move. I gave them both strict orders. Even they weren't to go in there. I don't know what happened, Boss, I swear to you."
"Either way." Finche cut in, "I did warn you that she wasn't to be disturbed. I told you, Anubis, that she needed to sleep undisturbed. A hybernating vampire will tear apart anyone that disturbs them. A pregnant one, well; what did you honestly expect. Your guards failed, it's as simple as that."
"But she evicerated them." Gabe said, feeling his stomach turn over, "How could anyone expect her to do that? She ripped two full grown lycans apart! And then, she fucking ate them!"
Finche worked his jaw slightly. He knew he was in the shit for this. "Even as a human, she could kill a lycan..." He offered.
"With a gun!" Gabe shot back.
"I've heard she did it several times without any weapons. A demon too. She was more than capable then. And with vampire blood in her, she's unstoppable now. It's not my fault she's that way."
Gabe's thoughts turned to Dante, but he quickly shook them away. Dante would never have hurt Casha. That man loved her almost as much as he did Kat. "Look, this is getting us nowhere." He offered calmly, then looked to both Finche and Anubis, "So what we need to do is sort out what happens now. She's killed four people that she not only knew, but were close to, so it's clear that anyone right now is fair game. That includes you, Boss. Best guess here, we lock the door and let her sleep it off."

[questor]

He still didn't like it. "I want what ever security breach it was plugged. No one goes in there until she is herself again." he told Gabe. He could see he was still not looking to good. "Once we can get in there, I want the mess cleaned up and the room taken care of." he hated not being able to go in and check on her. But she was dangerous in this state. When he had went into hybernation to ease the long years of lonelyness, he had awoke famished and had drained a number of humans dry. But he had never ripped them apart and ate them.

"Doc, this is not normal. I know that. Yes she might drain them dry of blood but tear them apart and eat them? I never did that when I awoke from a long sleep." He wanted answers and fast.

He looked over at Kat, then around. "Why would Dante take off like that. Did he have any security with him?" From the looks he got he had left without any.

The voice of the old gypsy came from down the hallway. "Perhaps he feels that this is all his fault." she slowly moved down the hallway. "It was him that gave her his blood, which transformed her, perhaps even more then everyone here thinks. She is after all his friend and blames himself."

Mary looked at her and at Anubis and the others, looking worried. "What is happening to her? Is she going to be alright? Doctor!"

Anubis again turned to Gabe, "Find him and bring him back. I owe him more then any can ever repay. He saved her life by giving her his blood, and that has also made it possible for her to fully connect with Akasha's soul. He showed me the truth of what Cain had done and has helped me begin a new path in life. Find him!" he was very adament on the last phrase.

Out on the lonely spot he had selected to think, Dante was not alone. "I tell you it is the one that was walking away when we woke up." The hunter was sitting higher up and was on his cell phone. "We can make up for everything if we bring him in. Just think of it, bringing the one the Pope wants."

[LadyRaven]

Though still very grey in the face, Gabe pulled out his radio and ordered two guards to go after Dante. All Anubis' cars had a lowjack on them, so it was just a matter of activating it and following the signal. He would have Dante back by dawn. After a few seconds, he got a reply on the radio. "Desolation Point, Boss." He said to Anubis, "They'll pick him up in a couple of hours and bring him back safe and sound."

At the door, Finche moved Garret aside slightly and peered through the keyhole. The mess that greeted him made him understand why Gabe had lost his dinner. He almost lost his too! He then opened the door just enough to poke his head inside. Casha was fast asleep again on the bed, still sucking at the sheets. He did a quick scout with his eyes, taking note of everything and then pulled the door shut again silently. He stood up and took a few deep breaths before turning back to Anubis and the others. "She was certainly thorough." He coughed, then swallowed hard, "But I have some reasonably good news. She hasn't technically eaten any of them."
Gabe almost fell over himself, "But I saw her!" He choked, "She was knawing on the fucking bones!"
Finche shook his head, "No she wasn't." He said, "She was stripping them. When you can get a crew in there, I bet you my next wage, you'll find every last scrap of flesh and bone. She wasn't eating them."
"Then what the fuck was she doing?" Garret interjected.
"She was sucking out the marrow." The doctor, "There's more nutrients and vitamins in marrow than anything. She's starved herself worse than what I first thought." He looked at Anubis carefully, "Nothing about this situation is normal, Anubis. There has never been a vampire pregnancy before this. My best possible comparison is lycan, you knew that. If she's taken what she needs, she'll be fine. If she hasn't, it'll carry on until she's satisfied. If you think you're strong enough to handle her in this state, then be my guest. Until I can examine her again, I'm of no use to you."

[questor]

Anubis just kind of grunted at the doctors observation and nodded to Gabe as he made his call and reported. But he had a bad feeling. He motioned for everyone to clear the hallway and two fresh guard he made sure were posted and knew to keep everyone out of the room. He grabbed one on the servents and told him to make sure every member of the household knew exactly what had happened to the last two fools that entered the room to satisfy their curiosity.

At Desolation Point, Dante felt a sharp prick in his neck as if something had stung him. His hand went to the spot and he pulled a small dart from his neck. "Oh shit!" he said as things began to go black. He slid from the hood of the car to the ground, as the Hunter ran forward. He looked around and then picked Dante up in a firemans carry and carried him to his car that was not to far away. He dumped Dante into the back seat and then got in and called his partner. "Got him. Get the transport ready. I want to be out of here as soon as we can."

The man was happy with himself. He had what the Pope wanted and he could just imagine the reward he would get for bringing Dante in.

When the team arrived at Desolation Point they only found the car. Looking around one found the dart and sniffed it and growled. He immediately called Gabe, "Car is here but Dante isn't. Found a Dart with what I think is a knock out drug in it. He has been taken."

[LadyRaven]

Gabe paced the floor as he waited for his two lycans to get in touch. Desolation Point was just that. Miles from nowhere and nothing in sight but the ocean and distant city lights on a clear night. He was worried about Dante. With Casha kicking off like she had, he could only imagine the guilt and shame the other man must be feeling. He could see that Kat was worried too. Everyone was anxious to see Dante home and safe again. The only one who seemed remotely oblivious was Casha, but that was only because no-one had dared go near her. Once again, Gabe paced the length of the living room floor, checking his phone every few seconds as he waited for the call. They had Dante and were on their way back; that was all he wanted and needed to hear.

Eventually, the phone did ring, but it wasn't what Gabe wanted to hear. He felt his gut ris up to his throat and then sink back down and shuddered. "Track him." He ordered quickly.
"How?" The lycan asked back, "He's vanished."
Gabe suddenly yelled, "You're a fucking dog! Use your fucking nose!" He hung up by throwing the phone at the wall and shouting all manner of obscenities. He then gripped his head and started pacing some more. A knockout dart. Who would use a dart on Dante? Nobody here knew who he was. He racked his brain, trying to figure it out. "Fuck sake Casha!" He whispered suddenly, "I need you awake!" Unknown to him, she'd heard him. After pacing a few more lengths of the room, Gabe knew he had to let Anubis know. He went to find the big man and make his report, but on his way, he went through every scenario he could think of. Guns blazing and bodies being ripped apart came first and foremost to his mind.

Upstairs, the two new guards on duty at the master bedroom door, heard a slight scuffle in the room. One dared to half turn to the door, but then quickly turned back. No. He wasn't that brave. Neither was his cohort. Casha's eyes had snapped open when Gabe had called her name. Something had happened and he needed her awake. Oddly, instead of utterly panicking at what lay around her; and on her, she simply looked around and bit her lip. "I'm in deep shit." She whispered. Her keen ears then picked up Gabe's voice downstairs and then Anubis'. Neother were happy. In fact, they both sounded incredibly angry. Casha closed her eyes, thinking first that they were discussing her, but no, they were discussing Dante. He'd disappeared from Desolation Point. The guards had found a dart.

Casha closed her eyes and for the first time in years, spoke to God. "Just this once, please." She whispered, "Give me what I need. Please God, just this one time." She calmed her mind and slowed her breathing. Stood in the middle of the masacre she had caused earlier, the sight looked odd, but Casha remained calm and quiet. "Just once, help me." All she wanted, needed, was to feel the fabled connection between a vampire and their maker. "Please." She whispered again. Her heart slowed to almost nothing and she stood slightly slumped as her body continued to relax. She acted as though she had entered her mental map and to some extent, she had.

Dante, car, Desolation Point, dart. Someone wanted him alive and placid. Casha dug her nails into her palm as she searched deeper, but she couldn't feel anything beyond numbness and quiet. She couldn't quite feel that connection. Her mind however, suddenly lit up. "Hunters!"

By the time the guards had managed to unlock the door, Casha had literally vanished. Glass was still falling from the french doors to the verander where she had pushed them open with force enough to shatter them. Instant panic filled both lycans and they quickly raced downstairs to Anubis. They saw Gabe talking with him, but this was more important. "She's gone!" One yelled, "Out the window! She's gone!"....

[questor]

Anubis went off when he heard that Dante had been taken. He felt like ripping those that took him to very little pieces and feeding them to some scavenger beast. He was angry and afraid at the same time. There were only one group that wanted him. They had already gotten word that the Pope wanted him. Yes Dante was not on the endanger list so to speak. He was not to be killed but a new order had gone out to bring him in to the Pope himself.

He was about to say something to Gabe about it, when the guards came running down to inform them that Casha was gone. He was at the top of the stairs in the blink of an eye and in the room a second later. He looked at the carnage she had been responsible for and then shattered glass and door. But that was not all that caught his eyes. He noticed that her old weapons she kept hun on the wall along with a change of clothes. "Gabe." he yelled down at the man. "I want our best tracker here like ten minutes ago!" She would be on the move, and on foot. "She has locked in on Dante!"

The Hunter met with the other one at the private hanger at the airport. A private jet was being fueled and the pilot and co pilot was checking it over. "Be ready in about an hour. Just got to finish filing the flight plan." the other hunter told the first one, as they pulled Dante out of the car and dragged him to the plane and put him on board.

[LadyRaven]

Gabe was on the phone in seconds and then nodded to Anubis, "He'll have her scent in a matter of minutes." He said carefully and then moved in slightly closer for some privacy, "But I need to know, Boss. Seriously, what can she really be capable of now?".....

Anubis raised a brow. "You think this is carnage?" he nodded to the mess in the room. "This will be a drop in a bucket." It seemed that Casha thought alot of Dante as well. "She will tear everyone and anyone that had something to do with this apart and will not stop until she has found Dante. Then the real carnage will begin." He remembered Akasha back in the begining, before they had come together after Cain had taken one of her creations as a wife. There had been some trouble in one of the villages and one of her friends was injured by the rebels. She litterly tore the people of that village to shreads."

Gabe swallowed hard and looked around the room. Finche was right though, she hadn't actually eaten any of them, just splintered the bones for the marrow. "Is she as unstoppable as the old man's Oracle said she would be?" He asked....

Anubis nodded, "In the mood she is in right now, and I can only guess that she is in a very foul one, she will not stop, and I don't know if even I can stop her."

Gabe visibly shuddered and then again as his phone rang. It had only been a few minutes since he had ordered the tracker after Casha. The news wasn't good. Gabe chewed his cheek and took a deep breath. "Good news and bad news. The tracker has her scent. That's the good news. Bad news." He took another deep breath, "She's emptied a Vatican safehouse. The tracker says she's ripped them all apart. Aparantly, the blood was still dripping off the walls when he got there and she's already long gone. If you're right and she won't stop, there isn't a hunter in LA that's gonna see dawn."....

Marla came into the room and didn't look to good as she saw the mess. She looked at Gabe. "I heard about Dante, Has anyone told Kat?"

Gabe quickly went to Marla and moved her outside the room. "She knows he's gone off on his own, but we've only just figured it out he was taken. Casha's gone after him and we've got the best tracker out to find her. I'm gonna need you to stay with Kat and protect her. I'm gonna head out after the tracker and follow him. Hopefully, Casha won't see me as a threat and we can bring them both home safe and sound, ok?"....

Marla nodded, her stomach turning. She went off to find Kat. Anubis was downstairs and out the door, calling for a car. "You coming." he yelled back at Gabe.

Gabe was quickly by his side, "Hell yeh!" He called and quickly jumped in the car. He pulled his phone out again and called the tracker and his team. After a short conversation and a fair bit of nodding, he turned to Anubis, "She's hit another four houses." He said, "Damn, she's faster than you! He reckons she's making her way East, towards the airport. If he's right, she'll be there in about 10 minutes.".....

Anubis wondered if she was using a shape shifting ability to move so quickly. Akasha use to be able to transform into a white wolf and could move like the wind. Or was she using the same ability he had to move quickly from one spot to another. He floored it and sped down the driveway and out onto the street. "Makes sence they would try to leave by air. No way to follow them, unless we have a plane to follow." he pulled out his phone. "Captain, I need the plane ready immediately. Pull what ever strings you need to, we need to be in the air immediately." He had a feeling that the Hunters would be in the air already or soon would be. "Check with the tower to see if any flights have left for Rome?" He hung the phone up and looked over at Gabe. The private plane began taxing out of the hanger witht he two hunters looking out the windows. They had gotten a frantic call a bit earlier and the horrifing cry of the caller as he died. They knew that someone was after them. "Captain get this plane airborne!"

Gabe pulled out his phone and then the bluetooth attatchment. He transferred them and then put his phone away. He was now in constant contact with the tracker and his team. He nodded to Anubis, "That's what hunters do." He said, "In and out again with the least hassle and time." He got some info on his bluetooth, "Casha's picked up speed again. They're finding it hard to keep up with her now, but she's definitely heading for the airport. If she's as fast as the wind, it must be a fucking hurricane. We're not gonna get there before her."....

Anubis nodded. "If she makes it in time there will be more bodies. Better have cleanup crews get to those safe houses and clean up the messes." He drove like a mad man and wished they had a more direct route to the airport. By the time they got to the airport, The Captain of his private jet called him and reported that a private jet had taken off only a few minutes before. He drove to the private hanger area where he pulled the car up to the hanger. "They are ahead of us. Now where is Casha?"

[LadyRaven]

By the time they got there, the Captain was looking ashen and confused. The plane was ready to go and everything had been cleared by the tower. When Anubis asked where casha was, the Captain could only shudder and point to a shadow on the wall of the hanger. "She appeared out of nowhere by the second hanger. It belonged to the flight you asked about. Then she vanished again." He shuddered a second time, "It was like she just disappeared into the shadows!"

Shortly after that, the tracker arrived with his team. He looked exhausted and confused. He moved to where the Captain had pointed, but found only a bloodied smear on the wall. The smell told him it was human, probably one of the many dead hunters he'd come across tonight. As he walked back, he tried to think how she'd done it. "Sire." He said with respect as he reached Anubis. "I've found a blood smear on the wall by the hanger, but I've lost her scent. It's like she walked into the shadows and vanished like a ghost."

The tracker's last words suddenly struck a chord with Gabe and he tapped his bluetooth. He then moved away from Anubis and the others slightly, "Frenchy." He said, "Remember what you told me about vamps being able to walk through shadows? Wanna remind me exactly how it works?" He looked at Anubis carefully, "Me and Frenchy had a few discussions over some of your cheaper whiskey. Told me a shit load about the abilities you guys have and how you use them. I'm reckoning Casha's figured a few of them out." He turned his head again as he heard Frenchy's voice in his ear.

Meanwhile, the clean-up crews had arrived at the five safehouses. Casha had done some serious damage in all of them. They even found teeth and bone matter embedded in walls and ceilings. She hadn't just ripped them apart, she'd thrown them around too! The collateral damage was easy to control, but there were some reports they couldn't stop. A police car turned up with two officers to check reports of gunfire and shouting, while at another location, a fire and ambulance crew had arrived along with a SWAT team. They were dealt with as best as possible, but questions would still come up later on. All this was reported back to Gabe and Anubis.

[LadyRaven]

Anubis had heard of such a thing but had never done it. He had heard of other vampires moving from place to place in such a manner, mainly to escape the hunters. But it was dangerous. Some that entered never returned. Something in the shadows took them, or so it was said. Frenchy was silent a moment, "Yes ability to move within the shadows from one place to another. Rare indeed, and some say dangerous. Some have never been heard of since. It has been felt amongest my brethern that there is something that lurks in the shadow pathways that takes the unwary that enters."

Gabe swallowed hard, "What kind of something?" He asked carefully, "And could Akasha do it in her time?" He looked at Anubis with a raised brow, "Could she shadow walk?".....

"It was something that Cain did now and then but I never knew that Akasha could do it, or did do it. Perhaps it is something from the vampire that changed Dante." He looked around the area and shook his head. "We can not wait. We must be up in the air and after them before they get to far ahead of us. Once in Rome they will have a legion of Hunters to keep what they have taken." Looking at the tracker and the team. "Find her and get her back to the mansion." He took Gabe by the arm and began leading him to the jet. The Pilot and Co Pilot was already aboard and had the engines going. "Have the Rome Villa contacted to let them know we are on the way. I want people at the Airport when that plane lands." he told the tracker.

The tracker nodded and quickly dispersed his team to try and find Casha's scent again. Gabe entered the plane and took his seat, "I'll be in touch again when we land." He told Frenchy, "In the meantime, I need you to find me everything you can on shadow walking and how it's done and if you can, find out what that something is that you keep saying is hiding there." He hung up and then redialled the phone for home. "Hey Marla, it's me." He said, "Yeh, were both fine. Dante's been taken to Rome so we're heading there. Yeh I know she's upset, but try and keep her calm. We'll be back in a couple of days at the most. Love you too." He looked at Anubis again, "Kat's climbing the walls with panic."....

Once on board the Co Pilot closed the door and gave the thumbs up for the pilot to begin to taxi. "She will be alright. Once we get there we will keep Marla aprised of the situation and she can let Kat know. At that time his phone rang, it was Frenchy "Ah I think Bernard has more on what might be in this Shadow Walk thing. He seems to think it is called a Shadow Demon. One of the Demons that came to our world long ago. It Lives in the pathway of shadows only coming out to find prey."

The mere mention of a demon made Gabe shudder, "Shadow Demon." He repeated, "So how does the shadow thing work? I mean, do you just stride into one, or do you have to do or say something to make the pathways open up?" He looked at Anubis again, "It might be the only way to track her, Boss."....

Anubis didn't know. He shook his head. "Cain never explained it to me. All I know is somehow the vampire can enter the shadows and disapear and turn up anywhere there is another shadow." He wished Casha would show herself. She knew the Vatican better then Gabe. Perhaps even a secret route to get in unobserved.

Gabe shook his head, "Did you get all that, Frenchy?" He asked, "See what you can dig up, please. I'll call again when we've landed." He hung up the phone and looked to Anubis again. "The one time we actually need Cain alive and around." he offered with an empty laugh. The plane took off and Gabe went about sorting out the security detail for the villa in Rome....

On board the hunter's plane, Dante began coming out of it. His head pounded and hurt like hell. He opened an eye and saw the two hunters. He recgonized them from the fake underground lair. He tried to move his hands but they were manicaled. He tried snapping them but they would not break. He was strong, but these things were stronger. One of the hunters laughed. "Try all you want. Those were designed and made to hold the strongest of vampires. Oh we know your story. We know what blood runs through your veins. Oh and don't look for this." he held up a lock pick. "We made sure to search you thourghly. So just relax and enjoy the ride. In a few hours you will be meeting with the Pope." he grinned. The two were now relaxed. They were in the air and away from what ever had torn the savehouse apart.

As the plane turned slightly on it's flight path, a small shadow was cast over the far wall, ending just a few inches short of Dante's feet. From within the shadow, two bright blue/green eyes appeared to Dante at his eye level. "I'm here." A whisper said to him. "I'm coming for you."....

Dante heard and recgonized the voice. How she could be there and not there was something he was going to have to ask her when he saw her again. But the shadow disapeared once the plane resumed it's course. Anubis' plane was in the air and making its own course correction.

As the shadow moved and then disappeared, so did Casha's eyes. However, she didn't show herself on Anubis' plane. If she did, she was in trouble, or she thought she was anyways, not least for the mess she'd left in the bedroom. She did however, leave a shiver up Gabe's spine as the shadow passed over him during the cour correction and the man quickly spun around and shuddered as he groaned.....

"What is it." Anubis asked Gabe.

Gabe shuddered a second time and then looked around the plane, "Someone just walked on my grave." He said...

Anubis raised a brow. "Say again." he told Gabe. He was not dead nor had he been burried, so the phrase did not seem to fit.

Gabe lifted an eyebrow, "I said; someone just walked on my grave." He said, "It's a saying. When you get a shiver of something down your spine and it makes the hairs on your neck stand up. It's not a pleasant feeling, I can tell you."....

Anubis nodded, "And what would give you such a shiver and feeling?" he asked.

"I have no idea." Gabe replied...

He looked out the window at the receding ground and the clouds that got thicker as they climbed even more into the sky. "Damn it. Where is Casha?" he had a very worried look on his face.

Gabe shook his head. He was worried about her too. What if she didn't know about the Shadow Demon and it was after her? What if caught her and killed her? The questions floated around his brain for a good few hours before he had to give in. "Get some sleep." He offered to Anubis, "I'll wake you when we land."....

Dante shifted a bit to get more comfortable, well as comfortable as he could with his wrists manacled before him and being chained to the seat he was in. "So you just expect to walk me off this plane and into the hands of the Pope eh. My friends will have other thoughts on that matter you know."
One grunted and laughted. "Oh your friends are far away now and we will have a host of Hunters waiting at the Airport for us." he smiled and leaned back in his seat. Dante only smiled. If Casha had been there, then he didn't think even a host of hunters was going to be enough.
Anubis closed his eyes and whispered, "Casha come to me my love."

The flight went on smoothly and a large team of Hawk Standard hunters met the plane at a private airfield just outside the city boundry. They were all eager and nervous, knowing how important the cargo was, but also, strange things had began happening. Some of their teams had vanished and others had heard whisperings and odd sounds like growling, but when they looked, there was nothing there. Everyone was on edge. Also, on their private plane, Gabe had heard several odd things while he dosed and had woken Anubis with a slight shudder down his spine again. "We're nearly there, Boss." He offered....

Anubis opened his eyes. The hours had passed and they were making their approach to the International Airport. "Buckle up." came the anouncement over the intercom. "Don't think you packed your passport." Anubis looked over at Gabe. "One should be waiting for you when we land. All nice and documented to keep the authorities happy." His would be there as well.
Dante was ushered into a car and a long convoy of vehicles began moving away from the private airfield. "Told you there would be a host of Hunters and none of your friends." the one hunter spoke up.

Gabe offered a nervous laugh, "My passport wasn't exactly high on my list when we started this adventure." He said as he buckled himself in. The plane descended into Rome and then landed as smooth as ice; as usual. As it taxied to the private stand, Gabe started feeling that sliver of ice down his spine again and shuddered. Then, as the morning sun was blocked and a shadow passed over him, he caught an unmistakeable scent that he knew very well. "Casha?" He looked around the plane quickly, but as sudden as the smell and feeling had come, it had gone again.....

Anubis heard Gabe, and looked around. He nodded. "She is following. She is in that strange network of shadow ways." he had smelled her scent as well.
In the Shadowways, it was like long tunnels that went here and there. A dark figure moved through them sencing another presence. "MMMMMMM delicious scent. You will be a tasty feast." it murmered.

Casha turned slowly and faced off against a massive demon. She lifted her head and half cocked a smile, "So will you." She replied as smooth as silk. Behind her, several shifting shadows began to growl in a deeply animalistic fashion. "Or, I can offer you something far easier to handle and even more juicy. Your choice."...

The demon took a more solid form and looked Casha over as he circled her. Again he took in a deep breath. "Familiar, oh so familiar, but I have not seen you before. But your scent is strangely familar. No not you, your blood." he came closer sniffing at her. "Yessssssssss." he hissed. "But you are not a demon." his form was now more solid. He had huge bat like wings, Glowing red eyes and black skin. His face was streached and had small horn like protrusions.

Casha remained calm and stood her ground as the demon circled her. The growling shadows behind her also took on a more solid form. Eight massive hellhounds appeared with their own eyes glowing green and blue, almost identical to Casha's. "I am no demon by birth." She told him, "But my soul was born of the first demon to touch the Earthen Realm." The hellhounds began to growl louder as they began stalking the demon. "You may wish to back off, Shadow Demon." She offered softly, "My hounds aren't taking kindly to your circling of their Mistress." And they weren't. Casha knew that the hellhounds that hunted these grounds were a huge threat to the Shadow Demon and he avoided them when possible......

He laughed. "Ah they are not yours my dear, but they are a nuscance. He opened his mouth and let out a piercing screach that made the hell hounds cringe and wine. They kept their distance then but prowled about the two of them. "Now tell me of yourself. Where came you of demon blood."

"I am Casha." She told the huge beast, "Descendant of Akasha and Queen of Vampires. And what might your name be, Demon?"....

The demon laughed. "Ahhhhhhhhhhh one of the so called Children of the one called Cain, slayer of my brother." He folded his arms across his chest. "He was a bastard and not well liked by our kind nor me." again he laughed. "But that is not the blood I talk about. The blood I talk about is of another."

Casha narrowed her eyes, "The other is of my Sire." She told him, "One whom I hold in very high regard." Two of the circling hellhounds came closer to her, standing easily at head height with her and nuzzled into her. They were telling her Dante was close to a pathway nearby. "I will follow you, my beloved pets." She cooed at them and they gruffed with love back at her. "For creatures that do not seemingly belong to me, they are quite taken with my presence, don't you agree, Demon? Now, would you care to share some fun with me or not?"....

He smiled a strange smile. "They did have a preference for the female kind. They to smell the blood you carry. Who is your sire?" he asked.

Casha felt this was taking too long and began to back up slightly, "Why not follow me and find out?" She cooed, giving him a playful smile, "And have some of that juicy fun I spoke of." She began to melt away into the darkness towards the pathway the hounds had shown her. Peering through as though through glass, she saw the line of cars taking Dante into the Vatican's main square. There were no shadows large enough to emerge from there, but she knew of one place within the sanctum she could breathe through without any problem...

The demon followed, "So you will not tell me your sire's name." He too saw the vehicles. He frowned as he saw where they were going. "If they are taking your sire there, you will never be able to enter and free her/him. It is protected."

Casha smiled darkly, "Protected from you." She told the demon, "But not from me." She moved along the pathway a short distance and then came to a point she knew very well. The shadow was plenty big enough, even for the hounds to pass through as well. "And I would tell you my Sire's name.... if you asked me really nicely." She smiled and took a deep breath. She eased through the shadow as though walking through a pool of water and emerged as fresh as life on the other side. Three of the hounds followed her, while the rest remained with the demon. Casha smiled at him coyly...

[questor]

The demon stood back and waited. He shook his large head as he watched her. First there was a bright flash, and then the hell hounds winned and then squeeled in pain. They suddenly disapeared back into the shadows. She heard the laughter of the Demons. "Well it seems that you not being a real demon has its advantages."

When they landed Anubis looked over the few followers he had there. He had called most of the lycans and vampires to LA. Here there were but a few human followers and a couple lycans. "Come on, we have alot of work to do and a very short time to do it in." he told them as he got into one of the cars.

"Sir we have been watching the Vatican Airfield. There was a lot of activity but there was also something else. They were very nervous and seemed to be keeping out in the open and in the light."

Anubis turned to Gabe and gave him a knowing look.

[LadyRaven]

Casha gave half a grin and shrugged her shoulders as the hellhounds retreated back into the shadow realm, "I guess it does." She replied to the demon and then blew kisses at the hounds, "I'll come visit again real soon." She said with promise, then pulled out her guns. She cocked them against each other and moved away from the shadows. On the way to the villa, Gabe went over the security plans with what few guards were there. He began to share the nervousness of his former cohorts and inadvertantly started looking at every shadow he could see. "I wonder what would happen to a human in the shadows." He pondered....

Anubis shugged his shoulders. "Well not ever being there I don't know. We will have to ask Casha when we find her." Then he thought of something. "Can we get a lock on her cell phone. If she took her weapons and clothes, she might have it with her."

Gabe nodded quickly and pulled out his phone. First off, he dialled the number. It went straight to voicemail. "She's got voicemail running." He said, then tapped the glass to the driver's cab. Another was sat beside the driver and he opened the partition. "Get me a trace on this number." Gabe ordered, handing over the number quickly, "Fast as you can."....

The man nodded and opened a laptop computer. He typed in something and a program began running. "Tracing." he said. "Got it!" he exclaimed. "Oh shit." he said, "She is in the Vatican itself."

Gabe's face went pale and he looked to Anubis, "This is bad." He said, "That place is crawling with hunters and police, the local army, press, everything."......

"What do you know of the ways into that place?" Anubis asked Gabe. "You have been there, it's training grounds and the like. Is there a way in we can use with out being seen?"

Gabe shook his head at first as he tried to think, "It's a highly protected area." He said, "Imagine Fort Knox and double it twice. The primary way in is the main courtyard. There's back ways and the sewerline, but they're both well guarded and secured with the latest high tech systems. We'd need a room of world class hackers and a month of solid work just to get past the firewall of the system." He rubbed his jaw as he tried to think, "I could maybe put a call in to Emily in the office, but she'll be monitored. The only other way in is through distraction. Setting off all the alarms at the same time and getting in during the chaos to lockdown."....

Anubis grinned at that idea. Have every alarm go off at the same time. But still they would have to get past all the guards, hunters and the like and then find Casha and Dante. They passed under a bridge and were engulfed in shadows. A laughter and and a voice came to Gabe's ears. "Another of the Cain family."

Gabe's gun was instantly out and pointing around the car. That same icy feeling shot down his spine and he almost pulled the trigger, "What the fuck, man!?".....

A black hand emerged from the shadows and grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the shadow. He disapeared from the car and Anubis ordered it to stop immediately. Before gabe was the hulking form of the Shadow Demon. "Mmmmmm a human with the Creation Of Cain. Interesting." then he snarled a bit as he saw the ring and the type weapon Gabe held. "Hunter as well. Now this is indeed strange."

Gabe tried to swallow, but couldn't. Then he tried to breathe and couldn't. All he could do was stare up at this huge demon with wide eyes. Thankfully, another thing he couldn't and didn't do was empty his bladder. "What the fuck are you?" He managed as he looked around and then back at the demon, "Where is this place?"....

The demon laughed. "Hold on human." he told gabe and again reached through the shadows and pulled Anubis from the car into the shadow pathways. "I am called Shadow." he chuckled, "Aply named for I live in the shadow pathways for the most part." he turned his head to look at Gabe then back to look at Anubis. "You look for the other creation of Cain don't you?" he asked.
Anubis was shocked when he was also pulled into the shadow realm and was readty to attack the Demon but stoped when he began talking.
"You want to find her?" he asked and began walking away, "Follow me, and tell me who her sire is."

Gabe finally managed to catch enough breath again to follow the demon with Anubis, "We already know where Casha is." He said, looking around for anything else that started moving or reaching out to grab him. "She's inside the Vatican." He then looked to Anubis before looking at the back of the huge demon he was following, "Her sire?"......

"Ahhhhh good, but do you have a way in." the demon asked. "Yes her sire, the one that made her what she is today. She is not the original creation of Cain, but carries that one's blood, but also that of another."

Gabe looked again at Anubis and furrowed his brow before looking back at the demon. He shook his head, "You mean Dante?" He asked, "He gave her some of his blood to save her life, not to make her a vampire.".....

The Demon laughed. "And this Dante, is he a vampire?"

"Half of one, I guess." Gabe replied, "Got the long life and all, but no fangs or the need to drink blood. Something to do with his ancestors or something. Why do you want to know anyways? And where the hell are you taking us?"....

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh very interesting. As for why I am interested, is the blood that I smelled in the one you seek, belonged to that of my sister, a demoness that entered the world of man and seems to have, well how do you humans put it...... fell in love with a human. She bore a child that was half demon and half human. But that was over 8 thousand years ago. After that she seemed to have disapeared from the face of the planet. Even the human and child seemed to have vanished. This Dante, he might be of that line, which would mean he is a distant relative. As for where I am taking you..... to the place the one you seek entered the accursed place."

All this new information immediately went right over Gabe's head. He had enough to deal with and more importantly, a pregnant vampire with a heavy appetite for blood and bone marrow, "So you spoke to her?" He asked, looking at Anubis briefly, "What did she say? How did she sound?".....

The Demon stopped and looked down at the two. "She sounded like she was ready for a fight." he said, "If you find this Dante, I would like to see him." he removed a bracelet from his wrist and gave it to Anubis. "This will allow me to find you again." He then moved his hand over the shadow wall of the tunnel and it cleared to show the interior of the Vatican. "Perhaps he can shed some 'light' on my sister's disapearance."

Gabe gave a nod of understanding, "That sounds like Casha. I really hope we can find her before she does something monumentally stupid." He looked at the demon briefly before he stepped through from the shadows, "Just out of curiosity, don't you usually eat vamps who cross your turf? I mean, they come in, but they rarely come back out again. That is you killing them, right?" To answer that, it seemed, a pack of large hellhounds suddenly started growling and gruffing and Gabe was quick to move, "I'm outta here!".....

Anubis followed Gabe, giving a look back at the Demon. Then the shadows closed up and he was gone.
Dante was brought to the Vatican and taken through a secret tunnel inside the place. The Pope was immediately notified and was waiting for them when they emerged. "Ahhhhhh Finally, the gallent hero that killed the devils spawn Cain." he smiled at Dante who gave a snort at the pleasent greeting.

"Cut the crap, and get on to what you really want. Or don't you want all these fine boys and girls here to know that?"

Gabe took a quick look around to gather his bearings, "I think we're under the secondary barrack armory." He said with some confusion, "Not quite sure why she'd come in this way. She'd have to go through the entire barracks to get to the palace. That's hundreds of hunters, priests, police, you name it."
The old Pope smiled warmly at Dante and waved the hunters away, "I apologize for the way you were brought here, Mr Harrigan, but after you refused my invitation, you left me little choice." He moved a little closer, comfortable with the fact Dante was secure to his chair.....

"Yeah right. Didn't feel like becoming a gunnie pig for you mad scientists." he said with distain. "All you want is to find out why I am not a vampire, and if there is a way to make yourself like me and live forever. Don't even try to deny it."

The Pope smiled lightly and cocked his head to one side, "Then I won't." He offered politely. "To have immortality would be a gift from God for me. I have such plans for this church, but only a short life in which to do it. You would give me that life to continue my work and bring my flock back to where they belong. Of course, your recompense will be considerable.".....

"Right. A life of solitary so no one knows what you have done." Dante was thinking, if the pope took his blood and drank it, he would turn into a vampire and not an immortal like himself. He still had no idea of how he was able to be like he was and not like Casha. The guilt came back when he thought of her. But he turned his eyes back to the Pope. "Be careful of what you wish for." he told him.
Anubis followed Gabe, and found the begining of Casha's trail of dead bodies.

Unlike those in the bedroom, most of those Gabe came across had been either shot, or their necks broken. It reminded him of MacKensie more than Casha. "I'm suprised the alarm hasn't been set off yet, unless she's using a silencer or she's just too bloody quick for them." He said.
The Pope firmed his jaw somewhat, "But people will know what I've done and will do." He said almost cheerfully, "I will restore my church to it's former glory and finally be rid of those that would harm God's children. I will be God's true touch on Earth and his eternal shepard for his people. I will restore their faith and be one with God. That is my only wish." He smiled warmly as a selction of scientists entered the room and began setting up their equipment......

Dante laughed. "God's true touch on Earth, God's children." he shook his head. "You are not the only one that knows what a bunch of crap that is. The whole thing is one big lie. I have it from the horses mouth you might say. From one back at the begining that knows the truth."
Anubis looked at the carnage, "It will not be long before the alarm is given. We must hurry."

The Pope came closer and offered a much colder and more insideous smile, "The truth will be what I say it is." He whispered, "And as God's shepard, the sheep will believe whatever I tell them. Your horse's mouth is little more than a lost foal waiting for the wolf.".....

Suddenly there was the sound of a claxton going off and over the intercom came a voice, "Intruder alert, intruder Alert. We have a breach in sector seven." Dante smiled. "Ah I think you might not have that long life after all."

The Pope looked up in shock and quickly left the room. "What is happening?!" He demanded. One of his closest guards came to him, "There is an intruder in the Vatican." He said, "So far, he's killed at least a dozen or so hunters and several police. We think he got in somewhere in the barracks. We're searching for him now, Your Eminence. We will find him and stop him, I swear." The Pope nodded, but his relief was short lived as another came running through with his I-Pad and security footage from the barracks, "It's Trydant!" He called, "She's alive! she's the intruder!" The Pope suddenly felt his heart sink into his gut.
Gabe heard the siren go off and quickly shot across the courtyard towards a back entrance into the palace, "I guess she finally let them know she's
here." He said, cocking both guns and shaking his pack on his shoulders, "Pucker up fellas, you've really pissed her off this time.".....

Guards and hunters were running all over the place trying to find the intruder. Two managed to find Anubis and Gabe and Anubis grabbed them by their throats and lifted them off the ground before smashing them into the walls, breaking bones and their necks. "Can't let her have all the fun." he grinned, and followed Gabe.

Gabe laughed quietly and then shot around the corner, taking out three hunters on the way. Inside the palace, the Pope had begun to panic as he watched the footage. It was definitely trydant, he recognised the tattoo covering her bare back, but she was dressed very different from what he remembered her to be. She looked feminine, delicate almost and very heavily pregnant! Left and right, she picked her targets quickly and easily as she had always done. One shot, one kill. And when those guns ran out of bullets, she simply picked up two more from her victims and carried on. "This is impossible!" The Pope cried, "How could she be doing this?! Why is she doing this?!" He looked at Dante briefly, "You know something, don't you. I know you know what she's doing here."....

Dante laughed. "She is your worst nightmare. She will not stop until she finds me. Can't wait to see what she does to you." he grinned. Well the cat was out of the bag for sure now. The Pope and others knew she was alive and if she was alive that ment that Anubis was probably alive. Oh well by the time Casha got done with those there, they would think twice about coming after her. Then came the voice on the intercom again. "Second breach Sector eight. Two more intruders. They brought the view on the screen. It showed Gabe and Anubis. Anubis simply smashed the hunters, breaking necks and backs while Gabe used his gun. "Ohhhhhh looks like you pissed off the big guy as well."

"No!" The Pope yelled, "No, no, no! This can't happen!" He grabbed the guard with force, "Stop them! Stop them now!" The rest of the police and army force was scattered to deal with the intrusion and what hunters were left, gathered in the sanctum to protect the Pope and Dante. It didn't stop Casha getting in though and the forces didn't stop Gabe and Anubis either. "She's got them terrified!" Gabe laughed as he picked off the soldiers and police one by one, "I reckon the old man is crapping his pants right about now, what do you think, Boss?" Inside the sanctum, Casha ripped her way through the hunters, leaving none alive long enough to call for help. There would be no help this time. She opened the door with ease and stepped into the room. The scientists instantly scattered. Casha stood with her head high and dropped her weapons. "Dante?" She asked softly, "Are you in one piece?".....

Dante laughed. It was good to see her in her old self and not what had tore apart the guards back at the mansion. "One piece." he said and looked at the Pope. "Oh I want you to meet Casha." he told him.
Anubis was not far behind and entered the sanctum and saw the carnage and laughed before striding across the room and entered behind her. "Well now, a much easier trail to follow then before." He moved up behind her and kissed her neck and looked at the Pope. "Ah We finally meet." he grinned.

The old man could barely contain his fear and he backed right into the corner as far as he could. Casha smiled softly as Anubis kissed her neck and then moved forward. She pulled away Dante's bindings to let him free and then licked her lips at he old holyman. "All this has made us hungry." She said to him as she rubbed the bump lovingly, "And I must say, all that fear I can feel from you has my mouth watering." The Pope shuddered in response and looked to Anubis and then Dante before back at Casha. "Not possible!" He cried, "This cannot be possible!" Gabe finally entered the room and smiled at Dante, grateful he was unharmed.....

"Ah but it is Mr Holier then Thou." Dante said as he stood up and streached. "Like I said this is Casha, or Akasha reincarnated and of course Mac." he chuckled and then said, "And this." he pointed to the large baby bump, "Is the big guys here and hers child." he stood next to Casha. "Ah you want to show him your teeth?"

Casha smiled openly and let the old man see everything. He couldn't do more than shake his head, "No!" he cried again, "This isn't possible. Vampires don't breed! They can't! They're dead!" Casha rubbed her bump again and smiled, "But I'm not a vampire." She told him, "I never actually died. I just have the tools of one. I'm actually closer to being a demon, but you knew that already, didn't you, Your Eminence." The Pope cast his eyes from Casha to Dante, to Anubis and then back again before shaking his head, "But they're all dead and gone!" He said, "They have been for centuries!" Casha shook her head and smiled coldly, "Oh no, Pappa." She cooed, "They're very much alive and well and living among us. Just like the vampires and the lycans and the changelings your church has been murdering for millenia. In fact, why don't you turn around and see one for yourself. You never know, he might even let you roam his shadow realm for a while. Or he might let my other babies rip you to pieces and watch." The old man shivered in pure fear and looked over his shoulder into the shadows on the wall behind him.....

Two glowing eyes could be seen, and that was all. Shadow could not emerge due to the protection the Vactican had. But he did feel the hot breath from Shadow as well. "You know perhaps we should give him what he wants." he looked at Casha and Anubis with a grin.

Casha smiled coldly, "Perhaps we should." She agreed. The Pope all but wet himself then and dropped to his knees. "Please God, don't let this happen!" He cried.
Casha simply laughed, "God hasn't listened to you for a long time." She told him.
"Then have mercy?" He begged, "You were once my most loyal student, MacKensie. I loved you like you were my own daughter. I beg you, please! Don't let this evil win you over."
Casha stopped briefly and then stepped back, shaking her head. "I was never your daughter." She told him emptily, "You stole my mother from my grandmother and let her die. You murdered my father for helping Mum leave you. You poisoned my soul just to get what you wanted. You took my entire family line and tainted it, just to have your vengeance against those who defied you and your lie. You used me to carry your evil, knowing what I was and how I came to be. And now you realize that you've failed, you beg me for mercy? After everything you and your church has destroyed and poisoned, you expect me to show mercy?" Her face turned empty and cold and her eyes flashed with only ciy emptiness. "I'm a hunter, Your Eminence. I am not capable of such a thing. You made me that way, remember?" She looked to the Shadow Demon and his glowing eyes, "Do what you want with him." She said, "I'll find a better meal elsewhere."....

Dante moved over to the insturments that the scientists had brought in. He selected a scalple and then turned to the Pope and moved to him. "Some one want to hold him and hold his nose." he made an small cut on his hand so it bleed. "I will give him what he wanted, and more."

The Pope began to struggle, though it meant little as he felt strong hands all over him and he cried out to Casha, "MacKensie!" He pleaded, "Please! Don't do this to me! I gave you everything! I gave you a life, a purpose! I made you!" Then he felt Dante's hand shoved into his mouth as Casha slowly turned back to him. She waited until Dante's blood entered his system.....

Dante let the blood flow into the pope's mouth. With his nose pinched, he had to take it. Soon enough he withdrew his hand and stood back. "Let him go. Soon enough it will take effect and then those that served him will be hunting him." he turned to look at the Pope. "You see, my blood will change you into one of them. What ever it was that kept me from changing like that is something I have never found out. So welcome to our world."

The Pope fell back and shook from head to toe as the blood took effect. But he didn't change like Casha had done. His skin paled and his eyes paled as he turned and he grew the normal fangs a vampire would have, not the two selective sets that Casha had. The old man was a plain vampire with all the pitfalls that befell them. As his body jarred and changed, casha stood over him with a smile, "And for the record, Your Eminence." She told him flatly, "You didn't make me. My mother made me." The change was done soon enough and the old man coughed heavily as he battled with his new body....

Dante looked down at him. "Now you have your immortality. But you have it at a cost." he was a bit surprised that the pope had been changed into a normal looking vampire. He was not dead, nor was he undead, but he was not as powerful as Casha or Anubis. From the shadows a voice whispered, "Best Hurry."

Casha looked at the Shadow Demon and nodded, "Then hurry, we shall." She said with a smile and quickly made for the door. The chaos within the citadel was plenty enough for them to simply walk through, as long as they were quick about it. Casha pointed to a small gate beyond the first line of gardens, "That way." She offered, "We can get out through the orchard." Gabe nodded in agreement and quickly motioned for everyone to follow suit....

Dante followed and asked, "Ah Who was that back there?"

Casha offered him a warm smile, "Call him a common relative." She replied, "I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing more of him around, among other creatures." She offered a loving giggle that made Gabe shudder again....

[questor]

"Common Realitive?" he asked. Now what on earth did she mean by that. As they made their way out, he saw the carnage that she had made on her way in. Bodies lay everywhere, most were dead but there were a few that were only wounded. He stepped over bodies and just kept following. "Care to eloborate."

Casha offered him a smile, "The Shadow Demon." She said, "He's a common relative to you.. and to me aparantly. Turns out, one of your ancestors was his sister and then one that made Cain came from his brother. Guess that makes us cousins, huh."...

"Say what? A Demon? Ancestor?" Anubis chuckled as he made his way through Vatican with Casha, Dante, and Gabe. "Well some ways back in time The Shadow Demons Sister hooked up with a human male and she had a child. One of your ancestors. So you have demon blood in you. So it seems that the vampire's blood more or less activated something within your genes that was dormant and you became what you are. So you and the Shadow Demon are related." Anubis could not help but laugh.

Casha laughed a little too and patted Dante lightly on the shoulder. Gabe remained silent, caring only for their way out to safety....

"Demon ancestor. Great. Now how is that going to go over with Bernard. Am I going to have his Brotherhood being after me now?" he babbled a bit as they finally reached what looked to be a way out. The claxton was still going off and one could hear the pounding of a number of feet running through the building behind them.

"We can talk about this when we get home, yeh?" Gabe said quicky as he kicked open the gate. With the chaos of the lockdown and the panic from Casha, the security feed had been cut so the gate opened without a fuss. He shot through first and checked quickly before pulling out his phone, "South west Corner." He said quickly, "Immediate pick-up, guys. Like now!" He pulled Casha through the gateway and then around to hide her under some ivy on the wall. The car soon arrived and Gabe was quick to get Casha into it. "Let's go, let's go!" He ordered....

Dante was into the car immediately and Anubis followed Casha in. "Ah guys best be leaving like now." Dante pointed back at the building they had left. Hunters, men in suits, Vatican Guards and the like poured out of the doorway, and everyone of them had automatic weapons.

The driver put his foot right down and the car sped away. Casha eased herself into the seat more comfortably and then started rubbing a sore spot on her bump. She could feel her head beginning to spin a little and she felt a cold sweat come over her neck. "I need to eat." She announced suddenly, making Gabe instantly terrified. "What?" He asked, "Like right now?" Casha gave a slight shrug..

Anubis grinned. "I know the perfect spot." he said. He gave directions to the driver and he made his way there. "We will have to hurry or we might not be able to take off without problems." he told Casha.

Casha nodded as she watched the city race past them. She kind of knew where they were going, but it had been a while since she'd seen this part of the city, "Are we going into the slum quarter?" She asked....

Anubis nodded. "Most will not be missed." he told her. It was not long before the driver pulled the car over and got out to open the door for Casha. The other guy in the front got out and had his weapon ready. The other two cars pulled up and the men got out and secured the area.

Casha emerged from the car and took a deep breath. It was putrid at first, but she got used to it quickly. "Leave me a car and go back for the plane." She said to Gabe. Gabe opened his mouth to argue, but the look Casha gave him made his face pale and he ordered the others back in, leaving the last car for her. "You gonna be ok?" He asked. Casha nodded, then looked to Anubis, "I'll be fine on my own, I promise. I don't want you seeing what you saw in the bedroom again."....

Anubis was hesitent about leaving her there, but he knew her well enought not to argue. They were gone in a few minutes and on their way to the International Airport. The plane was refuled and ready for immediate departure. Though he bet there would be a pack of hunters there to try and stop them. So Anubis did something he had seen on a movie he had went to. He called the authorities and told them that there were several armed men waiting to try and kidnap the reclusive billionare that was in Rome with his Fiance. It was an annomious tip that would be acted on. The Hunters would be hard pressed about having all those guns and not being able to tell them why.

Gabe gave a solid snort of laughter and shook his head, "Nicely done, Boss." He chortled. By the time they got there, several police cars and riot vans were on the scene and some of the hunters had been caught. "Time to play human billionaire." He laughed as he got out and then moved around to let Anubis out. "Where is she?" He said quietly as they walked Anubis to the plane, "She said she would meet us here."....

"Oh she will be here. But probably not by car. Now that she has learned a differnt and probably a faster mode of transportation." Anubis told him. "New Form of transportation?" Dante asked. He was still trying to catch up on what was going on.

"Shadow Walking." Gabe offered quietly, "She's pretty pally with your Shadow Demon, it seems, along with something else entirely more freaky." At this point, the police chief came forward and removed his hat, "Ze zreat has been anutralized, Seniore." He said to Anubis with respect.....

"My thanks sir." Anubis told the police chief. "Any idea of who they are?" he asked.

The chief offered a smile, "We will afind out, Seniore." He looked around briefly, understanding that the billionaire was visiting with his fiance, "ah, your fiance, Seniore. She no here?"......

He sighed. "Ah you know the ladies, they like to be late. She wanted to finish shopping a bit more before we took off. She will be here shortly." at least he hopped she would show up fast.

Gabe looked around again, but there was no sign of her. He was getting nervous now. The police cars and vans began to pull away, but the chief remained behind, wanting to see this through before he claimed his hero status at the station. After nearly ten minutes, the car arrived, but there were two people in it. Casha got out, followed quickly by what looked like a young man. He seemed in a trance of some kind and walked right past everyone and onto the jet. Casha lifted an eyebrow at Anubis and then the police chief. He offered a smile and stepped aside and Casha swayed towards the jet. "What the hell?" Gabe asked quickly....

"Well she couldn't just drive up alone." Anubis told him. "Would you have left Marla alone?" he chuckled. Anubis gave the chief a bow and joined Casha, taking her arm in his as they went to the plane. The Rome contingent took to their cars and drove off.

"Not to turn up with some guy with the lights left on and no-one home." Gabe snapped, "Who is he?" Casha gave him a small smile as she snapped her fingers at the stranger. He sat down at the back of the jet and buckled his seat belt. "In flight meal." She said without a thought. Gabe nearly dropped his gun!.....

Anubis looked at Gabe and shugged his shoulders. "The Doc said she needed to feed on fresh blood, and it is a long flight back to LA." Dante took his seat and looked back at the man. He shook his head.

Gabe shuddered visibly and took his seat, "Won't he be missed?" He asked, "He looks kinda well....healthy." Casha shook her head and smiled, "I already ate his family." He said, "He won't get reported for a long time." Gabe shuddered again and felt physically sick. He wondered what had happened to the Casha that actually valued life. As Dante shook his head, Casha furrowed her brow, "You don't approve.".....

"His family?" Dante asked. "He had a family? Now they are dead?" he to wondered what had happened to her. Again the guild began welling up. A family, wife, kids, and the like. She would never had done that before. She had not done that even when she had been changed. They had all been criminals. Murderers and Rapists.

Casha looked across at Dante, "If it makes you feel any better, they weren't innocents." She said honestly, "They were dealing heroine from their back door and that one." She pointed to the young man, "Was staring at a girl barely old enough to sprout tits with a boner.".....

Now that sounded a bit better. He looked over at Gabe who still looked to him a bit sick. Anubis made sure she was buckled in and gave the go ahead for the pilot to take off. With in minutes the plane was taxing out to the runway.
Dante leaned back in his seat and began to think. According to Anubis and Casha, he had demon blood in him. His distant ancestor had been a fullblooded demon. He wondered what his ancestors thought of it all, or did they even know.

Casha sat back and stared out of the window as the ground began to move beneath them and then disappear into the night air. Soon enough, she was hungry again and disapeared into a backroom of the jet to eat the stranger. Gabe remained stoic throughout the flight, but it was clear he was angry with Casha, angry and hurt at the way she had acted and what she had done. What he had seen over the last couple of days had changed her entire outlook about her. Casha felt this and took him to one side, hopefully out of earshot of the others. They spoke quietly for a while, but it didn't take long for them both to get angry with each other. "But this is not you." Gabe spat under his breath, "You're not who you used to be, Casha. You're not the same hunter I respected for so long." Casha quickly shot her own quips back, "You think I like having to kill people to live?" She snapped, "Junior here is eating me alive from the inside out. I've got no choice until he's born. I eat, or I die, it's that fucking simple. Maybe next time Anubis knocks me up, I'll just let that happen, ok!?" she pushed past him and stormed into the bathroom....

Dante heard the argument. His hearing was just as good as Casha's or Anubis'. Yes Casha was not the same person as she had been. She was Akasha reborn and now with child that demanded quite a bit more then normal food. He would be the first purebred vampire. Not created, by drinking the blood of a vampire but being born one. Gabe would have to realize that she would never be the same person he had known. Perhaps after the child was born she would again be like she had been.

Gabe went back to his seat, but then turned it around and stared at the bathroom door. He felt guilty for saying what he had and the way he'd said it. She was his friend, his best friend, more than that even. He loved her dearly, but he just couldn't stomach what she'd done. His eyes went to Dante and they showed the guilt and hurt he felt over the argument, but his pride wouldn't allow him to back down....

[questor]

This was not what Dante had in mind when he had given Casha his blood. But now that could never be changed and he began to wonder what things were going to be like now. Their plan of faking her's and Anubis' deaths had held together for a few months. But now all of that was shot to pieces. Security footage at the Vatican would show her along with Anubis being very much alive.

The Pope would begin to feel the need to feed very shortly, especially with the smell of blood sp thick in the air. Those that served him would now have to contend with a vampire Pope. He loved the irony of that. But soon enough a new pope would be chosen and the hunters would be once again after Anubis, and now Casha and him. That would also mean they would be after Gabe since he was there with Anubis, to help rescue him.

He looiked pver at the back of the seat that Gabe sat in. Gabe would have to get over what was bugging him if he was going to be around Casha and Anubis now. Especially at the moment when Casha was pregnent. She would be feeding alot more on fresh blood it seemed.

Then his mind switched back over to himself and his family line. When he got back he would have to begin searching his family background. Frenchy probably could help with that.

Meanwhile Anubis sat opposit Gabe and looked over at him. "Life from now on is going to be quite different now, in more ways then one."

[LadyRaven]

Gabe eyed his boss carefully and gave his comments an equal amount of care. He nodded briefly and then turned his eyes back to the window. "It's already half way there." He said after some time. "I barely recognise anything happening anymore. Least of all Casha. She never used to be this sloppy. I mean, when she killed, she left no trace of herself. What she did back in Rome, it was careless and stupid. And bringing that guy on the plane; it's borderline insanity." He shook his head. "It'll take them about a minute to figure out what she's done; what we;ve done. You do realise, Boss, you're gonna be spending the rest of eternity watching your backs. They won't stop now, until they have you and Casha, and everyone else locked up or dead." He shook his head again and pulled out his phone. He wanted to check in with Marla, but he knew she'd pick up on the mood he was in and it would end in an argument. She had enough to deal with right now. He had already sent word home that Dante had been rescued and he was unharmed.

[questor]

Anubis just smiled a bit. Humans would always have a difficult time with the way vampires lived and had to feed to live. Back in the old days there had been those that would offer their blood to him and the others. Anubis and the others would take so much from a number of them and those humans would be treated better then others so that they could recover the blood lost and down the way a bit again be able to offer their blood. Only after the fall of Anubis Empire did the surviving vampires prey on humans and drain them of their blood.

After centuries of those turned , it became the way of the vampires, as many did not care what happened to the humans. There were a few hundred vampires throughout the world. With over 3 billion humans in the world, the food supply was never at resk. It would take some time but Gabe would get use to it.

But Gabe was right about what the Hunters would do. Yes they could not come right out and say they were hunting vampires or abmormals. They would be locked up in the loony bins around the world. Nor could they admit that they were hunting peiople and killing them. That would be admitting to mass murder. Even Government agencies that sanction killings of certain individuals abroad had to be careful. They could not outright say they ordered the hit, unless it was on someone that was an international terroest or the like.

Now that Anubis, in his alter ego as a billionaire recluse that now had come out into the public, it would be harder for them to try and kill him and Casha. When he got back he planned to turn the tables on the hunters. Make them out to be international hit men, killers and the like. An organization that is for hire to the highest bidders to kill anyone that they are paid to kill. What could they do? Go public? Announce to the world that there were abnormals out there that needed to be killed? Again would that not be murder? Vigilanties out to kill anyone that was not normal. No trail, no justification other then they were not human. If he had his way, the Hunters would become the hunted.

Dante moved further up into the front of the plane and talked to the pilot and got call in to the mansion. "Hi Babe. I am alright." he told Kat. "Will be home in a few hours." He had to reasure her a number of times that he was alright and that he loved her.

Several hours later the plane landed and was met by a contengent of guards and Marla as well as the Doc and Frenchy. Marla had her arms crossed infront of her over her tight fitting leather outfit and looked at Gabe , as she stood there waiting for him to join her.

[LadyRaven]

Kat was frantic when Dante phoned and wanted to know everything, but he would only say that he was ok and on his way home. He tried to comfort her, but it would never be enough until she actually saw him and held him for real. She had wanted to go to the airport but Marla had said no, so she had to stay home and wait. That didn't help matters at all! When the plane landed, Gabe was first off and straight on the phone to check the perimetres. Once the all clear was given, he then stepped aside to let Anubis and the others leave the plane. Once the guards had tightened the circle around the plane, he left the group and made his way to Marla. She looked amazing as always, but her looks were the last thing he saw. He saw her arms and that's what he aimed for. Pulling them apart, he wrapped his own around her and held her. There was no sign of Casha yet....

Dante and Anubis was off the plane as soon as it was clear to do so. They made for the cars waiting for them. Marla let Gabe pull her arms apart and take her into his arms. "Do you know what hornets nest you guys have stirred up. It has been all over the news about armed men being at the Airport in Rome trying to kidnap Anubis, and what they are calling a terroriest attack on the Vatican." Anubis instructed a couple of the guards to dispose of the body on the plane and had overheard Marla's remarks to Gabe. He smiled and got into the car.

Gabe gave a small shudder and shook his head, "Hornet's nest won't cover a fraction of what she's done over there." He whispered, "What she's done will go down in history as the biggest shit storm ever."....

"There are reporters from every news agency out side the gates here and at the mansion. They all are wanting to know what happened in Italy, and why the 'kidnapping' attempt. The big man is going to have to talk to them or we will never get rid of them." Marla told Gabe.

Gabe gave a small nod, "I'll let him know." He offered. Finally, Casha appeared from the plane, but she looked withdrawn and quiet. Gabe refused to even look at her as she got in the car, turning his head away from her as she passed his line of sight.....

Marla disengaged from Gabe and followed Casha into the car. Her body guard was there and looking anxious as it had been his job to be there and she had managed to disapear on him and everyone else. "So the media thinks it was a terroriest attack on the Vatican?" he asked Gabe. "I think this will work to our advantage." He leaned back in the seat as Casha got into the car.

Once again, Gabe refused to look at Casha. He nodded, "Yes Sir, that's what Marla is telling me." He said, looking to Marla, "And a kidnapping attempt on you.".....

Anubis grinned on that part. "Yes, I think I can make use of all of this." he said and then took out his phone. He called the local large news station and told them that he would have a press conference at the gates to his mansion in a couple hours and if they would be kind enough to inform all the other media networks for him. He looked over at Dante. "You ready to put on a performance?" Dante looked at him raising a brow. "What do you have in mind?" Anubis laid out the story he was wanting the media to hear. Dante chuckled when he heard it. "Come on Gabe, get in and we can get home." Anubis told Gabe.

Gabe got in the car but kept his eyes forward, "So what's the plan, Boss?" He asked. His eyes briefly caught Casha in the rearview mirror, but quickly returned to Anubis.....

"Going to lay it out to the press that Dante was procuring something very special for the Pope, that certain people did not want to fall into his hands. That an organization called the Order had been hired by these people to retrieve it and that they attacked the Vatican to get it back and that failing that that they tried to kidnap me and Dante to pressure the Pope to give it up. But of course we will not be able to tell them what it was, as that is the Pope's desire." he looked at Gabe. "Think that will work? If you have any close friends within the Order, I would suggest that you get in touch with them and tell them to make themselves scarace and try to eliminate any trace of them being a part of the Order."

Gabe nodded and quickly got his phone out. He called Emily. After he had told her what he wanted her to do, he hung up and looked again at Anubis, "It's a good plan." He said, "But.... why say Dante helped the Pope?" he offered a smile to Dante, "Why not say that he was getting that something for you, but they wanted it instead?"...

"Ahhhhhhh to explain the carnage at the Vatican." he told Gabe. "Of course no one is going to claim responsibility for such an attack, but it is going to put the Order on the international wanted list."

Gabe nodded, "That it will." He said, then briefly looked at Casha again, "Providing our illustrious queen didn't get caught on camera killing them."....

"Mmmmmm that is true. But I think you know someone that can have all of that deleted." he looked at Gabe, knowing that the friend he had called would be able to do it.

Gabe nodded and smiled, "Yes I do and yes she can, easily." He said....

With that all settled he began to think of what he was going to say to the press. He was now big news and he was going to take advantage of it. The cars began moving and as they reached the gate, he could see the media hurrying to pack things up and get to the mansion. Anubis noticed how Gabe kept avoiding looking at Casha and it seemed she was doing the same. That was another thing he wasgoing to have to try and fix.

The cars made their way to the mansion in almost silence and in the rearview, Gabe could see the many press vans following, vying for the best position when they got home. Once passed the freeway, many of the vans had overtaken them so they could take the best spots for pictures at the mansion. Gabe sucked in his breath when he saw them all at the gates, "Here we go." He said as the cars slowed down.....

Guards opened the gates and made sure no one would be able to get in when the cars passed through. As they passed the media, Anubis rolled down his window and spoke a few words. "I will be back shortly after I have cleaned up a bit. It has been a long trip back, so be patient." he smiled and then rolled the windows up as questions began flying. The cars moved up the long drive to the mansion and as they stopped infront of the Mansion Dante got out of the car and looked at the imposing structure. Home he thought. He liked the sound of that."

Gabe was first out as usual and opened the door for Anubis and the others to get out. as Dante got out, Kat appeared at the door and quickly raced down to pounce on him. She literally jumped on him and threw her arms around his neck. Now she believed he was ok. "I was so worried about you!" She cried. Last out was Casha and she made her way to the house in silence. She didn't want any of the fuss everyone else was making. She just wanted to crawl into her bed and be alone for a while.....

Dante wrapped his arms around Kat and held her tight and then picked her up in his arms and carried her into the Mansion. Anubis followed Casha into the mansion and up to their room. He put his arms around her from behind and drank in her scent. "You know you can talk to me about anything?" he told her, "You are troubled and I feel I am the cause of it all."

Kat cuddled tight into Dante as they made their way into the mansion. Upstairs, Casha closed her eyes when Anubis put his arms around her. "I know." She whispered, "I just want to be alone for a while, that's all."......

Anubis kissed her neck and then released her and changed. He didn't really want to leave her like she was but he knew her and when to leave her be. He went and grabbed Dante before Kat drug him off to their rooms and not let him out. "He will be all yours after the press conference." he told Kat. "Get changed quickly so we don't let our fans out there wait to long."

Kat scowled when Anubis robbed her of Dante again and went to sulk as she fed the kittens. They had grown a little since Dante had last seen them, well, the boys had. Amy was still as tiny as always. Gabe made his way outside to make sure everything was secure for Anubis to answer the questions. Casha watched from the veranda.....

Anubis and Dante walked down the long drive with their accompament of guards. Marla was with Gabe ensuring that security was up to par and that there were no hunters hidden amongest the reporters. When the gates opened the press tried to surge forward but the guards kept them back. Anubis held up his hands as camers flashed and a barage of questions were thown at them. He motioned for calm and then as they quieted down he addressed them "I am sure you have all heard of the attempt to kidnap me and Daniel here." he began. "As well as the attack on the Vactican." he looked at the crowd. "Some time ago, the Pope asked Daniel here to procure an item for him that was of religious importance to the church. I can not say what it is as that is the wish of the pope. It was not an easy task, but Daniel is one that never gives up and finally was able to give the Pope what he wanted. But there were those out there that did not want it in the hands of the Pope and therefore hired and organization that we have learned is called the Order to take it at any cost. They failed as is evident, but they seemed to think that if they took me and Daniel hostage that they would be able to pressure the pope to give it up. That plot was also a failure. I have knowledge of this organization called the Order. They are hired to kill inoccent men, women and children that are different. They are adament in their pursuit to kill anyone that seems different then what they consider the norm. These murderers need to be brought to justice. I intend to speak with the Mayor on this matter and possibly the governor. For this organization has members here in this city as well as this state." He then nodded and the questions began.

"Mr. Vance, Mr. Vance!" One called, "What about the rumours of Mrs. Vance's involvement in the kidnapping and attack on the Vatican?".....

Anubis smiled. "She was there having a talk with the Pope when the attack took place. As to her involvement, I will let her be the one to tell you what happened, since Dante and I were not there when it happened." which was the truth more or less. As was what they gave the Pope. He had wanted it and Dante gave it to him.

"Where is she? When can we talk to her?" The reporter called and then a real bombshell was dropped, "And who is she really, Mr. Vance? There's never been a Casha Mohesh ever recorded. Rumours say she's a spy, Mr. Vance. Is that true? Where did you really meet her, Mr. Vance?"....

[questor]

"Casha is resting. She needs her rest, especially after all that has happened." he explained to them. When they asked about who she really was and where she came from he knew that they had been doing their homework on her. He had made a false identiy long ago for himself and it was airtight. It had taken him a while to get all the documentations in the right places. School records from kindergarden up through collage, parents dieing in a plane crash and him inheriting everything. Then there was his business dealings and investments which were all real. But Casha had none.

He didn't have the time to get something started for her. It might be a bit late for that, he thought. He wished Casha was there to answer some questions or help him out on it. It was Dante that answered for him. "Again you will have to wait and ask her about it. Somethimes it is best to go to the source to get the best answers. What you were told earlier is somewhat true but it is to protect her from those that have tried to kidnap MR. Vance here and myself."

[questor]

Casha stood and watched the fiasco at the gates from the balcony and gripped the railings tight enough to actually bend the iron. If she didn't, she would have screamed her fury and frustration, and that would have ended badly for everyone within earshot. Her scream had been painful enough when she was still human, let alone what she could be capable of now. Then it hit her, she knew exactly what she had been capable of, what she still was capable of. And that only served to make her ever more angry and frustrated at herself. In response to this, she gripped the railing even tighter. At the gates, she could hear the questions being asked and oh, how she wanted to answer them all. Tell them all exactly who she was, what she had done and what she planned to do next!.....

Dante turned and walked back to the House. So much had happened to him in the last few months. Things that would not have been possible except for that fateful day so many years ago. His mind seemed to fade back to that time. England, a few years after the war. His father had retired from his line of work with his, to a place in europe only he knew. He was on his own now. His father had taught him everyting there was to know about being a cat burgular. He could pick locks, crack safes, pickpocket and he used his skill as a gymnist in his work. His first real big job had gone off without a hitch, well for the most part. He had cracked the safe, gotten the ruby, and had almost made it out of the house when a servent having a bit of insomnia had seen him. She raised the alarm and the chase was on. The Bobbies were after him as he ran through the streets, ducking into dark allies and climbing buildings and running over roofs, jumping from one to another to keep ahead of them. He had thought he had lost them and made it back down to the ground and was about to cross a small bridge over a canal when all hell seemed to break lose. Five men in black with weapons of old faced off against a man dressed in high society evening clothing. He ducked and weaved, dodged their attacks with the ancient weapons. He jumped over them knocking a couple to the ground. He laughed as he grabed another and broke the mans arm. Dante could hear the bone snap and the man cry out in pain. Dante was up against the wall of a building watching, trying to stay in the shadows, not wanting to be seen. Then one of the men snarled and called the man "A blood sucking vampire." As the man turned to this one laughing, he backed up and was right in front of Dante. One that had been knocked to the groud, had a long spear. He rolled and thrust the spear, piercing the man through and the bloody spear tip ripped through Dante's side, sending searing pain through his body. The man grabbed the shaft of the spear and pulled it from him and Dante's bodies, as he roared in anger and pain. Dante slipped to the ground bleeding badly. Another of the men in black swung his sword and it sliced through the man's neck, severing his head from his body. The body and head fell to the ground and Dante saw the body burst into flames and burn itself into ash. The shrill sounds of whistles made the men in black look about. He heard one say, "We had best leave. We don't want to be discovered." he looked down at Dante. "Leave him, it will look like a mugging." Dante saw them leave as the sound of the whistles got closer. He dragged himself to the cannal and rolled himself into it. The slow current of the water took him from the area. As he floated down the canal his body seared with pain. It was like it was on fire, every nerve burning. Somewhere along the way he passed out and when he awoke, he was laying on some rubbish that had drifted down the cannel. The pain was gone, and the wound in his side was completely healed. It was not till weeks later after several odd things happening to him, that he realized that some how he had been changed. As he reached the mansion his mind returned to the present and he saw Casha above and he sighed.

As Dante looked up, Casha looked down. She met his gaze as she heard him sigh and cocked her head to one side. It was doubtful he wanted to talk to her, she thought, so she nodded and looked back towards the gates. The questions were still coming thick and fast. They wanted to know everything about the Order and the treasure for the Pope, the attack, everything they could think of to ask......

Dante entered the house, his mind still wandering back over the last fifty years. His parents deaths, and him burrying them. Him gaining such a reputation and then after so many years wondering if he was the one and same. He had to grin at that one. Down the drive, Anubis was answering question as best he could. He looked back and saw Casha as well. He wished that the reporters would all just leave.

From around the middle of the hoard of reporters, one pulled out a long range lens, hoping to gain valuable pictures of Casha at the balcony and he used his partner to distract Anubis so he could do this. The reporter fired a barrage of questions at him, going all out to keep the focus away from the snaphappy cameraman. The pictures he got shocked him and he stared at the digital screen with a puzzled look. Casha was perfectly in focus, but at the same time, she wasn't. The second reporter carried on the questions as long as he could. "Mr. Vance, Mr. Vance, when can we talk to Casha? Don't you think it was odd she was at the Vatican when the attack took place? Did she play any part in it, do you think?" His cohort took several more pictures and then seemed happy with what he got. Casha was stood on the balcony, her hands gripping the twisting iron railings, her eyes closed and tears falling.....

"That is all for tonight ladies and gentelmen. It has been a very trying time and even I must rest." He made sure the large iron gate was closed and that security was watching the walls that surrounded the estate before turning and walking back up to the house. Once there he looked up at Casha and then was in the mansion and up the stairs at her side in the blink of an eye. "What is it my love?" he asked her.

Casha remained on the balcony for a while longer, lisetning to the leading questions being asked and thankful that Anubis wasn't falling for it. A few tears had fallen as she remembered in detail what she had done in her former home. All those people she had killed and the simple disregard with which she had despatched them. And then again with her 'in flight meal'. Sure, he had been a lowlife and a disgusting pervert, but she still couldn't believe the casual way she had passed his life off as pointless and unworthy. She began to wonder if gabe was right. This wasn't her, this wasn't what she did. She hunted for the greater good, not in revenge and not for the sake of a meal. Gabe had looked at her like he looked at the vampires and lycans he hunted down and killed. So lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear or feel Anubis come to her. The tears had long dried in the late evening breeze, but the sadness had yet to fade. "Anubis, what am I?" She asked....

That was a good question. He had seen how she had been acting, how Gabe had looked at her after her feeding on the man on the plane. Yes she had been a vampire for several months now, but had not been feeding on people. She was two different people inhabiting the same body. She was still trying to cope with it all. A person given the dark gift usually took to the change fairly easy, unless it was unwilling and then they were tormented by what they had to do to live. They eventually came to terms with it, but their time till then was troubled. "You are Casha. Your two lives are colliding and you must come to terms with it and make a compromise if that what it takes to accept what you have become."

Casha shook her head slowly and closed her eyes. That wasn't what she had asked him. "I know who I am." She said quietly, "But WHAT am I?".....

"A vampire that has yet to really accept what has happened to her. It is something that conflicts with what you had once been, and had felt about our kind." his arms were about her, holding her. "It is hard to over come years of teachings and beliefs that was pounded into your head day after day. " Akasha's soul was there but so was the mind of Mac. Two very differnt outlooks on life and how it should be lived. Akasha had been one to feed upon humans and not be afraid of it. In the begining they had hunted their prey as part of the joy in it all. But after the fall of Cain's empire and the develpopment of their own, they feed on those willing to give their blood. Rarely would they hunt and kill a human. Usually that was during war time as they expanded their small empire.

Casha turned her head slightly away as Anubis put his arms around her from behind. Her hands turned slightly in their grip on the rail, twisting it just a little more. "But I'm not just a vampire though, am I." She whispered, "I'm something much more dangerous." With an unnatural ease, she moved away from Anubis and further along the balcony. "In the Shadow Realm, I played fetch with hellhounds and I traded insults with a demon that I had no right to. He knew my blood, he commented on it at length. He thought me more demon than vampire. Am I really that kind of monster, Anubis? What I did to my friends, my family, the people I'd spent my life being loyal to. I cast them off like a bad smell and didn't think twice about it. If that's what monsters do, Anubis, what hope do I possibly have to be anything else?".....

He tightened his hold on her. "Demon blood, well yes, if what French has found out is right, Cain was changed from drinking the blood of a demon. So in reality I guess we all have demon blood in us. Even Dante. Looks like he is directly related to the Shadow Demon." He kissed her cheek. "Monsters? No. We are not monsters. Yes we have done things that probably makes us look like that. Look what I have done, but also the reason for it. You are not use to what has been happening, and you carrying what could be considered the first true blood baby vampire is doing strange things to you. Just like the humans when they become pregnant do some strange things and act differnt then they normally do. No you are not a monster."

Casha turned quickly in his arms and then just as quickly pushed him back, "Like humans?" She asked, "Have you not even noticed what I've done?" There was true shock and pain in her eyes, "Human mothers don't rip apart their friends to eat them, Anubis! They don't go globe trotting in the fucking shadows and play fetch with fucking hellhounds!" She threw her hands up almost in defeat and turned her back on him. "They eat weird food and get cranky." She continued, "Or redecorate the house and bake cookies."....

"Yes they do. And they were not your friends. You may have worked with them at one time, perhaps spoken to a few in passing. Your friends, Dante, Gabe, and Marla you have not hurt and have gone to great length to protect and get back. Mankind have done the same in many ways, have they not killed each other over stupid things and beliefs, done atrocities to each other?"

"Haven't I?" She asked back quickly, "I've pulled them away from the only lives they knew and the people they trusted. I've destroyed their beliefs and ideals, ripped them away from loved ones. Yeah, I've tried to protect them, Anubis, but at what cost to them? Dante can barely look at me now and Gabe, he can't look at me at all, can't stand to be anywhere near me! Kat is terrified, along with everyone else in this fucking house and the staff run a fucking mile the second that door opens! and I don't even know about Marla anymore. She's even more guarded in her thoughts than you are.".....

That was something he could not aruge about. Gabe was not able to take what Casha had become and done. Dante was not as shocked and dismayed. He had been at first but not after Casha had explained what the people had been. Marla, he didn't know yet. He had not talked to her nor had he noticed any thing. But of course she didn't know the full extent of the attack on the vatican nor what she had done afterwards. "What do you think we should do?" he asked her. "Do you want to give your life up and that of our child up to the Church. Want to give up because what this pregnancy has done to you?"

That was a question Casha didn't have an answer for. She worked her jaw in thought and clenched her fists. Of course, she had no intention at all of handing herself over to the Vatican, she knew what they would do to her and to the baby, but she knew she couldn't caay on like this. It would send her insane. "I don't know what to do." She finally admitted, "I don't have a single clue what to do anymore. If I don't feed, Junior here.." She put her hands on her bump, "..Eats me alive and I end up shredding people again." She shook her head. "Murders, rapists, people like that, I can cope with just about. But not what I did in Rome, Anubis. Half those people I killed, didn't deserve what I did to them, more than half and I can't just walk away from that.".....

"Well they would not have hesitated in killing you and our child. They would not hesitate in killing any abnormal, even if they had not done anthing to harm humankind. You know this and you know that they have done this. Look what they did to Dante. Kidnapped him, took him to the Pope, even after what he had done for them. Are they any better then I was not that long ago, or those that deserved to be destroyed, because of what they had done. No they got what they deserved. If they didn't deserve it, they would not have tried to stop you."

Casha looked up to meet his gaze now, "Most of them didn't." She said quietly, "Most of them there hadn't even gained ranks yet, they'd barely begun their training, Anubis. Only the ranking soldiers even attempted to try and stop me. I didn't descriminate because I didn't care and they deserved better. I could have left them, given them an idea of the truth, but I didn't. I snapped their necks like twigs simply because I could." She began to move inside the bedroom now. She noted how it had been cleaned up incredibly well and everything too soiled to save, had been replaced. "And that's what made me a monster." She said as she entered the bathroom and shut the door behind her.....

Once in the bathroom and with the door shut, Anubis sighed and had no idea of what to do. He sat on the bed and looked at the bathroom door. In the bathroom one of the lights had burned out, casting things into shadows. "Now what determines what makes one a monster?" came a familar voice. "Am I a monster because I feed upon humans to survive. Perhaps in their context. But what is a monster in your context? You killed to protect and rescue one dear to you. Yes there were those that got in the way that should not have been there, but they were, they were there to stop you, to kill you if they could. Would they have felt remorse for what they had done if they had been successful." The demons face poked itself out of the shadows abit. "Would you have done it differntly if you had the chance to change what had happened?"

Casha's emerald eyes glared at her reflection and then the shadow behind her where the demon's voice came from. Then his face appeared and she looked back at her own features again. "You should stop listening to conversations not meant for you, demon." She began and then closed her eyes. "I should have at least given them the opportunity." She offered suddenly, "But I didn't and I didn't care. That isn't me, it never was." She opened her eyes again and stared at the demon, "Only a monster wouldn't care about the lives it took."....

"You care, therefore you are not a monster." he chuckled. "You didn't answer my question. If you had a chance to change what happened, what would you do?"

Casha closed her eyes and shook her head. "Probably not." She whispered in response. She then turned her face away from the mirror, "Let me alone demon." She asked softly, "Please."....

"You would not change the past. Let them live, those that you think did not deserve to die?" he had a puzzled look on his face. "Strange."

Casha tightened her closed eyes and gripped the edge of the sink. "I said leave!" She demanded, "Leave me alone! I just want a moment to myself!" Then her jaw clenched as she felt a deep pain ripple down her back and around her hips. It made her lean against the porcelain heavily. "Please Demon, let me be alone!"......

"As you wish, but if you change your mind, you know where to find me. But the window of opportunity is getting short." he withdrew his head into the shadows.

Casha tightened her grip yet again on the sink. Window of opportunity? She didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but that was the least of her concern now. It wasn't enough that she was riddle with guilt for what she'd done these last few days, but now her entire body was riddled with agony. Moving from the sink to the tub, she leaned over, trying to catch her breath. Within seconds, she dropped to her knees with one hand cushioning her head on the side of the bath and the other holding her bump. She'd never felt pain like this before and it frightened her. Again and again, it jolted her before it began to concentrate around the bottom of her bump and around her hips. Then she felt something wet on her skirt and put her hand down to feel what it was. Her fingers returned with blood on them. Absolute panic took over. "No!" She cried, "No, no, no! Not yet, not yet!" She cried out as more pains came and went, becoming more intense and timed. "Not yet!"......

Anubis heard her cry out and the door was off its hinges as he tore it off them. He saw the blood and then scooped her up into his arms and took her out into the bedroom, yelling at the top of his lungs for the Doc. He had been checking in on the litter and giving Kat a glowing report on them when he heard Anubis yelling. He grabbed his bag and went running to the master bed room. One look and he knew she would not be able to make it to the special room at the hospital he had arranged for. The child was a bit early. Checking her out fast he was on the phone having certain equipment and things rushed to the mansion. "OK Casha. The baby is comming. There is no stopping it." he smiled at her. "Looks like he wants to come into the world now."

Casha shook her head vehemently, "No!" She yelled, "He's too early! Make it stop! Please!" Yet another pain gripped her body and she all but screamed in agony now. "Please God, make it stop! Please! Don't let my baby die!" Pushing the doctor away, she turned over and crawled up the bed on her hands and knees. She grabbed at the massive headboard and clung to it in both pain and panic. "Please God, don't do this!" She cried, truly believing her baby would die. Another pain came and she instincively spread her knees. With one hand, she reached down as though to physically push the baby back in, or at least to catch it, but her mind was in chaos and she didn't know what she was doing......

"It will be alright. The equipment for the baby is being brought. By the time the little one is here the equipment will be here to help. He will not die." he told her and tried to get her back down on the bed. "Try to relax, calm yourself. You must concentrate."

Casha actually snapped her fangs at the doctor as he got just a little too close. "No!" She yelled, then leaned against the headboard and cried. She had no choice and this baby would not wait any longer. Still far too early for her to believe it would survive, she turned her body to the headboard and pushed the pillows out of the way. She spread her knees wide apart and put her forehead to the wood. By this point, Gabe had arrived, guns drawn. The chaos ensuing in the house made him think they were under attack. When he saw Casha, he dropped the gun and rushed to the bed. Everyone else was forgotten, along with his own safety as he launched himself past Anubis and bounced up the bed to Casha. Kat was next in the doorway, staring in both disbelief and worry for her friend.....

[questor]

The Doc gently pulled Gabe away. "Not to close right now. Even I don't know what she will do here . this is my first Vampire Birth." Anubis was on the other side looking at Casha and then the Doctor. "Just speak to her calmlyand encouragingly." he told Anubis and he did what the Doc said, trying to ease Casha's worry.

Gabe fought against the doctor and pushed him away, but the other man made sense, so he didn't try and get to her again. With her head against the headboard and her knees spread wide, Casha cried openly, already grieving, it seemed for the child she was about to lose. "I'm so sorry!" She sobbed in whisper, "God forgive me, I'm so very sorry." She moved her hand away and let instinct take over fully.....

"Ahhhhhhh I see the head, Keep pushing Casha, you are doing fine." the Doc said. The hall way was full of people and Frenchy forced his way up and finally was able to open the door and slip inside. This would be a first for the chronicles of his order. The first birth of a vampire, a true blood. He had already informed the Grand Chronicler of the event.

Casha nodded as she sobbed, though there was little that she actually needed to do. It was a little confusing for her as she'd grown up seeing the huffing and pushing and all the effort required to give birth before. Even Kat had done that, so it all felt odd. The only thing that she did recognize about it was the pain. It was excrutiating and exhausting, but that was all. She wasn't even pushing! Eventually, with a slight pop and a gush of fluid, the head came out. The stretching was incredibly painful and she cried out then before taking deep breaths to calm her mind again. As of yet, there was no sound from the infant....

The Doc held onto the baby's head and helped the best he could. "One more push Casha and he will be out." he told her.

Casha quickly slapped the doctor's hand away, "I'm not pushing." She said in a suprisingly calm voice, "I'm not doing anything." She then grit her teeth as the familiar pain came back and she felt the baby slid down further. "Just let him fall." She grunted, thinking the dead body would simply fall on the bed and she didn't want anyone touching him. One shoulder pushed through, followed quickly by the other and then, with another rush of fluid, the infant slid free and landed tenderly on the bed between her knees. At this point, Casha closed her eyes and put her forehead back ont eh headboard as she dropped down, surrounding what she thought was the dead body with her knees. It had landed somewhat on it's side with its head slightly back and Casha shuddered, unable to bear to look. As far as she was concerned, her baby was stillborn.....

Casha remained oblivious until she heard that piercing cry. She gripped the headboard tighter than ever, splintering some of the wood, as she sobbed openly in relief. At her bedside, Gabe let out a long breath of relief and smiled, giving a nod to the doctor and Anubis. At the door, Kat calpped her hands quietly and laughed as she cried at the same time.....

"Well Casha, Looks like you are the proud mother of a very healthy baby boy." As he cleaned the baby, he checked him over to make sure everything was there. Ten toes, ten fingers, two hands two feet, eyes, ears, mouth nose, the whole works. "Now everyone, but Anubis, Kat, and Gabe here, out of the room." Anubis nodded tot he guards and everyone that was not suppose to be there was promply moved from the room. Anubis reached up and over to help Casha back down to the bed. Again the bedding was going to have to be removed and replaced but not just yet. Once he cleaned the crying child he looked over at Kat, "clean blanket if you please."

Casha let go of the headboard and slowly slid down the bed again, taking her time as reality sank in. The baby boy was fine, healthy and more importantly, very much alive. Kat fetched the blanket and gingerly looked at the boy as she handed it over, "My my, isn't he just the cutest thing you ever saw?" She smiled at the still stunned Casha, "Well done, honey, well done." Casha looked over at Anubis to check this was actually real and not a dream.....

Anubis pulled the blanket back a bit as the baby was handed to Casha. He smiled proudly at Casha as he got his first real good look at the child. He had been early, but he was no little thing, nor did it look as if they would need any special equipment. "Our son." he whispered.


Casha took the baby and held him tenderly, staring at him for a moment before she carefully unwrapped him. She wanted to make sure for herself that he was fine. He was and she carefully wrapped him back up, making sure to cover his little head. Casha seemed in a daze then as the boy opened his eyes to reveal bright orbs of emerald green, just like hers.....

Anubis looked at Casha. "What shall his name be?" he asked.

She still seemed in a daze when Anubis spoke to her. She was too busy staring into those bright green eyes and when she tenderly stroked her finger down his cheek, she felt his tiny fingers take hold of her pinky and she smiled tearfully and cocked her head to one side. After a life of destruction, she couldn't quite believe she could create something so pure and innocent like him. From the doorway, Gabe coughed into his hand and Casha finally snapped out of her reverie, "Huh?" She asked, "Wat did I miss?"......

Anubis looked over at Gabe, "Well speak up man." he to then turned back to the little guy and looked into those green eyes. "Your eyes you know."

Gabe offered a half cocked grin and coughed again before nodding his head towards the infant, "Just a reminder." He offered to Casha. The woman lifted her eyes briefly at her long time friend and smiled. "A promise is a promise." She said quietly, then nodded to Anubis without looking at him, "Yes he does, but those big ears are all you."....

Anubis laughed, "True." he said. Then he looked over at Gabe again. "Ok what promise is that?"

"We get dibs on the firstborn." He offered with a laugh, "Which means the tyke gets my name." The grin of pride was undeniable, "But first thing is first." He moved foreward and leaned over the end of the bed, "Casha." He offered quietly, "We both know I've been a total ass about what happened, and well, this whole situatiation from start to finish." Casha nodded and smiled, "Apology accepted and I've not exactly been easy either, so it goes both ways, ok?" Gabe nodded and smiled again before looking over a little more, "Hey there little guy, I'm your uncle Gabe and boy, have I got a treat for you!"......

"Surprise?" Anubis asked. "And now that Marla is in the Family way, what think you of the old womans prediction of the future?"

Gabe lifted an eyebrow, "A little more optomistic, I think." He admitted, "But that's all." He came around the bed and stared into the wrapped blanket. "Looks like a little alien, don't he. My name's gonna suit him to the ground, methinks." he grinned again and backed off, "I'll go spread the good word." And he left without another word.....

Anubis watched Gabe leave and then looked over at the Doc. "What will he feed on?" The Doc chuckled. "At this young age I would say breast milk. He has no teeth and no fangs yet that I can tell. So he is a normal child at the moment. Down the road though he will probably begin to change and will feed on blood. Only time will tell." Then Anubis turned to Kat, "Might as well go get Dante. I think he would like to see the little rascal."

Kat gave a half hearted nod before venturing out of the room to fetch Dante. Casha barely took her eyes off the baby boy in her arms. And to think, she thought him dead! Showed how much she knew after all. And with so little effort on her part too, that was also something rattling around in her brain, but for now, she was happy to simply smile at her baby. "My own baby." She said softly, "My very own flesh and blood. I can't believe I've done it.".....

Anubis chuckled, "Well the proof is in your arms my love." Now without the little one draining her strength, Casha might be able to return to her "normal" self. As if the Doc read his mind, "Now you will not be so ravenously hungry. You will revert back to only feeding when you need to." In the shadows of the bathroom a familar chuckle could be heard.

Casha looked up and just for a moment, she was about to tel lthe doctor she would never feed again, but she knew that eventually, she would so she said nothing. Instead, she just nodded and then carried on staring at her baby boy. "Little Gabriel." She cooed....

"Now you and little Gabriel must rest." The Doc said. "Anubis, you need to go and let her rest. I will alow Kat to bring Dante in for a few minutes and that is it." About that time the door opened and in came Dante with wide eyes.

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