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[Mikoto]

Warning: This is an R-Rated Game. If you are under 18 please press your back button now.

Five months have passed since the Vampire Hunters of Delmi returned from their mission in Melcene. After the vampires had been eliminated the Royal Guard took control of running the city until a new Duke could be appointed by the royal family to rule. The vampire hunters had stayed a few days in the city to allow their injured members to recover properly then took the journey back to Delmi in easy stages before resuming their normal duties over the summer and through to autumn/fall. Now, five months later the leaves were starting to turn, there was a chill in the air in the mornings and evenings and the days were mild and cool. Things had been relatively calm in Delmi for a while now on the supernatural front...

Time Stamp: 22:43 full-night time.

Joanna had spent the evening as usual serving in the Old Fox, working in her typical apron and simple brown dress as a barmaid. Soon it would be closing time and most of the customers were slowly filtering out of the Inn or heading up to their rooms to sleep. Jo didn't look up as she swept the floor with her broom, passing by yet another table and unobtrusively listening to the conversation of the customers nearby. It did catch her interest though as they were talking about rumours of travellers being attacked in the night. She continued sweeping the floor and listening.

[Nikki Peppermint]

Tialyn had set the hearth fire to a low burn to ward off the autumn chill that had slowly crept into the night. She sat at the table in her and Kat’s house on the edge of town, dressed in thick cotton pants and a hand-knitted sweater. She swirled a wooden cup filled with water absently as she thought, again, back to a question asked by the Duke’s oldest child during lessons today—a question about Samsarra’s ancient past. She’d answered with as much information as she had-which wasn’t much, wishing she knew more for her own self.

It had made the petite Elviri continue back into her own past…back to living on the southern continent of Rivisia, a land of jungles and heat. Born into a wealthy family of some importance her eventual banishment had been of great embarrassment; but before that Tialyn had been groomed and educated to help in the family business. She’d spent ten years, from age 13-23, learning and studying at the University of Suramar, in the city of the same name.

Tialyn took a sip of water and frowned, pushing her long white hair back over her shoulders and exposing her pointed ears. She couldn’t stop thinking about a difficult trip to an ancient ruin that had ended in disaster. She had been a new student to the subject being studied and had been greatly looking forward to the excursion. Tialyn shook her head and sighed.

"Ah well," she said, reaching for an apple. "The past is gone...and there's no going back. All I have is the now, and I'm sure there're demons or vampires or something nasty heading our way...it's been much too quiet."

Edited by Nikki Peppermint, 20 July 2008 - 06:10 AM.

[szhismine]

Breanna entered the Inn from the back door, having just returned from a feeding. She fed earlier than usual because she had plans to do a thorough cleaning of the bar once it closed. She tossed her cape in her room and headed up the stairs for the main room.

[EChatty]

Sephira sat in her house, near the fire she'd started to ward off the chill of the evening and smiled. She had seen Sally-one of Vincent's employees-and the birth of her baby was in the last stages. She had asked if Sally wanted to know the gender, and she had said no, they wanted to be surprised, so she hadn't told them.

She sipped some tea as she relaxed-knowing it probably wouldn't last-it had been too quiet lately.

Vincent smiled as he watched Sally and Tommy heading for their small place he'd had built for them after they'd decided to wed-he wouldn't be using her regularly anymore, but that didn't matter, her baby would need her far more than he would-he had plenty to choose from.

He went out and saddled Diablo, then rode to town to patrol around for awhile, since he didn't have anything better to do until later-when it would be time to get the wine deliveries ready to go.

[Raeven]

Kat put the nights catch in her bag and headed home.....she left her muddy boots on the doorstep and went inside...she saw Tialyn sitting at the table and smiled....

"We will eat well in the coming weeks my friend, rabbits and pheasant galore"...she placed the bag on the table...."you look lost in thought Tialyn, anything I can help with?"

[Nikki Peppermint]

Tialyn stole a peak into Kat's game bag and smiled. She would help with the skinning and cleaning later, then they could add the rabbit skins to their collection of hides. The Elviri envisioned a lovely stew as well as more meat for the small smokehouse. They could probably share with Sephira as well.

"Oh, well...," Tialyn began hesitantly. "I just made the mistake of thinking about my past is all," she said with a shake of her head.

Kat and the others on the team when she first joined knew about Tialyn's banishment because of her visions, although Kat knew slightly more of the worst details.

"One of the children asked an innocent question about Samsarra's history today and in telling her what little I knew it led my mind back to all the 'what ifs' and 'what could have beens' if things had been different in my own past. But I'm here now, and I'm happy about that," she said with a true smile. "We do more good here than I think I would have had I stayed on Rivisia. Or maybe a different kind of good."

Then she asked about Kat's day.

Edited by Nikki Peppermint, 20 July 2008 - 09:24 AM.

[Mikoto]

Jo listened to the customers talking for a little longer then finished her sweeping and stood behind the bar to take orders for the last round of drinks. She didn't know if the attacks that they had been talking about were related to the supernatual or not, but tonight when she and her vampire hunters met up in the basement to begin tonight's patrol she would lead them out to that area to check it out just in case. More often than not the rumours she gathered from the patrons of the Old Fox proved to be false, but every once in a while it did turn out to be true supernatural activity. Jo smiled pleasantly at the customers as she handed out the drinks they ordered and took their gold in exchange, putting it behind the counter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Graayth was out prowling the woods around Delmi in his full-beast form doing his own form of cross-country patrolling. He could travel faster and cover wider distances than the hume or vampire members of the vampire hunters and so he took it upon himself to scour the surrounding lands each night for traces of hostile supernatural activity. Sometimes he went out ranging or hunting with Kat, which he enjoyed. But most nights, like this one, Graayth searched alone.

[Raeven]

He sat patiently, watching, waiting...his cloak wrapped tightly around his lean body, the hood shadowing his face...pale grey eyes stared out into the distance.....he heard footsteps and female laughter....he looked down from the rooftop and smiled showing the tips of sharp white fangs......

Almost perfect...

he swooped down and landed silently behind the couple....with one blow he knocked the man unconscious...the woman opened her mouth to scream, but made no noise....she was terrified....he took her in his arms and brushed the long blue black hair away from her neck.....

so much like the panthress, and yet so weak, so fragile, so easy.....he sank his teeth into her neck and swallowed long draughts of her blood......

As he fed two of the young ones dragged the males body away...

The woman fell against him, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder, she still lived, just......he ran through the night, the destination fixed in his mind.....

Her home....Joanna Rowen....the woman repsonsible for all his pain, all his suffering.....for twelve long months he had wandered the land, searching for the impossible....now he had returned, vengeance would be his...

he positioned the woman carefully....he braided her hair in the way the were wore hers....then lay her on her side outside the front door.....he knelt down next to her listening to her faint heartbeat....he reopened the wounds in her neck, coated his fingers in her blood and painted a message on the door....

The angel of death returns

He waited long enough to hear the woman take her final breath, then disappeared into the night.

He ran swiftly and silently.......ahead of him, waiting in the welcoming darkness was someone more precious to him than his own life...as he drew closer to the caves he caught her scent...he stilled and looked up....high up on the rocks, silhouetted by moonlight stood Annise

[Raeven]

Kat sat down in front of the fire, she stared into the flames.....

The past, somewhere I don't like to tread, too many ghosts....she turned away and smiled at Tialyn

"Without us many would have perished, we have saved so many lives over the years.....what we do is good work Tialyn, someone has to protect the weak, the innocent....besides if you had stayed on Rivisa we wouldn't have met and that would have been a terrible thing...I cannot imagine never having met you.....who would help me skin the rabbits, pluck the pheasants, keep the fire going to warm me when I get in from the hunt...she laughed....no, it is a good thing that we do and it is a good thing that you are here."

She stretched, then lay down on the rug

"My day was dull, uneventful, quiet...just how I like my days....the Duke has no hunts planned at this time of year, all I do is check the traps, keep the poachers away and help re-stock the kitchen larder for the coming months"

[Nikki Peppermint]

"Dull and uneventful is a good thing around here, Kat," Tialyn said with a laugh. "And don't get too comfortable down there," she warned here were-friend playfully. "We still have to get ready and meet the others at the inn tonight."

Tialyn knew Kat was right about them protecting the innocent...and about the two of them becoming friends. She smiled. Then she shivered as if someone has walked over her grave. Tialyn hated that feeling...and she sighed.

"I think our dull times might be ending," she said to Kat. "Don't ask me why or how, I just got one of those really bad feelings. It could be anything from a demon to a natural disaster to death."

[RJDiogenes]

Professor Arjhay Senegoid plodded wearily into town, his old clothes and backpack dusty from the road, his old boots muddy, his graying hair hanging limply over his eyes. Beside him, his brown horse limped sadly, a raw red wound on her right shoulder. This was a lot easier twenty years ago, thought the professor.

"Well, we've finally reached a town, old girl," he said, patting his animal gently on the neck. "And, look at that: The Old Fox. Looks like a nice inn for us."

Professor Senegoid led the horse over to the inn and tied her reins to a hitching post. "You just wait here, Rhiannon," he said. "I'll just be a couple of minutes."

Entering The Old Fox, the professor spotted a woman in a brown dress and an apron behind the bar and approached her. "Excuse me," he said. "I just got into town. My horse has been hurt and I'm hoping you have a stable where I can take care of her and feed her. We're exhausted."

[Mikoto]

Joanna looked up at the newcomer, taking in his old and travel stained clothes and the general look of exhaustion about him in one steady glance. New arrivals in town were unusual this late at night but with an injured horse it would delay a traveller. She nodded in response to him. "Yes we have some stables out the back and a room available for the night if you need it." She answered with a smile and whistled to get Jair's attention. She motioned for him to serve behind the bar for a while and he nodded. Jo then turned back to their guest. "Okay, let's collect your horse and I'll show you to the stables." She followed him back outside and then lead him around the back of the building to the stables and opened up a stall. "My name is Joanna, by the way." She introduced herself.

[Raeven]

Reluctantly Kat sat up....but it's so warm and comfortable here Tia.......she got to her feet and yawned

I think our dull times might be ending

She was fully awake and alert before Tialyn finished speaking

"I trust your bad feelings....they've never been wrong...we should get to the Inn, tell the others, see if they've heard anything"

[EChatty]

Sephira stood up, then yawned and stretched. She changed out of the dress she'd been wearing most of the day and into a pair of comfortable old leather trousers and a white blouse. She put a pair of old boots on, then went outside and started walking towards the Inn, where they were having a meeting of the hunters tonight.

Vincent reached the end of his last round, turned Diablo and headed back towards the Inn at a walk on the opposite side of town from where he'd started. He wasn't in a hurry, since he had plenty of time before he was supposed to be there, so he kept the horse at a slow walk.

[Nikki Peppermint]

Annise watched dispassionately as the black fog churned around the slender body she was holding in her arms. Standing atop the rocks of the cave, she stood motionless in the moonlight, her long red hair loose about her shoulders and dressed in simple black pants and a flowing tunic. A thin ribbon of colored mist was drawn from the body and sucked into the black fog, which then slowly dissipated. *Another next month,* the voice of Seph, God of darkness, death, and war whispered in her mind. *Another soul…and another and another…*

It was the bargain to save her own evil soul from eternal damnation in the underworld that she had agreed to when it was discovered Samael was attempting to bring her back. An innocent soul each month for the rest of her existence had been the price. Annise had agreed.

And she had returned from the dead.

Once the soul had been separated, the body was Annise’s to do with as she liked. She bent her head and bit viciously into the girl’s neck, sucking at the blood until the body was a dry husk and she was sated. The body was left hidden in the crevasse between two boulders, where it would remain undiscovered.

A wicked smile crossed Annise’s bloodied lips as she gazed down to find her beloved Samael gazing up at her.  With a quick leap she flew the distance down from the rocks and landed easily at his side.

“Has it begun?” she asked, running a sharp claw lightly down his cheek and over his lips. “Tell me yessss,” she hissed. “She will pay--the one who killed me…they will all pay.”

Edited by Nikki Peppermint, 20 July 2008 - 02:12 PM.

[Nikki Peppermint]

With a nod, Tialyn took a few moments to change her clothes...dark pants, a long-sleeved dark green shirt, and a short coat. Her collection of men's clothing had been altered to fit her better for the hunters' nights out, although she'd been forced many times to fight in a long dress.

"I'm ready then," she said to Kat, strapping on her stiletto daggers and hefting her quarterstaff--which had been shortened for her height but was still a formidable weapon. She swept her cloak over her shoulders.

"Should we cut through the forest or ride Morning Star around the road?"

[RJDiogenes]

"It's nice to meet you, Joanna," replied the professor. "I'm Professor Senegoid from Theseus University on the coast. You can just call me Arjhay, though."

He patted his horse's neck sadly.

"Thanks for giving me a place to take care of Rhiannon. We've been together a few years and I'd hate to lose her. I don't think she's hurt too badly, but I guess I'll know better after I've cleaned her up and she's had some food and a good night's rest."

[Mikoto]

Jo stepped outside and brought back some grain from a storage bin at the other end of the stables along with some grooming equipment. "Pleased to meet you Arjhay." She said and put the things down next to his horse. "I can't be away from the bar too long since it's closing time, but Jair or Delphyne will be along shortly to arrange a room for you. Call me if there's anything you need." At his nod she went back inside and helped oversee the closing down of the bar and helping Jair get the patrons out and sent home. She spoke briefly with him about Arjhay in the stable and he said that he would attend to it. Jo cleaned down the tables and put the chairs on the tables, then locked the doors behind her and headed down the streets of Delmi back towards her house to change into her hunting clothing and pick up her weapons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once the last few customers were out and the bar was closed, Jair went around the back to find the Professor cleaning and tending to his horse just as Joanna had told him. He stood at the edge of the stall and watched for a few moments before introducing himself. "Hello, I'm Jair Lihara, owner of the Old Fox Inn. Joanna sent me here to check you had everything you needed and to arrange a room." He leaned against the doorway.

[Raeven]

“She will pay--the one who killed me…they will all pay.”

Samael pulled her into his arms and enfolded her in his cloak….

"Yes my sweet, she will pay…she will suffer as I suffered…they will all suffer, I gave you my word and I will keep it…..Lachette will help us…the others….he shrugged…they are young, they will serve their purpose and then they will be no more."

He scraped his fangs along her neck….

"Beloved Annise…..once more in your rightful place at my side"

* * * * *


"Should we cut through the forest or ride Morning Star around the road?"

"Let’s ride….It’ll be quicker"

She pulled on soft leather boots, checked that her knives and stakes were secure, then donned her long, woolen cloak…..

She stepped outside and breathed in the cool night air, she waited for Tialyn to ready Morning Star, then approached her slowly, although the horse knew and accepted her, she was always careful not to startle or frighten the animal, she knew she smelled of what she was, a predator.

[Mikoto]

Jo frowned when she approached her house and saw a bundle lying on the pavement outside her front door. She immediately wondered what it was and as she got closer she realised that it was a body. Instinctively she pulled the stake out from where it was concealed in her clothing and approached it, holding up her torch with her other hand so she could see more clearly. What she saw left her feeling cold from head to toe. The woman looked similar to Kat, someone had gone to some trouble to braid her hair as she wore it and she'd been positioned so that the fang marks on her neck were the first thing that she would see. Joanna gripped her stake tighter as she recognised the message.

Only one vampire called himself an Angel of Death, and only one vampire had successfully escaped her team in recent years. Him. Jo looked around warily then opened her door, stepped over the nameless victim and went inside. She was safe enough in her house. The wards placed on her house meant no vampire could enter unless invited. Hastily and with hands that weren't quite steady Jo changed into her leather hunting clothes, armed herself with her sword and archery equipment then stepped outside again with a bucket of water and a cloth and scrubbed the message off her front door. The city guard would find the body but the message would link it to her. Jo looked up at the position of the moon and cursed quietly to herself. She would be late for the meeting with the others at the Inn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Graayth returned to the town from his patrol and entered the basement of the Inn using the secret entrance around the back. Waiting for him on the table was the set of clothes he'd left there for when he returned. With practised ease he shifted back into his hume form and got dressed, then sat down at the table to await the arrival of the others.