Crimson mist part 2

by jaxi

The battle begins

Crimson Mist

Part 2

Chapter 4

Marquis de Sade.

"How wonderful, the countess wakes and goes on a hunt and she brings back a very powerfully built young man. He is not yet awake and already his skin parlous from his transformation yet she carried him as if he were a babe in arms.

She tells me this is Scott Summers, the leader of the so called X-Men and with his help we are going to get into the house and cause such panic and mayhem it will be wonderful.

The town looks inviting and we will attack it in a short while. The X-Men will be expecting company and we shall get them the company they want all of it. I suppose we will have to wait for Monsieur Summers to awaken and he will need fresh blood, Tomas will see to that for now Elisabeth sits over her new child like a jealous tigress, that's the trouble with siring new kindred, you always feel a little over protective of them and if you think they are worth it then you will die for them,

Something concerns me though, this is too easy and I do not like it when things are too easy."

Elizabeth County, New York.

Elizabeth Town a small community of 600 people was a lively and god fearing community. They had a small church that they all went to everybody knew everybody else's name and they were all proud of the heritage they shared. A Colonial town built around a former fort when the English ruled this part of the world. With a family heritage in every one dating back to the pilgrim fathers, they all had British and Irish blood in them and it was a fact they celebrated whenever they could,

Alongside their beloved Stars and Stripes sat the flags of their ancestral homelands. The St Georges Cross of England, The Tricolor of Ireland, The flag of St. David for Wales and the St Andrews Cross of Scotland. Pride of place in the town square was the Union Flag alongside the Stars and Stripes.

Like any other town across the world though the children were getting ready for Halloween and the fun night it would bring them.

Just outside the town was a large town house built in the style of the Tudors. It was a magnificent looking building made of wood that had withstood the test of time. Horses grazed in the paddock and roamed free around the land and the people of Elizabeth Town knew that this way the oldest building their town.

The owner of the House made appearances in town and she was indeed beautiful, did much work for charity but she kept herself pretty much to herself.

Occasionally she would be seen riding at night along the beautiful open wilderness that Elizabeth Town found itself luck enough to be in.

Right now though the woman that owned the house was reading an e-mail from a contact of hers in Moscow.

"My beloved Sire,

The incident with Vlad Tepesche is not yet laid to rest. Yesterday the Red King sent for an old nemesis of yours by the name of Elisabeth Bathory. Her mission was to avenge Vlads death which means she is heading your way if she is not already there.

I have done some investigating concerning the validity of this information and two days ago the Red Kings most trusted Justicar, Tomas de Torquemada and the Marquis de Sade left their respective Covens and headed for America.

It is imperative that we get word to the people that killed Vlad, their lives are in grave danger."

She heaved a sigh and dipped some herbal tea she really had no interest in the revenge affairs of the Red King but on the other hand with three of his enforcers here and one of them being that bitch not to mention the Grand Inquisitor himself then she would have to do something. She carried on reading the e-mail, knowing that if her warrior was discovered then he would be killed. The red King did not take kindly to being watched by the other side.

"The names of the people placed on the Red Kings list are known through out the world as members of the Mutant hero - or criminal depending on the way you look at it – X-Men their names are Logan aka Wolverine, Storm aka Ororo Monroe, Gambit aka Remy LeBeau and Phoenix aka Jean Grey whom I believe is a direct descendant of your illustrious family line I must go now sire and I will hope to see you soon.

Your most faithful warrior

Xander"

She closed the lid on her lap top down and sat back in her chair. Bathory would kill an entire town to get what she wanted and if she ever found out that one of them was her family line then the pain the child would be put through would be nothing.

"Gavin" She called her advisor into her study, her English accent crisp and precise "Where do these X-Men reside?"
"The X-Men?" Gavin was a former hells angels biker from California whom she had taken a liking too. She had turned him when a shoot out had almost claimed his life, in return for giving him immortality her vowed to not only be her advisor on the modern world but her bodyguard too, a job he was very good at. Right now he wore his old chapter colours, Santa Monica Pit Bulls, his arms were covered in tattoos his long blonde hair was tied into a pony tail and his broad build seemed too well defined for his t-shirt "They are out in Westchester County. Salem to be exact. Why?"

"Get the enforcers together we have work to do"

"Yes my Queen." He bowed his head and left to do her bidding. She raised her eyebrows.

"Now there is something I have not been called in a long time."

Lady Jane Grey, queen of England for just 9 days was born in 1537, a granddaughter of Henry VII and niece to Henry VIII by being the daughter of his sister Princess Mary. She was considered to have been one of the most learned women of her time but she was also a woman of her time and would do what her husband the ambitious Lord Dudley and his father the Earl of Northumberland and what they wanted was power.

When Edward died without an heir and eager to keep the newly established protestant church thriving they named Jane as the Queen.

What they didn't realize was that the Lord Protector of England, and most high Druid was an immortal, a fallen Angel with a view to protecting the crown and when he saw that had happened to Jane, how she was being manipulated into a position he knew she would not win he acted.

When Mary seized the throne she had her cousin arrested and thrown into the tower and even the influential Lord Protector could not save her. So he used his abilities and created a double ganger that would look like Jane and act like Jane in every way.

Then he came to her in her cell and gave her the choice, die by his hand and be reborn into a world where her learned nature could be of use or die by her cousins hand in the tower.

Jane had just turned 17 and although the prospect of loosing her head did not appear; to her she held her head up high. She took his arrangement and was given the dark kiss.

This was a kiss with a difference. She would age normally for a short while later then she would stop as her body fully adjusted to becoming a Vampire.

Her sire stayed with her all through the transformations that his kiss had given her. He taught her their culture and taught her their history and taught her about himself.

When she was 21 she fully turned and that was how she stayed. In his company until he set her free and set her up in a house that he had owned in Colonial America. Her sisters had moved here years before to escape the shame that had befallen their family.

Mary Tudor could be a right bitch when it came to revenge. But she was grateful her mother had been spared, even though her mother had never had anything to do with her when she was alive.

She had built her own clan and protected her sisters descendants. The last one she knew off now was Jean Grey and it was time she taught that bitch a lesson, Bathory was a pain in the arse but this time she was truly making it personal.

She got in the car and leant forward "How long Diego?" her human thrall turned to look at her, adoration in his eyes.

"An hour madam"

"Good let us hope we are not too late."

She was.

Chapter five.

Salem was as quiet as the grave and that was no joke. Logan, Remy, Jean and Ororo had decided to take a walk into town just to have a quiet drink at Harry's before the hectic night began. They had spent so much time together over the last year they only ever felt comfortable in each others company.

They were laughing as they set foot in the bar, the laughter died in their throats.

All around them lay bodies, necks torn open, insides ripped out.

Remy fell to his knees as he found the bodies of children caught in the massacre, his anguished scream echoed into the night mingling with the pain of the raw emotions he was picking up.

Logan sank to his knees as he found Drusilla and oh what they had done to her, her clothes torn, her body cut in so many places and her breasts torn open like an animal had set upon her.

"Oh my god" Ororo finally found some words.

Jean made her way carefully round the bar and covered her mouth as she saw what was left of Harry.

Remy got to his feet and with Logan searched every house in the town. Every house told the same story something had come through the whole town killing and slaying.

It was like a charnel house. Jean and Ororo joined them tears falling freely down their faces, whereas they let their emotions flow Remy and Logan bottled their earlier horror. It would work with them it would be their anger and that anger will fuel the revenge of these good people.

They looked at each other.

"The blood suckers are back!" Logan snarled his claws popping all of their own accord "out for revenge I expect, so lets go get the team and find the nest of leeches."

"I wouldn't if I were you"

All four turned as the well spoken English voice interrupted their next move "Who be you?" Remy demanded eyeing her and her retinue dangerously. Logan sniffed the air and frowned a little.

"Hello Logan" she bowed her head "Its been a long time old friend"

"Janey" he whispered "Your kind do this?"

"None of mine" she corrected

"Look dis all be well an good" Remy yelled "Bu we ne' t' ge' de ot'ers"

"Your friends will be turned by now" Jane told them "You can't do anything for them,"

"Liar" Jean clenched her fists and sent her mind out.

She soon regretted the idea as her mind touched the Xavier house she was assaulted with such powerful images that it almost knocked her back she wasn't the only one, as Jean stared up the short road that led to the house Remy bent over double as the emotions that assaulted him were like nothing he had ever felt before.

Jeans imagery shot through the other three like a thunderbolt, the psychics rapport allowing them to see what she was seeing and this time they all wept.

Scott with Bathory hanging on his arm was drinking from Betsy, de Sade was fucking and drinking from Kitty while Torquemada was making short work of Hank.

The X-Men were trying their best to save not only their friends but defeat their undead enemies but it was no good and Jean cried out as Bathory slaughtered her niece and nephew as they cowered behind the dead body of Bobby Drake.

Her sister was thrashing as Scott tore her throat out laughing as he did so feeling there power that was now his and firing his optic blasts at a blood caked Warren.

Warren was the last one to go down brought down by a vampiric Charles Xavier and Colossus who had a dead Rogue in his arms.

Jeans green eyes glazed over and she fell to be caught by Gavin.

"Logan I have to get you all out of here, go there you will die" Jane told him as he comforted a weeping Storm.

"Are they dead?"

Jane closed her eyes for a moment "The children will be so will the human but the X-Men, they won't be. You can't go there half cocked"

Logan swallowed several times "What about the town"

Jane nodded at Diego who, with a group of others started to set fire to the buildings/ Ororo shook her head.

"Why?"

"If any of the town folk come back to life they will reach out to other communities" Jane explained "and I can't have their lineage running over New York killing the citizens of the big apple"

Logan saw Remy's shocked face, the emotions of his friends reaching out to him even from here. He spectacularly felt Bobby's death, battling with the Beast to protect the children.

He fixed his gaze on Logan "Up t'you Logan" he whispered.

Logan let Remy take Ororo and walked up to Jane "Oh Janey lets do it your way but we are coming back here and avenging our friends in the house and in the town" he lit a large cigar and Remy lit a cigarette.

"Oh you can count on it. Come on they'll be coming back soon" Jane walked back towards her Limo.

Remy stood by Logan's side "How you know her?" He asked.

"She saved my life once" Logan told him "if you know her story you'd see she was a good one even helped Blade once in a while"

"She English?"

"Yeah, used ta be Queen of England too"

Logan took Ororo by the hand and gently led her to the limo leaving Remy staring at the house, he clenched his fists and turning on his heels he walked to the waiting car as behind them Salem burnt.

Remy found Jean sitting on the steps at the front of the house. She had come round early hours and they had all listened as Jane told them why their friends had been killed. Ororo felt awful, blaming herself in part but Jane had assured her it was not just that it was a culmination of events and that she could not blame herself for events that were out of her hands.

He sat next to her and lit a cigarette. Jean looked at him and before he could say a word she took the one he had lit and put it in her own mouth dragged, coughed then dragged again.

"When you star' de weed?" He asked

"just now" Jean got over the light headed feeling "but its going to be my only one. Its this or a stiff drink"

"You know wha' we gotta do red," he softly said.

"Yeah I know" She rubbed her eyes "I can't get the image of Scott killing my sister leaving my niece and nephew to that monster!"

"He ain't the Scott yer knew Jeannie" They turned as Logan came outside with Ororo and Jane "Better tell em what you just told me darlin'"

Jane perched herself against the fence "Elisabeth Bathory needed a way into the house. She always picks the strongest personality and as he was from what Logan has told me the original of your people then she would have gone for him. Once she had him she was in. They waited for him to wake up and then slated his thirst by killing the inhabitants of the town. After that getting into the Mansion was easy due to the facet the other X-Men would have trusted him."

"He hasn't been the Scott I know for months" Jean took another drag on the cigarette and handed it back to Remy "But who are you? How did you know where to be"

Logan and Jane exchanged looks with each other and there was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments then Jane began.

"I am Lady Jane Grey, I am the Vampire Prince of New York and I am your ancestor. Your Grand Aunt miss Grey so many Generations removed." Jeans eyes widened a little "I was Queen of England for nine days, until my cousin Queen Mary took her throne back and paid the coo with a bloody retribution that eventually would earn her the nickname Bloody Mary and trust me, she could be worse then any Vampire in her cruelties" Jane hugged herself a little it wasn't the chill evening air that had made her shiver, that didn't bother her, but the memories of her life did and for the briefest of moments the four X-Men saw how much pain her memories caused her.

"My Sire is no ordinary Vampire and he has fought a long war against those of our kind who were dead set making humans nothing more then their feeding vessels"

"So are they part of Vlads army? His children" Ororo nearly spat the words out, the memories of what he had done to her surfacing like a raw wound that refused to be closed.

"They are as I explained the enforcers of the Red King"

"And who be dis red King?" Remy asked lighting another cigarette. "Sound like he be dis real bad ass nest pas?"

"You could say that. It took me a good 60 years to figure out who he was and that was more luck then judgement. You have Elisabeth Bathory who was the most prolific serial killer of the middle ages and probably the worst female serial of all time. Female serial killers are rare but she was the worst. Then the Marquis de Sade the most debauched man to ever walk the world at the time of the French Revolution."

"That was him I saw doing those things to Kitty as she died" Jean whispered and screwed her face up as the images rose unbidden into her mind "he was revelling in it"

"He will be its not something he is a stranger too" The disgust was thickly laden in her tone but it vanished to be drenched in fear and that surprised Logan "The other is Tomas de Torquemada"

"Whoa" Remy shivered "I learn 'bout him at de Catholic school dat Tantie insist I at'en"

"Hmm to the Spanish people he was a man to be feared and rightly so confessor to the royal family not to mention Queen Isabella's most trusted advisor. The hammer of the heretics, the light of Spain call him what you will he is the most dangerous of them for he believes that he is on a Holy Crusade, that God made him what he is to continue his work" She exhaled heavily "he won't accept that we have no place in heaven and that we are damned."

"You sound tired of what you are" Storm looked at her

"Not tired just used to the knowledge that when I do die and I don't doubt it will happen one day my rest will be somewhere a lot more different to what I was taught to expect"

"So, what now?" Jean asked

"I need you to tell me every entrance and every part of that mansion of yours. However you must be aware that you are going to battle those you once loved and those that you called friend you have to remember they are not who they were to you and as long as you remember that then it will be easier" She stood straighter "get some rest its going to be a long night"

Chapter six

Ororo

"We came through Salem and in the cold harsh light of day we saw what had truly occurred. The buildings, those that had been there since Jean. Logan and myself were new to the idea of mutant heroics, that had been a grounding for us to hold onto, a semblance of normality in a world that was far from normal for us were nothing more then ashes.

We got out the car and saw what had happened to those who had answered the call to put out the fires. Bodies lay strewn across the road. The Fire and police crews and even local news crews had been brutally slaughtered.

I suppose our friends were awake. One of the fire cruisers looked like it had been thumped with a mighty punch, I looked across to Jean and saw the recognition in her eyes.

The X-Men were still following Scott only now they were following him into damnation.

Westchester was a ghost town and I imagined that I could see the ghosts of men women and children going about their daily business. The laughter of children echoed in my heart but as soon as they laughed they turned too the screams of terror that will forever haunt this town.

I cannot help but feel responsible for what happened here. I was so angry at Forge that my heart ruled my head and I allowed that monster to come into our lives. To ruin and destroy what we had and make it something more, miserable but then that is the way of such things.

An old friend once told me for every action there is a reaction, for every deed we do there will be repercussions. We thought the nightmare was over but we were wrong.

It has only been lying in wait for us. I couldn't believe that Rogue had dumped Remy but she told me that as he had willingly given me his blood he had betrayed her, when I asked how when he was only helping a friend she said it's a pretty intimate thing to do.

I still can't get my head round that one but maybe she was looking for a way out, her powers made it impossible for them to be together in th true sense of the word, it is a decision that I know has hurt Remy so much but it made him stronger. He did no wrong, not in my eyes anyway.

I look at them now as they take in the reality to what we had hoped was going to be a very bad dream.

Logan looks ready to rip heads off. He told us that he had met Lady Jane in Canada once a long time ago. He was in the middle of a scrap with Sabretooth, nothing unusual there I assure you but Creed had some back up, a man that could halt the healing power of Logan and the more Creed battered him the more this unknown mutant prevented Logan's healing power from working. He said she took his torturer out and allowed his power to work but Creed was not prepared to go toe to toe with a vampire and left.

Jane nursed Logan back to health and they traveled together for a while. She was looking for one of her clan that had betrayed her. He said her retribution was one that made him look tame.

Lady Jane Grey looks to all the world like a quiet woman helpful to those around the town she calls home and I can see a familiar resemblance between her and Jean, they are both red heads and they both have green eyes same height and as Remy quietly commented earlier in the day both with a body to die for.

I wonder if they even know that they have in their midst a woman that can rip even the strongest man in the world to pieces. We look towards what we once called home and know that once this night is over we will never have that place again.

Logan tells Jane that the cars will have to stay here, if we want the element of surprise then we cannot go up there in a convoy.

I only hope that we emerge from here tonight with our friends souls at rest."

"Storm" Logan turned to face Ororo "I want ya ta take the highest point high enough up so they can't see yer and when I give ya tha word I want a fog thicker then a London pea soup ta envelope that house" He turned to Jean "gonna need ya ta be the link up Jeannie"

Jean nodded and said nothing her silence was what worried Logan the most there was a power behind those eyes and for the briefest of moment he though he saw the Phoenix rise in those green eyes.

Things between her and Scott were not great lately but he was still her husband and he supposed she could not believe that he had let a leech strip away his defenses so easily and take him down.

He knew how she felt. They had never been the best of friends him and Scott but he did have a respect for him and that was what had made them work well together. Logan had let the thoughts of him and Jean being together go a long time ago understanding that what had been between Jean and Scott was something that would never be destroyed, or so he thought anyway.

He prayed that he could do what had to be done but deep inside he had a feeling that if it came to it Jean would be the one to go one on one with Scott.

Remy was twirling his cane like a baton, loosening his muscles as he did and Logan wondered if the kid was going to be strong enough to take on Rogue,. No matter what she had said and what had occurred to them he knew the kid better then anyone and he knew that Remy might hold back a fraction, if that was the case then things would be a little difficult for them.

He gave Remy a meaningful look and the Cajun met his gaze then looked at his watch. Suddenly out of nowhere seven figures appeared out of the ruins of the town and Logan popped his claws only to retract them again when the familiar and welcome sight of Havok came into view.

"Someone wanna tell me what happened here?" Alex folded his arms "The Cajun calls me and tells me the X-Men have been taken down and I get here to find Salem like this"

Jane cleared her throat "Explanations can be made later, right now we have a job to do I suggest we do it"

She glanced over at her people who were wary around Wolfsbane. She eyed them nervously herself her senses picking up the smell of something that was inherently bad to her.

But if the X-Men were easy around them then so would she be.

Havok ran a hand through his blonde hair and shook his head "They did this?" He half whispered unable to believe what he was seeing. Logan nodded "Then whatever has to be done will be done ok"

"I'll fill you in on route" Logan promised he nodded at Storm who took to the air and before long was lost from sight "Lets go people."

Storm watched from on high the evening wind wrapping itself around her like a cloak she could see her friends make their way cautiously towards the mansion. At Logan's mental command her eyes sheened over white and from out of nowhere the fog began to rise.

Jane glanced upwards as the fog began to swirl and thicken it struck a long forgotten memory within her and she marveled at the mastery over the elements this woman had. She could see why Dracula had chosen her. All Kindred had mastery over the elements and some beasts but this woman was a natural, it was her gift and the thicker it became the more she understood why her friends had done all they could to save her.

"bringing back memories?" Jean asked at her shoulder as they waited for the fog to thicken as much as Storm could allow it.

"You ever seen an old London Fog?" Jane asked.

Jean thought back to when she had gone back to Victorian England and witnessed the birth of Mister Sinister and nodded "yeah was quite something"
"It is dangerous and beautiful all at once."
"Do you miss it?"
"sometimes" Jane rested a hand on her shoulder "I have watched my line for more years then I care to mention. You are the one I have been most proud of"

Jean looked at her and nodded "Thank you – aunt"

Jane smirked a little then turned serious once more as Remy found one of the many emergency exits that led from the houses many secret corridors.

X-Factor found the other. Havok glanced around him "Sure Storm is going to be ok?" He asked no one in particular.

"How you mean?" Remy frowned.

"What if she has you know residue vampirism"

"You sayin' she gon' betray us" Gambit narrowed his eyes

"NO!" Alex hissed "Look Rem,. I was lost in some crazy alternate world for a long time, Storm was a vampire then, Bloodstorm they called her all I am saying is and she may not know it but can we be sure there is no residual influence!"

Logan shook his head "Got a point tha Alex, but I know Storm an I know she won't let us down."

"OK lets do this" Alex shooed his team down and looked at the others "See you on the other side"

As he disappeared Remy shivered that didn't sound too optimistic. He looked at Jane who was reading her men and women 8 in all and they would cover the outside although Jane would be coming into the house with them.

The fog would cover them like a shroud and any escaping leeches would run into her enforcers. He muttered a prayer, something he had not done since he was a child and even crossed himself.

Even he knew that it did not hurt to have a little divine help and dissevered down the hole followed by his friends and the Vampire Prince. The enforcers made their way towards the house awaiting their leaders word.

Chapter seven

Elisabeth Bathory stretched like the proverbial contented cat. She got up from the bed and glanced at the sleeping figure beside her. He had sated himself on that human woman's blood and it was quite a sight to see.

He was quite an animal when he let go in the kill and in the pleasure. She would enjoy having him as her new favorite. He didn't even need top where those glasses anymore. Since his rebirth as her dark consort he had total control over his blasts.

That was the way the dark kiss affected people. It took all their ailments and disabilities in life, tossed them away and made them perfect in its dark and glorious rebirth.

She traced a lazy finger across his shoulder but he did not stir. She did not expect him too.

Daylight would kill him he was a new born, come to her age and he might have complete mastery over his new abilities and what a leader.

In the attack on the town he had fed, when they went back to the town he had led his dark brethren in the slaughter of the emergency services it was delicious to see. He had taken to his new role so well.

She wrapped a gown around her and emerged from the bedroom to see de Sade and Torquemada looking out the hall window.

"Something wrong?" She asked stretching once more.

"Fog" Tomas gestured. She looked

"I can see that" She addressed him like he as an idiot to which de Sade shot her a warning glance.

"I meant it is thicker then natural fog" Tomas tried top peer skywards but the fog was that thick even his preternatural senses could not break through the barrier.

"so its foggy. We have to find those missing cretins" She yawned

"They weren't in the remains of the townsfolk" de Sade told her the fog worried him too and he couldn't understand why Bathory was ignoring it. "Something isn't right" He muttered.

"Did your playthings tell you that" Bathory chuckled "get the prisoners here our children will need to feed soon"

"You are forgetting our mission" Tomas darkly reminded "We can send them to the Red King and we have to complete the mission"

"Tomas" She was angry now and that made her forget who she was talking to "I will deal with this the way I see fit and I will not answer to you. You do not scare me"

De Sade rolled his eyes and moved between them both "Excuse me I have childe to feed" and with that he went back down the stairs and out of sight.

Tomas gripped Bathorys chin and squeezed it, righteous fire blazed in his eyes "you forget your place woman. Our liege has ordered this noble crusade and it shall be done in his name as he wrote it to the letter."

He let her go and turned his attention back to the fog. Bathory rubbed her jaw and glared at him. Inquisitor or not he would pay for that insult.

She got to her feet and span him round, the inquisitor looked at her hand as if it was alien to him then slowly at her.

"When we have killed them I will deal with you. No one touches me and orders me like that, no one!"

She locked her gaze on his for a moment just to make her point then turned on her heel and went back to the bedroom.

He allowed himself a wry smile, she was a feisty one but she was the one that his most noble king was concerned about.

He cocked his head and sniffed the air. There were other Kine here, maybe they had come to bolster this mission but as he closed his eyes and reached out through the fog he scented their blood. They were hungry but not for the humans that were prisoners, they were hungry for battle.

He opened the window a little and with sheer strength of will pierced the thick fog that surrounded the mansion.

They were waiting they were not attacking nor were they offering fealty but they were just waiting. He locked in on their scents and stepped back from the window. Swallowing heavily.

His orders had been to help her but not to involve himself in the blood feud. He was not a coward but he could not been seen to take sides. His King was his king but he was in another country and he had to be seen to observe the rules.

He looked behind him and got an insight into what was going to happen here. He turned on his heel and headed to where de Sade made his lair,.

The prince of pain as others called him was teaching the awakened Rasputin the more finer pleasures and was encouraging him and Shadowcat to open to their base desires.

"Donatien" He winced inwardly at the sickening scene around him. The prince of pain turned as his blood was being hungrily taken by the two X-Men the lust was in his eyes and Tomas knew that this would probably not be a good time.

"What?" He heavily breathed.

"We have to go"

"Oh Tomas we are not done and this has so much more to offer me"

"Lady Jane is here"

That woke de Sade from his pleasure haze and gently moved the two new vampires from him "What"

"This is Bathorys fight not ours. We cannot win this one old friend and I would not want to see you harmed for her doing"

"Why are you so eager to run from the Queen of New York" Donatien got to his feet

"I have never run from a fight Tomas!"

"The house is surrounded by her clan enforcers the fog is un-natural and Bathory has no intentions of carrying out the Kings orders."

The Frenchman rubbed his jaws and glanced back at the two X-Men that looked at him adoringly. He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head.

"If I stay and fight?"

"Then you will die and be remembered by the Red King but you will die for her power games and for a war that is not ours."

"you are so certain that we will loose"

"have you ever known her to loose a battle!" Tomas threw his arms up in the air "suit yourself Donatien. I am leaving I have done my job let you and Bathory deal with the aftermath"

The Frenchman cursed under his breath and watched the Inquisitors retreating back. He had known Tomas a long time and knew him to be no coward but this was ridiculous, however he was guided by the principles of the King and that made him the word of the king and that word was law.

He took one last wistful look at his children and then trotted to catch up with the Inquisitor.

"How the hell are we going to get out of here?"

Tomas opened the front door then slammed it back shut as a hawthorn bow whizzed into the wood paneling.

"Oh mert" de Sade groaned and raised his voice "awaken we are under attack!"

Chapter eight

Havok ushered his people out from the secret paneling and looked around him, it was too quiet but that might aid them.

He moved silently down the corridors of the place that had been a home to him for so many years.

Polaris rose above him taking point, multiple man split into numerous forms and headed off down the other corridor followed by Strong Guy. He motioned with his hand and Quicksilver zoomed off towards the danger room. He looked at Wolfsbane and heaved a shuddery breath "You know what to do Rhaine"

She nodded "Alex" she kissed his cheek "god be with ya"

He thought he detected a tremble in her Scottish accent. They had a lot between them. Prisoners of Genosha and bonded although free from their conditioning that bond had never really left. Although it had changed from love on Rhaines part to a brother and sister bond.

She was the kid sister Alex would have liked to have had. Spunky and fiercely independent he would always feel protective towards her.

She flipped a salute to Lorna then transforming into her wolf form she headed to the gymnasium. Alex turned as a second hidden door opened and was relieved to see Gambit, Logan, Phoenix and Jane emerge.

"Its too quiet" Alex hissed.

That was soon broken by a scream then a shout of rage,.

"What was I saying!" He groaned the element gone the friends were thrown into the battle as Jamie's mutilated body was hurled into the corridor followed by another two of his dupes and chomping on an arm came Hank.

"Oh shit" Logan popped his claws and with a battle cry he launched himself at what his friend had become.

The Beast was the beast in true form. His cat like face looked like something out of the ice age, a prehistoric saber toothed tiger only blue. As Wolverine came close he swatted him with his arm sending him into the wall.

"Sorry Henri" Gambit softly said and from his pocket drew his deck, he flipped the cards through the air each one charged and ready to impact. The explosions forced the Beast back into Wolverines waiting claws.

"His head" Jane ordered "You have to take his head"

Just as Wolverine raised his claws to do as she asked the Best became Hank once more, something he had not been able to do for years.

"Sorry bub" Logan whispered.

"No, sorry yourself" Hank threw him off him and became the Beast once more, he grabbed Wolverine and went for the neck then stared as something heavy punched through his chest and through his heart.

Multiple man drove the stake further in with a roar and stepped back as the Beast looked comically down at the wood protruding from his chest.

A look of peace that Logan would never forget crossed his face and suddenly he exploded into dust. Logan fell to the floor coughing and spluttering.

Jamie looked down at the dead dupes and sank to his knees. Although his multiples were separate in their identities and personalities they were still part of him. He took a stake from his pocket and slammed them through each one of them and got to his feet.

"Game on" he snarled.

Wolfsbane peered round the gym doors. She usually liked the quiet but this time there was something about it that she felt uneasy. She jumped as the doors opened and Quicksilver moved to stand behind her. He gave her an uneasy look and they gathered their wits.

"This is not how I envisioned things when I came back" He muttered.

"Me neither" She replied then turned as a howl born of the pits of hell came at her.

She ducked in time to avid her head being taken clean off its shoulders and saw an enraged Kitty Pryde coming at her once more.

"Ach Kitty" She almost cried, her old friend from her new mutants days was long gone.

Quicksilver moved to intercept Colossus leaving the female werewolf to deal with Kitty.

She didn't want to hurt her friend, she had to believe that a vestige of her friend still lived but as she pulled her punch she saw the Star of David laying on the floor and knew that her friend was gone, there was no way Kitty would ever let that leave her neck.

She heard a cry and turned to see Colossus stagger backward Quicksilver was running rings round him. She was distracted so much that when she smelt her friend it was too late. Kitty was upon her and Rhaine was fighting for her life and as she looked back while trying to fend off Kitty to see Colossus grab Pietro from seemingly nowhere and smash him into the wall then with a laugh he tore out the son of magnetos and Lorna's brothers neck while ripping into his body and getting a hard on.

Rhaine didn't have time to mourn she grabbed Kitty by the throat and held her back her own fangs barred.

The wolf in her demanded to be set free and for the first time in a long time she let it.

She tore chunks from her former team mate and endured the pain that she was going through and just as she felt her strength weakening she reached round and ripped Kitty's head from her shoulders. The body turned into dust Rhaine closed her eyes and breathed before remembering Piotr.

She rolled onto her front just as Jane came through the gym doors to see an enraged Colossus reach down for the vermin that had killed his mate and fired a Hawthorn stake from her crossbow.

Rhaine covered her face as for the second time she was covered in human ash. Jane came over and helped her to her feet.

Rhaine nodded her thanks and looked back at Pietro's remains. She was weak and even her own healing factor was having trouble coping. Jane crouched down seeing the cuts and blood,

"Are you a true blood Werewolf" She demanded.

"Wha?"
"Were you born like this or scratched by one!"
"Ach," Rhaine sighed "Aye ah was born like it. When Ah hit ma teens ah changed"

The relief that crossed the vampires face was palatable. "Gather your strength child you will need it"

"Wha – wha aboot Pietro?"

Jane walked over to the remains of Quicksilver and closed her eyes, his rib cage was exposed and there was blood everywhere but he wouldn't be rising again. Rhaine fell back against the wall clutching Kitty's pendant in her now human hand and pressed it too her face her body began heaving with sobs and she let a cry go born of anguish and regret.

Jane had heard many things in her long years of life but she had never heard a Garou's cry of anguish and it was the saddest thing she had ever heard nor did she wish to hear it again.

She got up and made her way over.

"Come Wolfsbane" She gently held her hand out "there will be a lot more killing tonight and a lot more grief before the dawn"

"Will he be one"

Jane glanced back at the remains and shook her head "No he will not" She wrapped her arm round the young X-Factor woman's waist and Rhaine let her it would be a few moments before she got her full strength back and tucking the star of David in her pocket she hobbled out with the Vampire Queen.

Jean shoulder barged the door to find Betsy making her way through what was left of Bobby.

Obviously he was not deemed fit enough to join their little elite. The British woman got to her feet and snarled in anger at the disturbance of her meal.

She was so different to the Betsy that Phoenix had grown to trust. that it made things a lot easier in her mind.

If there is any thing of you left in there Bets I am sorry I have to do this Jean mentally spoke. Psylocke just laughed and flew at the woman with such speed and dexterity that Jean hardly had time to react.

She was slammed through the wall and into the next room landing on the floor and right on the remains of her sister and niece and nephew.

She jumped to her feet and seeing what had been under her she let a groan escape her lips and sank to her knees. Cradling her older sisters face in her hands she ignored the blood and rested her head into her dead sister groaning in pain of loss and grief.

She was yanked away from the dead bodies and thrown back into the room where Bobby lay.

She gritted her teeth and pushed herself to her feet. She let the rage flow through her, the power that she kept a lid on for fear of what it could do and this time she reveled in it. Let it flow through her giving her the strength she need to channel her rage into a weapon and a weapon she wielded.

Betsy wiped her mouth and cocked her head as Jean stood there. "Well luv" She cooed in her clipped English tone "time to see which one of us is the best innit"

"Innit?" Jean taunted "what kind of word is that?"

"a good word" Betsy cricked her neck a few times "you should join us Jeannie. Imagine the power you could have you the most powerful of us all. Your mind leveled star systems you make even Xavier look like a pussycat"

"Where is Charles" 'keep her talking just enough' Jean thought to herself,

"Chas? I dunno" Betsy shrugged.

"liar" Jean growled and with a mere flick of her hand threw Betsy into the bathroom,

The Vampire snarled and flew at her under the powers if her new superstrings but whereas it might have worked against a lesser mutant she was dealing with a mutant that was beyond even Alpha class.

Jean reached out with her mind and Betsy found herself frozen in the air unable to move and even the power of her own mind could not break this woman's force. She was Psylocke, she had a mind that was powerful enough but it was useless against the Phoenix force for that was what Jean was, the phoenix was her just as much as she was the Phoenix.

"Oh Betsy what would Brian say?" She jerked her head and Psylocke flew through the window Now Storm!

As Betsy appeared back at the window she was grabbed from behind and thrown into the path of the waiting enforcers. Jean stood at the window and directed her flame engulfing Betsy as Gavin fired his crossbow.

Storm landed in the room beside her friend and saw what was left of Bobby "He wasn't turned" she whispered.

Jean shook her head "My guess, he fought like an X-man" She sniffed a little and went not he next room and taking the sheet from the bed she covered the bodies of her family while Storm closed Bobby's open eyes and kissed his forehead.

"Rest well Robert" She sadly said and covered his body.

Jean wiped the blood from her lip and put a hand on Storms shoulder "you ready for this?"

"I am ready"

The two women walked out the room.

Tomas pulled de Sade out the way as Gavin and his team burst through the door at an unspoken word from their mistress de Sade already as reeling from the death of his two children and Tomas felt the death of Psylocke.

"Donatien there is a way we can get out of here" The Spaniard pointed down the corridor "That leads to the underground complex where they keep their vehicles come on"

They came out of their hiding place to be confronted by Jane and Havok "Going somewhere?" She grinned "You have encroached on my domain Inquisitor, de Sade and you didn't tell me you were here"

Havok, with a mask of hate across his face clapped his hands together sending a sonic wave in their direction sending them flying down the corridor and into the living room.

De Sade groaned and got to his feet "Tomas," he groaned "get out of here,"

"You will die" Tomas pulled himself to his feet "you may defeat the meat sack but not her."

"That's why you have to go. Tell our Liege the truth here and we will be avenged. Now go Tomas"

Torquemada nodded once honored by the sacrifice his friend would be making and dived through the window. Havok entered the room with the Vampire Queen. She stopped him "Go help your friends Havok, leave him to me, you will not be able to defeat him"

Alex nodded and walked away. Jane shook her head and tutted several times.

"Donatien de Sade" she mused "I suppose Tomas is gone," she sighed "no matter his day will come."

De Sade raised his chin defiantly "I am not afraid of you Madame"

"No your not are you, for one who has fucked death when it has come to mortals to see where the pleasure in such acts lay then it is hardly surprising really"

The Marquis shrugged "what is life or death if it is not for the pursuit of pleasure Madame?"

"Such a brilliant mind you had Donatien, you could have been a learned man, a great teacher instead you became a – what's the word I am looking for – " she paused for a moment "oh yes a deviant"

"better a deviant then a slave" he spat and launched himself through the air.

She caught him as he came down and threw him onto the table her own beautiful features falling away to reveal the beast within. She leapt up wards her arms spread like a graceful eagles wings and for a few moments she hovered over her prey savoring the moment.

The Marquis got to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth. He looked around him and Jane frowned a little. He opened his shirt the buttons falling to reveal the scars that his long life had brought him and raised his head.

"Kill me" he told her "This world is not for me I grow bored of its pleasures but know this Madame, the Red King will not rest until he has been avenged. If you want the countess she is still here with her pet"

Jane dropped from the ceiling and dug her claws into the Marquis's body then sank her fangs into his throat and ripped it out swallowing his Adams apple she raised up and punched her hand through his chest withdrawing his heart.

She stood up and watched as his body crumbled to dust his heart exploded in her hand.

She crossed to the window and saw the fleeing figure of Torquemada. With a grim expression on her face her beautiful features returned.

"Run Tomas" she whispered letting her voice carry on the wind "you cannot hide forever"

The Inquisitor stopped and turned hearing her words with a last hateful look back at the mansion he disappeared into the night.

Gambit came across what was left of another of Jamie's dupes then found Jamie himself, the real multiple man. His heart torn out and his legs ripped off.

He closed the open eyes and got to his feet. He sniffed the air, he didn't have to have Wolverines enhanced senses to know the smell of that Perfume.

He had smelt it long enough until it was engrained on his memory. "I know you dere chere" he called out "c'mon Rogue end dis"

"Now why would Ah want to do tha' Remy?" she came out the shadows taking her gloves off, Jamie's blood still fresh on her lips his meat hanging from her vampiric teeth.

"Lemme guess" Remy sarcastically said "yer sol' yer soul so yer would belong"

"Well you'd know more about that then me boy" She drawled "you did tha a long time ago"

She launched at him.

Any lingering doubts that Remy had about Rogue being truly turned were gone. She was not the woman he loved anymore and it made his job easier. He used his bo-staff as a lever and leapt into the air and over her coming down behind her.

He stared as she turned in mid air, she was fast, always had been but her vampiric strength made her almost beyond supersonic.

She hit him harder then a collision with juggernaut knocking the wind clean out of him and sending him sprawling across the floor.

"Oww" He groaned, he had a cracked rib or two, he was lucky with that strength she could have pulverized him to bone. He got to his feet a little unsteadily and breathed although it hurt to breath.

She came at him again, she was playing with him like a cat plays with a mouse before the kill. Once upon a time he would have liked those teeth of hers on his flesh but not now, not ever.

He jumped up and extended his foot smashing her in the face. She fell to the ground cursing his name in a very un southern like manner.

He landed awkwardly and bit back as cry of pain as his ankle twisted.

"Tha' hurt Remy" she cooed "Ah can make it better for yer"

"I been down dat road before Chere" he gripped his bo-staff "it why you dump me 'member"

"now I can see why you did it come with me Remy we can be the best"

She loomed towards him arms out fangs barred.

"I alrea'y de best Rogue" his staff glowed in his hand and with a strength summoned from the depths of his soul he rammed it through her chest tears coursing down his face.

She looked down at his bo-staff and screamed as the kinetic energy exploded sending her to what he hoped would be a better place.

He sank back against the wall and wiped his sleeve across his eyes. "Mebbe I join Blade" he sighed and closed his eyes.

Logan found Lorna's body, or at least one half of her body, following the blood trail he found her upper half. He crouched down and muttered a pray. He didn't want to be the one to tell Magnus that not only was his son dead but his newly found daughter too.

He followed the smell, his heart heavy and came into the indoor sports hall to see Warren crouched on top of the Basketball ring.

"Warren" Logan popped his claws "I gotta do this"

Warren landed before him, his face as handsome as ever, his blonde hair more golden but his eyes, his blue eyes although sparkled brightly held such horror in them.

"You didn't kill Lorna did you?"

"No" Warren swallowed "Scott did"

"What do you want me to do Warren?" Logan felt helpless. Warren smelled like one of them but he wasn't one of them.

"Kill me Logan" Warren told him "I can feel the change and I can't fight it much longer. I don't want to be a slave again"

Logan knew what he was referring to "You could work with Jane or Blade"

"I don't want to be like this Logan – for fucks sake kill me!"

Logan walked up to him and drew him into a hug and with sorrow in his heart rammed his claws into his chest and pierced his heart.

He moved to the ground as Warren held his hand "Thank you old friend. Logan you are – you are more human then people – give you credit for"

Logan swallowed as Warrens body combusted. He breathed several times then threw his head back and let a cry go rage, grief, and something else that had no words curled up from his stomach and exploded through his throat like a thunderbolt.

He turned as Remy hobbled in with Rhaine and Alex.

"Guido?" he asked. Remy shook his head.

"Who was dat?"

"Warren" Logan got to his feet "He asked me to do it Kid"

Remy looked around "We better start burning dis place"

"Wait we haven't found Charles" Alex stopped him

"The girls?" Logan wanted to know

"Looking for Scott and the Countess" Alex told him

"Remy you and Alex start setting fires here and around. Rhaine lets you and I go find Chuck"

Storm flung open the doors to the study only to be thrown back by a powerful mind blast. She let her eyes glaze over and hurled thunderbolts through the door. She followed them in to see Charles get up from his chair.

"I cannot understand Storm why you rejected Dracula" He cocked his head like a predator "But I can still sense him in you Ororo you never completely loose his blood and you took a fair amount of it."

Storm clenched her fists. She had battled for a year to overcome what that monster did to her and now here she stood letting Charles throw it back in her face.

"Go to Hell Charles" she whispered and let leash her own fury.

Not even Charles with his own awesome power of the mind could withstand the fury of a goddess.

He reeled from the onslaught of her fury but lashed out with his own enhanced senses he entered her brain trying to find the spark that was Dracula's essence but all he found was the fury of a goddess scorned but more then that a woman violated to the depth of her being, entering into carnal pleasures that she would not ever normally consider entering. She lured him under the chandelier as his mind returned to his body and with a violence that even she did not believe that she possessed she brought the chandelier down on top of him the point going clean through his skull and scattering his body to the winds.

Logan ran in with Rhaine and stared at the woman before him in a different light as the winds died down.

"'Ro?" He whispered.

She turned her head a little "He's dead"

"I can see that" Logan held his hand out "C'mon darlin' lets finish this"

Ororo turned and Logan stared at the piece of metal that stuck in her abdomen. Rhaine cried out and leapt over the remains of the furniture and caught Storm as she sank to the ground.

Logan shook his head "No, no not you 'Ro" he pleaded and knelt by her side.

She pulled the metal from her, her blood staining her white cloak red.

Remy and Alex came in and joined their friends side. Remy shook his head in denial himself "C'mon padnat" he swallowed "it no yer time"

Storm shook her head blood filled her mouth, Charles had done more damage then she had thought. Her bones ached her body felt like mush.

"Stormy!" Remy yelled.

Gavin stood in the doorway with his enforcers and bowed his head a little the others followed suit as Jane and Jean came in.

"'Ro" Jean whispered and joined her friends. She reached out with her mind and found Storm.

Her light was fading but it was calm. She was not afraid and as she took her dying friends hand she held it to her cheek.

"Don't call me stormy" She whispered and closed her eyes never to open them again..

Jean raised her head and swallowed her grief. She looked at her remaining friends and got up.

"Don't leaver her here" She said to Jane.

Jane turned to Gavin and nodded once. He handed his crossbow to one of his team and reverently picked the dead woman's body up.

"I will take her outside"

Remy stopped him "You take her far from here you hear me!" He snarled through gritted teeth. His grief contained with great difficulty.

"yes" Gavin replied and with his team walked out carrying out Storm close to him as though she were a goddess.

Jean stood straighter and heaved a shuddery breath "Lets get that fucking bitch!"

She moved between them and walked alongside her ancestor , Logan, Alex. Rhaine and Remy fell into step behind them.

"You know he ain't yer brother anymore Alex" Logan growled.

Alex nodded "I'm with my brothers" Both Remy and Logan stared at him "I lost Scott a long time ago."

With determination they strode out to meet their fate.

Chapter nine

There was no sign of them in the house but Jane followed her vampiric senses and Jean followed the Psychic rapport, what was left of it.

They emerged in the underground hanger.

"Bathory!" Jane yelled "Its over!"

Rhaine looked around "Duck!" She yelled as Scott rose from behind the Blackbird and his optic blasts let loose. Alex grabbed Jane and pulled her down as the blasts demolished Remy's Harley.

"Ma bike" Remy groaned.

Jane looked to them "I will deal with Bathory."

"No!" Jean whispered as she put a shield up to defend them for the moment "We do this together."

Jane took her hand "Niece X-Men deal with X-Men do they not, we will see each other at the end." She looked at Logan and Remy "Cover me"

Remy nodded and Logan popped his claws. The Cajun threw whatever came to hand from the remnants of his precious bike at the vampiric Cyclops Logan did the same and waited until Jane was out of sight.

"Lets take it to him!" Jean hissed,

Jane exited into the underground tunnel that led to the surface. She stopped and sniffed the air "You've failed Bathory" She taunted "You failed yourself and the red king, can't go back to him now can you!"

She heard the hiss and turned to see Bathory land behind her.

"You have always been a thorn in my side Grey" She sneered "I will enjoy sending you to face Caine"

"I have no fear of facing Caine" She replied "I will stand before him and hold my head high, I will enjoy sending you to Erebus."

The mention of the old Grecian god of Chaos the lord of Vampires in Greek legend made the countess start a little. In Vampire lore those who had led an honorable life faced Caine, the first murderer turned to a vampire by Lillith those who had not led an honorable life had tier souls shredded for all eternity by Erebus, their devil.

Bathory launched herself at the English Queen and struck her face. Jane reeled and fell to the floor, she didn't see that one coming.

She rolled as the Hungarian woman came at her again unable to react such was the ferocity of the attacks. She needed to regroup.

She dived behind some rocks and got her breath. The bitch was stronger then the last time they fought. She cast her memory back, back to the time her sire finally accelerated her change.

"You have a power within you Jane"

"I am a vampire, I drink blood too survive I am faster and more enhanced the humans" She had replied.

He had chuckled and cupped his hand round her cheek "more then that you have within you the power of the universe. It flows in your family line and one day dear Jane it will emerge in your descendants. One of them will become powerful with it"

She shook her head "I hear thoughts because I am now Vampiri"

He shook his head "You hear thoughts because you were born with it, you just never told anyone about it less they try you for witchcraft"

She closed her eyes and counted to ten "Great I forgot about that" She muttered and got to her feet. "hey bitch, come get some!" Bathory turned "I really got to stop watching those wrestlers" Jane scalded herself and then in an instant flew across the room punching Bathory in the stomach with her feet and somersaulting backwards,

"You have caused enough pain, time for you to face the curse of Erebus!"

Bathory hot to her feet, both women battered and bloody "You and who's army!"

"I am a Grey, I don't need an army"

Her mind already powerful from her years as a vampire unlocked the childhood ability she had forced away for fear of being burnt at the stake. As a child she thought she was going insane,. The devil was talking to her and as a god fearing child she could not afford to let that happen now, now she knew who she was and what she was. The first phoenix, the carrier through the generations and pride filled her as her grand niece had been the one that her sire had spoken off.

She lashed out with her mind reducing Bathory to a screaming wreck. Tearing through her mind like a torpedo she battered down the shields vampires had and forcing her to her knees.

She imagined a flaming sword and stepped towards the Countess. "For every life you have sniffed out in this town and this house, for every soul you have corrupted and every life you have killed in your mortal life and this you will die!"

She didn't listen to the countess pleading and offering her fealty she cut her head from her shoulders and was thrown back by the force of the explosion.

As she raised her head she saw a creature from the pits of hell rise up behind the black soul of the countess and drag her screaming below.

Blackness washed over her and she lapsed into unconsciousness.

Rhaine launched herself at Cyclops but found his hand wrapped round her throat. As he brought her to his hungry fangs a sonic wave smashed him back releasing the werewolf.

He turned his attention to Havok who roared at Rhaine to get out of there.

"You can't hurt me little brother" Scott sneered "Your power doesn't harm me"

"I'm not here to harm you brother" Alex spat "You killed Lorna"

Scott whirled as Gambit and Wolverine came at him Gambit threw card after card at him as Wolverine lashed out with his claws,

"Keep going kid we got him!" Logan yelled.

"Stupid animal" Scott turned his optic blasts on Logan and flung him clear across the hanger bay and into the Blackbird he turned them on Gambit and flung him into the wall and he wasn't pulling his Power.

Alex knew that Logan would be alright but he rushed to Gambit and stood over him firing his sonic waves. No matter how much power Scott poured as Alex his brother withstood, even in his vampiric life the laws of mutant siblings stood firm. Their powers negated each other but even though Alex knew that he was getting nowhere that was not why he was distracting Scott.

"Scott"

Cyclops turned to see Jean hovering above him her body and hair afire like some beautiful Phoenix risen from the ashes.

"jean" he breathed "You should have joined me" he turned his blast on her but she deflected it back at him sending him flying across the hanger bay and into the wall.

He pulled himself up an evil grin on his face.

Jean held her hand out and Remy pulled himself to his feet to join her. She held her other hand out for Logan. Rhaine and Alex took their positions.

"What you think two animals a cretin and a weak shadow of myself is going to save you" Scott got up "I think not"

"Scott" Jean shook her head her fury traveling along her body and into her friends "Consider this a divorce"

With that she let loose her phoenix flame enhanced by the sorrows of her friends and the rage at the death of her family blood and extended.

Scott held his arm up as the purity of the Phoenix flame reached him and emulated him.

The resulting explosion caused the five of them to fall to the ground and into unconsciousness.

Chapter ten.

The five remaining X-Men watched as the mansion burnt to the ground. Each had their own memories and with the mansion those memories burnt with them.

Rhaine took the Star of David out of her pocket and put it round her neck so that it hung alongside the Crucifix her mother had given her.

Jane opened the car door and waited for them all to get in. she looked back at the burning mansion and then got in and told her Diego to return home.

Jean rubbed her eyes and placed a rose on Storms grave, she had been buried in the cemetery in Elizabeth Town. It was beautiful here untouched and it was the perfect place.

She kissed her fingers and placed them against the headstone and stepped back.

"He will hunt you down" Jane told her

"You will be safe though?"

"Oh he won't touch me my darling" Jane steered her to a seat where the others sat "but he does not take defeat lightly this is the second time. It may not be for a year or more but his memory is long and it will come."

Logan scratched his nose "So what do yer suggest"

"Find some peace and enjoy it while you can." Jane looked back at Storms grave "I will look after her now."

Remy got up and walked across to where his stormy was sleeping. He crouched down and put his hand on her tombstone.

"Sleep well Stormy," he got up and walked over to where the car that Jane had given them was parked.

As he got in he looked skyward to see a ghostly figure, all in white but with skin like milk chocolate and hair of pure white, all around her were the X-Men even Scott, they were at peace now and he wondered if the remnants ever would be.

The others got into the car after saying their goodbyes. Jean and Logan followed his gaze wondering what he was looking at with tears coursing down his face. As the four of them looked up they saw their friends and family and smiled to themselves.

"C'mon kid lets go" Logan patted his shoulder and got in the back with Rhaine and Alex.

Jean squeezed his hand and got in the drivers seat.

Remy flipped a salute to the heavens and blew a kiss to Jane, the only Vampire he would ever trust aside from Blade.

As he got in the car the breeze caressed his face "Don't call me Stormy"

He began to laugh and got behind the wheel of the car. The red BMW pulled away uncertain of their future the five friends headed south and to New Orleans.

"somebody save me, I don't care how you do it, just save me c'mon, I been waiting here for you' – "Save me" Remy Zero.