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Chapter 4 – New Arrivals

Liz walked towards the newcomer. "Epiphany, I'm so happy to see you." Liz said embracing her warmly.

Johnny walked up to them and patiently waited for them to separate. "There's my girl." He said grinning as Epiphany shook her head.

"Piph, you're not going to leave me hanging are you?"

Epiphany chuckled and gave Johnny a big hug. "I can't believe someone hasn't smote you by now."

He laughed. "I'm a slippery one as you well know."

Jason jumped back as Johnny suddenly appeared next to him.

"You'll get used to it." Jax said quietly.

"Jason." Epiphany said crossing her arms across her chest.

"Shit." He muttered.

Francis grinned. "What did you do?"

"Let's just say that Mr. Morgan here is the worst patient ever." Epiphany said as her eyes narrowed.

"I don't like hospitals." Jason said as Liz chuckled.

Epiphany was scary on a good day. So he wasn't sure he even wanted to know what her powers were.

"You should be very afraid." Epiphany said ominously as Johnny laughed loudly.

He stopped his laughter and cleared his throat. "Allow me. This beautiful woman here is an Impundulu."

Jason's head tilted. He had no idea what that was. Epiphany chuckled.

"She is a vampire bird and can summon thunder and lightning. That is why we work together so well."

The door opened and Stefan walked inside. "I hope I'm not late."

Jason wasn't even surprised he showed up. The Cassadines were made for this shit.

Epiphany grinned. "Well, well, you are looking mighty fine today."

Stefan smirked. "How is my princess today?" He asked fondly. Epiphany was one of the few people that could make Stefan smile and he had much adoration for the tough nurse.

"Much better now." Epiphany said with a twinkle in her eye.

Johnny glared at Stefan. "Piph, should I be jealous?"

She rolled her eyes. "Jason, I'm surprised to see you here. The only super power I was aware that you had was your glare."

Epiphany laughed but that died quickly as they all felt the energetic force behind Jason's current look and Stephan was stunned. "What did you do?" He yelled at Elizabeth.

Jason moved so fast that Stephan barely had time to step backwards. "Do not yell at her." He growled.

"Do you know what you've done?" Stefan asked incredulously.

Liz pushed between the two men making sure that her hand touched Jason's arm. "I know exactly what I've done."

"You have broken just about every rule Elizabeth."

"Do you really think they are going to abide by our rules?" She asked defiantly.

"You need to calm yourself uncle." Nikolas said in a soothing tone. They didn't need Stefan to turn at this moment. It would not end well.

"I won't calm down. You have given him the power to kill us all." Stefan said angrily. "When this is over who's to say he won't turn on us?"

"He's not that type of man and you know that." Liz said firmly.

"What exactly did you do?" Epiphany asked.

"I gave him the power to help us protect his sister."

"She didn't give him just any power." Stefan said evenly. "Can he even be killed?"

Liz sighed. "He's not immortal, just superhuman. But if you think that I will tell you how…."

"This is nonsense." Stefan said loudly.

"I'm afraid we had no other choice." Jax said moving forward. "Besides, it's already done."

Stefan looked over at Jerry. "I'm surprised that you are agreeable to this."

"You know me Steffie, I always like to win." He said as his eyes danced with amusement. Anyone taking Stefan down a notch greatly pleased him.

Stefan growled.

"We are wasting precious time." Liz said. "We must train. Are you in or out?" She asked him.

Stefan sneered. "You know I have no choice."

"Then you will have to put aside your suspicion and ire. Follow me please." She said pulling Jason behind her. "I know you don't like him but he's very cunning and we need him."

Jason snorted.

"He's a Volkodlak; half-wolf, half-vampire."

"Jesus, how many different hybrids are there?" Jason asked.

"There are several." Liz said suddenly stopping.

Jason looked around the large room which probably served as a ballroom at one point. There were chairs off to the side and everyone else took a seat.

She turned and looked at him. "Jason, what is about to attack you is not entirely real but it will seem like it. You need to learn to defend yourself."

Nikolas handed him a sword and showed him several offensive and defensive moves.

Liz stepped back and with a flick of her wrist a very large monster appeared.

Jason stumbled backwards.

"Some vampires can morph into other beings. They will look scary but they are still just a vampire."

The vampire snarled and growled and Jason waited for it to attack and out the corner of his eye, Stefan charged him and Jason growled and flicked him to the side. The sword fell from his hand and the vampire pounced as Jason dove towards it and they quickly collided and rolled around on the floor, each trying to get the upper hand. Jason rolled them back towards the knife as he held the creature off of him. He pulled his knees up and used his feet to propel it backwards and just when it pounced on him again, Jason grabbed the sword and sliced through its neck. To his surprise, it dissolved and he rose up on one knee breathing heavily. His hair had fallen into his face and his body shook as he slowly looked up and they saw the fury raging below the surface. It was all consuming and he struggled to maintain control. Everyone stared as Elizabeth slowly walked towards him.

"Stay back. I don't know if I can control it." He said as his chest heaved and his body trembled.

"Go to your safe place Jason." She instructed.

Jason thought of Lila as his muscles strained and his face contorted. Elizabeth touched him and it was almost like he was struck by lightning and they all watched in awe as he began to settle down.

Epiphany walked towards them. "Jason, you must learn to use your rage more efficiently. It will drain you too fast if you don't."

"But how?" He asked breathlessly.

"I was at your house and listened to your so called friends bellow and whine. If you can listen to that shit day after day and not kill them, this should be a walk in the park." Francis said.

Jason looked up at Francis and smirked at the amusement in his eyes.

Stefan cleared his throat. "You need to learn to control your breathing. When it's out of control, you're out of control. If you use short bursts to let out the necessary energy, you'll be able to maintain balance. If you can do that, you will be unstoppable."

Jason was a hunter. He already knew how to listen and anticipate. Right now, he lacked the confidence and he knew they didn't have time for that.

"Take a brief rest and then we'll start again." Stefan said handing him a bottle of water.

Jason mumbled his thanks and took it from him. He drank it down and then stood up. Closing his eyes for a second, he heard something moving fast behind him and he waited to snap his eyes open until they were right on him. He stepped to the side and grabbed the wolf, snapped its neck, and then propelled it forward and it flew through the air and disappeared.

"Very good Jason. How did that feel?" Liz asked.

"Better."

They practiced over and over. All of them called out different tactics as Jason improved so quickly that he left them all astonished.

"God he'd make a great vampire." Epiphany said smiling. "Hit the showers Morgan. That's enough for now. We'll have dinner in an hour."

Jason felt like he could feel every last muscle in his body and they all hurt. He slowly made his way to his room and turned on the shower and stepped inside. The heat felt so good on his aching muscles. He stayed under the hot spray for as long as he could stand and then got out and dried off and threw on his boxer briefs. Fuck dinner, he wanted his bed. Stumbling into the room he suddenly realized someone was there and froze.

"Get on the bed." Epiphany said taking him all in. "Damn Morgan, that's a seriously nice package you're carrying around."

Jason shook his head. "I'm too tired to fight with you." He said more harshly then he meant for it to sound.

"Get on the bed." She demanded.

"Are vampire women always so damn bossy?" He asked as he painfully walked by her.

Epiphany chuckled. "On your stomach."

Jason hurt so bad he didn't even argue. He laid there for a moment and then he felt her hands touch his back and he jumped.

"Settle down. I won't hurt you. My mother swore by this remedy. You'll feel better soon." She said as she placed some balm into her hand then hummed as she began to massage his aching muscles.

It hurt like a bitch at first but Jason soon found himself relaxing. Epiphany moved down and one hand grabbed his ass on the way to his legs.

"I don't think those muscles hurt."

Epiphany chuckled. "I was just making sure."

He smirked; not use to Epiphany being so flirtatious.

She began to massage his legs and finally after a few minutes he breathed easy again. "You and my Elizabeth are going to make beautiful babies."

"Babies? Aren't you a little premature? We haven't even kissed." He said looking up at her.

"Oh, but you want to and you will. You're not scared of her are you? She's just a little bitty thing." Epiphany said dramatically.

Jason laughed. "That little bitty thing as you called her could probably kick my ass in twenty different ways."

"I don't think kicking your ass is what she'd have in mind." She said devilishly.

"Epiphany, I didn't know you were so…..dirty."

Epiphany laughed loudly. "You never asked. You have ten minutes to get downstairs."

"Do I have to?"

"You have to eat Jason. Besides, Stefan bet Johnny one hundred bucks that you'd wus out and go to sleep. You don't want Stefan to win do you?"

Jason groaned. "Just when I was starting to like you."

She smacked him on the ass. "Get moving Morgan." She said before leaving the room.

Jason cursed under his breath and pushed himself up. God he hated Stefan.

IiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiIiI

Johnny heard Stefan gasp and he looked up from his plate of pasta. "Jason." He said grinning. "Glad you could make it."

Jason smiled and sat down next to Elizabeth.

"He did it to spite me." Stefan sneered.

"You can blame Epiphany's magical hands." He said shoveling some pasta onto his plate. He was glad he came down because he suddenly realized that he was starving.

Stefan put money down on the table and glared at Epiphany as Johnny scooped it up.

Jason quickly finished eating and Johnny put a beer down in front of him. "You earned it."

Jason smiled and took a sip. It felt really good and his body relaxed further. A woman started gathering the plates and soon disappeared.

"That's Tammy. She keeps this place running." Johnny said.

"Is she a vampire?" Jason asked.

"No. She is human."

Jason frowned. "And she doesn't mind being here with all of you?"

Jerry smirked. "She knows what we are and is fascinated by it all. No harm will ever befall her and she understands the need for discretion."

Francis placed a map down. "This is the layout of the church and surrounding area." He said pointing out various places. "This is sacred land but the rest is not. We need to stay within those boundaries. The stronger of our enemies will penetrate and those are the ones that will need to be destroyed."

"Who else is coming?" Jason asked curiously."

"We're not entirely sure. We put out the call but some will fight with us and some against."

"How will you know if you can trust them?"

"Because they will not be able to enter this space unless they are undoubtedly on our side." Liz said smiling.

They talked about strategy for a few more hours and then one by one everyone disappeared except Elizabeth and Francis.

"Jason, you did a good job today. But that was nothing like what you're going to face in actual battle. It will be far worse. You'll be attacked by multiple assailants. You need to guard your neck. A werewolf will attack anywhere he can get his mouth around. When you closed your eyes earlier and sensed the wolf behind you, I was very impressed. Sensing will be a major part of your defense."

"Thank you for teaching me Francis. I understand the gravity of the situation." He said before looking at Elizabeth. "Would it help if I were one of you?" Jason asked curiously. He was willing to make any sacrifice necessary.

Francis met his gaze and held it. "Jason, this life we lead is a very lonely existence. I would not wish it upon my worst enemy. I'm hoping that you make it through this with your mortality intact."

"And if that is not possible?"

"Then I apologize ahead of time for not protecting you adequately." He said getting up and walking away.