AN: Sorry about delay, computer's are evil. Sorry for the somewhat depressing matter this story was based on but I started writing this in when I was studying evil and the Rwanda, Bosnia and Pinkville massacres. So, yeah, my apologies. Couldn't think of a title, but at least it doesn't begin with 'the'.

Again it's only loosely related to the Sleepers comment, but it is Helen and Nikola, though not really slash. I've actually realised that these are more Nikola/Helen friendship, but they should be getting more shippy soon.

At least two more stories will be published this weekend here to make up for it. Set wherever you wish. Pre Sleepers. I don't own anything, except maybe a Jarx :D

Oh God

"Oh God." Said Will. Helen agreed with his thoughts.

The sight before them was horrific; hundreds of rotting corpses were strewn about the cave floor, most of them half-eaten, chunks of flesh torn from their bodies, probably whilst they were still alive.

They had been on the trail of a particularly vicious creature/abnormal in ------. People from towns and villages within a twenty mile radius had been going missing, and local police had reported strange animal sightings; strange as most indigenous predators in these parts weren't bright purple or could burn things with their eyes, so the Sanctuary network had been informed. Henry had also picked up some energy readings from the area that could have been emitted by a Jarx - an abnormal fitting the description given from the sightings.

The trail had led here: the creature's lair.

The smell was awful and even Big Foot visibly paled. The cave was quite large, but that did nothing to alleviate the ghastliness of the scene, for deep red blood coated the body-free floor area.

Helen gulped and moved forward, the other two following, although more slowly.

The bodies were mainly at the sides of the cave, and upon closer examination she could tell they were the missing people even though some parts of their faces were chewed beyond recognition, or simply missing altogether. There were old, young, men, women and children, all quite dead.

And against the back wall, next to the carcass of a many-toothed purple abnormal (probably the Jarx; the one responsible for the state of the room) sat one Nikola Tesla.

Helen blinked to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

He was slumped against the rock, eyes closed, face even paler than usual and breathing deeply. There was some blood on his ripped shirt, but as far as Helen could see the damage had already healed.

She cocked her gun and moved forward, signalling to Will to check the abnormal. She kept her line of fire directly on the vampire.

Nikola grunted as she approached. "Is that all the thanks I get?"

"What are you doing here Nikola?" was the only answer he got.

"Just taking a vacation; you know, I thought I'd see the sights, check out the local culture...but it turns out the sights are rather gory and the culture is being eaten alive, so I thought I'd step in before anyone else died." Helen was briefly shocked at the bluntness of his statement, but Nikola carried on, eyes still closed. "Looks like I've done your job for you. What took you so long?" The usual derision had crept back into his voice and Helen found herself riled by it, but refused to take the bait.

"Why are you here Nikola?" she repeated, knowing that there was something else going on, there always was.

"I heard the weather was good." Nikola's tone was mocking, he knew it annoyed her.

"Nikola." She drew out the last syllable warningly. Sometimes she would be happy to let it go, to play along with his little games, but not today; not when they were standing in a cave full of dead people in some treacherous mountain range.

Nikola relented. "There were rumours flying around about a creature living up here that sucked its victim's blood. I thought it might be a related species to my own dear ancestors, but it turned out it was just one of your dangerous pets."

His eyes snapped open at last and Helen was briefly taken aback at how intense they looked in the half light of the cave.

"Did you have to kill it?"

"Helen, it was eating people! And while that wouldn't usually bother me it thought I looked tasty, and whilst that's true I don't like being bitten. That, and that purple really didn't go with the decor."

Helen rolled her eyes. After a couple more moments Nikola prised himself off the wall and glanced around the cave.

"Well, as nice as it was seeing you again Helen, we really can't keep meeting like this. I must be off, people to see, places to be, worlds to conquer and all that. Give my regards to Hairy McClairy, were-boy and Dr. Expendable for me." And with that, he abruptly walked out of the cave and Helen's life once more.

She turned back around to find Will looking at her strangely, Big Foot snuffling around in the background.

"Was that-?" he began. Helen nodded. "And did you just let-?" She nodded again, more sharply this time, not in the mood for Will's digging. She raised an eyebrow, daring him to comment, and watched as he backed off.

Big Foot grunted. "Tidy up time." And then he too turned away, leaving Helen alone with her thoughts.

~Fin

I'd really appreciate feedback. Thanks for reading, more up soon.