Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted materials found herein. They are the rightful property of their creator's and associated companies. I make no money off of this fanfic whatsoever nor do I plan to make money off of it in the future. I am writing for my own amusement and for the enjoyment of those who like to read my works. So do not take legal action against me since I can promise that the legal fees will far outstrip anything that could be gained from me.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Train Yards of Pardubice, Train #424-287, One Hour Later, Amelia's P.O.V

Something was going to happen tonight and Amelia did not like the fact that she could not perceive whether it would be something that would benefit her kind or harm it. There had been nothing substantial per se to explain this feeling, no report or piece of evidence, but rather what the humans would refer to as a 'gut feeling'. Given this being the case, she had kept her unease from showing on her face and maintained the appearance of a vampire far above those who followed her orders. Nevertheless, she remained on edge and wished that she could have her favored sword near her hand if for no other reason than to take comfort in its presence. However that would cause questions to be asked and weakness to be perceived by the others which was something she could not permit. It was vital that the younger Corvenus vampires perceive the three Elders as being near unto gods as far as they were concerned. Gods that feared not for their own safety save in extreme situations and were immune to assaults by lesser beings. That was the way it had to be.

As the train came into the station, she rose from her chair and, with her entourage grouped around her, they began to make their way to the front of the train where the platform was. There they would meet with the escort team sent to guide them to Viktor's mansion, where a grand reception would be held prior to the Awakening ceremony where she would pass the reigns of rule to Marcus. Not for the first time she wondered why she and Viktor did not simply eliminate the bothersome fool since the man was the sole weak link in the triad. Despite the leverage they had over him, the location as well as the life of the first Lycan William Corvenus, the true progenitor of their kind still rocked the boat from time to time. One century it was a covert effort to locate the prison of his brother and then the other was an attempt at assassinating both her as well as Viktor while they slept. It was always something but, thankfully, she and the one who would rule after Marcus' century of leadership had enough loyal followers that such scheming became naught but a distraction. The only reason Viktor ever gave her for not killing Marcus once and for all was the possibility that, with the death of the one true father of their race, the rest of them would either revert to humans or perish on the spot. Too much of the specifics of how their breed of vampire came to be had been lost, reduced to mere stories, and even with the benefits of modern technology too many centuries stood between the beginning and now to draw any solid conclusions. Thus, with the possibility that the end of Marcus would lead to the end of their kind, the idiot was permitted to live albeit with periodic reminders of who was truly in control.

As she entered the final car she sees the Death Dealer whose duty it was to use a flashlight to send a coded message to the escort team to verify their identity as well as state their own. It was a security measure adopted after an attempt by a group of human demon hunters to ambush a courier group transporting documents detailing the Coven's plans for the next century. Thus a code was developed to be used in conjunction with either a shuttered lantern or, more recently, battery-powered flashlights, ensuring that only if the proper counter code was given would it be save to emerge from the train.

"Has the proper counter code been given?" She asked imperiously as she glanced out the window herself easily spotting the group of Death Dealers dispatched by Kraven.

"Yes, my Lady, but…" replied the Death Dealer attached to her guard detail.

"But what?" She asked not liking the indecision in his eyes, "Speak up!"

"While the intervals between the flashes were correct, the Death Dealer holding the light seemed to have an unsteady hand by my reckoning." Replied her subordinate tentatively making his uncertainty clear, "It could be nothing more than the man putting some liquor in his blood before coming here but it bothered me."

True.

It had been a rather annoying trend among those that chose to side with the Regent Kraven that they took to behaving like spoiled aristocrats, even those that were merely garden variety Death Dealers. She had hoped that for an event as serious as an Awakening that the fool would try to appear more professional but she supposed his sense of indulgence knew no bounds. She was just about to tell her entourage that they were about to leave when a sound reached her ears that all Corvenus vampires learned to recognize from a very early age after being sired. It was the sound of a Lycan sounding the charge into battle! At once all the Death Dealers on the train readied their weapons while directing most of their attention to the side opposite that which Kraven's subordinates were positioned. With a bit of luck they would be able to push back the initial wave of Lycans, allowing for her to make it to the vehicles of the escort team on the platform. From there they could easily outrun the foul beasts, thus making it back to Viktor's mansion where she would personally chastise Kraven for allowing such an obviously large group of dogs to enter the city.

However she would be surprised once again this night as, without warning, automatic gunfire resounded throughout the air but it came not from her men but rather from Kraven's Death Dealers. Even more shocking was the fact that instead of being aimed at the oncoming Lycans, she watched as members of her own entourage fell to the ground in pain. Dropping immediately herself, she could feel as numerous rounds just barely missed her head before she was crouched low enough that the reinforced metal of the train car shielded her from further onslaughts. Had Kraven gone MAD? She knew that the fop's ambitions ran deep but did he really think that he could try to assassinate her and succeed!? Growling with anger and promised revenge, she crawled in a most undignified manner towards the car behind the one she was in as she recalled that there was an ornamental broadsword hanging on the wall therein. Not what she would have preferred but with her favored blade currently in the cargo car, it was too far away for her to reach it in time before her attackers managed to board the train. It was so undignified crawling around on all fours like this but she had no choice since raising her head any higher would expose her to fire from Kraven's traitorous forces. Therefore she suffered through the indignation of crawling taking what solace she could from the fact that once she armed herself, she would be able to avenge this front to her personage.

It took a few minutes but eventually she got within arm's reach of the sword and did not hesitate to reach for its hilt with her sword hand.

"Go ahead, monster. Take up that sword. It would nae do to strike down even a foul beast like yerself while yer unarmed." Spoke a man's voice with mock politeness as booted feet stalked towards her on the wooden floor of the train car.

Turning her head she faced a sight she had not seen before save in files detailing the current enemies of her people and, quite frankly, she would have preferred it stayed that way. Walking toward her, clad in a grey trenchcoat, white gloves, black boots, white priest clothes and a large silver cross hanging from his neck, was none other than Paladin Alexander Anderson of the Vatican's Section Thirteen. He has earned many other names amongst the various breeds of monster and vampire that inhabited the world but for her kind 'Off with it's head' Anderson was the one that stuck out the most. She has never had the dubious pleasure of meeting the man before tonight and, truth be told, she had toyed with the idea of challenging the man one day to see who was truly superior with a blade. At the moment, though, lacking her armor and favored sword, she could not help but feel a tad underprepared to face the self-proclaimed bane of all unholy creatures.

"Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and for thy possession, the ends of the earth. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces, like a potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore ye kings. Be admonished ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, though his wrath be kindled but a little." Anderson prayed as he pulled two of his trademark blessed silver bayonets from his coat, "AMEN!!"

Summoning up all her courage, she tore the sword from its hooks on the wall and took up a ready stance glaring at the assassin of the Catholic Church for all that she was worth. While she might be at a disadvantage against this foul Regenerator, she refused to show fear in front of him, she refused to appear weak before him, and she refused to sully her pride as a Corvenus Elder because of him.

"It is appropriate, indeed, that you choose to pray before entering into, battle Anderson." She said, putting great distaste into his name, "For you will soon be face to face with your so-called God!"

"I am not afraid to die for my Lord, unholy beast." Anderson said with a manic smile as he took up a combat stance of his own, "For when I die, I will ascend to my Lord's kingdom and enjoy all the blessings found therein. You will find nothing but oblivion waiting for you after I finish tearing you limb from limb!"

With those words the battle was joined with her years of experience and status as a Corvenus Elder being matched against the strongest warrior the Vatican had produced in the last fifty years.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Viktor's Mansion, Twenty Minutes Later, Selene's Room, Selene's P.O.V

I have to get out of here!! Selene thought as she paced about her room trying to figure out a way that she could turn matters around.

As it stood, her attempt to expose Kraven as being in collusion with Lucian had backfired on her since the memories that had been transferred to Viktor had been too disjointed to be taken seriously by her Lord. As such she only had her own to use in her defense and that was apparently not enough, especially given her Lord's strong distaste for the Lycans. While it should have been clear that her only interest in Michael Corvin was his role in the conspiracy between the Lycan Alpha and Kraven, her position had become misinterpreted. Now she was confined to her room and set to face trial not only for waking up Viktor ahead of schedule but also for aiding and abetting a Lycan rather than killing him on sight. Could her Lord not see that all she had done she had done for his sake and the sake of the Coven!? While she could reluctantly admit that she had no documentation or any other form of concrete proof that something was afoot, she most certainly had enough circumstantial proof to justify her actions. It was too bad that no one else thought so and, with the Awakening ceremony only hours away and Amelia's arrival even sooner, she did not have a lot of time to come up with a plan of action.

The lights suddenly died in her room died and, as she looked about to determine what had happened, she realized that she could hear the rushed sounds of both guards as well as their dogs stirring up a commotion outside. It was then that she realized that the problem with the lights wasn't just her room but that the power of the entire complex had been shut down. Was Kraven making his move now? It would be a good opportunity since, without main power, only the back up generators remained and they would be focused on powering the defenses to the Lair where Viktor as well as Marcus were located. That would make the various Death Dealers and upper level aristocrats unusually vulnerable since they would have to rely on the radios to report enemy movements and co-ordinate the defense of the manor. Once the guards and older vampires were slain, it would be only a matter of time before the defenses of the Lair were broken down and the two Elders there would have to fend for themselves. With Viktor still in the midst of recuperating and Marcus slumbering, they would be easy prey if assaulted with sufficient numbers.

She was about to consider breaking out of her room by force when she heard sounds of conflict outside of her door. Turning towards it, she was surprised to see it open to admit Erika into the room with a serious look on her face and a bag in her hand. It was an odd sight to see but she had other things to think about as the blonde bed beauty tossed the bag at her with an almost 'take this and go' attitude. Pulling the zipper down, she was shocked to find two semi-automatic pistols inside, each with a clip in them, along with two extra clips of ammunition. This was unprecedented since she had always known that the blonde saw her as a rival for the affections of Kraven and had only been nice to her because it would benefit how she looked to the Regent. Considering that the fop wanted her to stay put, cutting the power and arming her with the means to escape would run contrary to this desire to win Kraven's favor.

"Why are you helping me?" She asked after zipping the bag back up.

"I'm not. I'm helping me." Erika replied without an inch of warmth.

It was then that she understood what was going on even as the blonde tossed her a set of keys to a vehicle that presumably was parked outside. By helping her to escape, Erika was giving her the chance to add to her crimes and no doubt hoped that she would break so many laws that not even Kraven's position as Regent would keep her from being executed. Once she was dead, the blonde would have no other rivals and it might even be enough to get the object of her affection to finally take her affections more seriously. In short, it was precisely as Erika said it was: she was helping herself and that was it.

Regardless of that fact, she couldn't pass up this chance to gather the evidence she needed to expose the truth about Kraven, Lucian and Michael. Grabbing her coat from the chair, she slipped it on with practiced ease before sliding the two semi-autos into the holsters built into the coat while turning towards the window. With a leap that was like child's play to her, she dropped to the ground and stealthily moved towards the place where the cars were located. Just because the main power was down didn't mean the Death Dealers patrolling the grounds were any less alert or would prove to be any less of an obstacle. Though it took a little more time than she'd like, she eventually made it to the right car and, once inside, peeled out through the front gates at full speed, kicking up gravel all the way. She knew she had to get to Michael first and hopefully he would still be where she left him. If he had somehow been located by the Lycans then she would lose her one bargaining piece that could turn the entire situation around to something more to her liking. As she turned down a street, she noticed a large truck following her and it didn't take her long to deduce who it must belong to. Apparently the Lycans were not as foolish as she had thought them to be. Instead of searching randomly throughout the city, they had staked out Viktor's mansion to wait for her return so that they could follow her to Michael, thus not wasting resources. For a moment she considered trying to lose them but then an idea occurred to her that caused her to forget that option entirely.

If I let them follow me, perhaps I can defeat them while acquiring one of them who could support my claim of a conspiracy between Lucian and Kraven. She thought with a small grin, Perhaps even learn more about why they want Michael in the first place.

With no further thought she proceeded as she normally would towards the apartment building that held the interrogation room that she had handcuffed Michael to for his own safety. Once outside the car, she entered the building and raced up the stairs two at a time, knowing that she would need some time to prepare for the Lycans. Entering the room where Michael was, she could see that he was tired and likely a bit weak, considering that she hadn't left him any food and he likely hadn't eaten in the last twenty-four hours. However there was little time to worry about that with the Lycans, no doubt coming up the stairs right this very moment.

"We need to go." She said immediately, working to undo the strengthened handcuff and chain that was part of the interrogation room.

It was not really her intention to leave but she needed him alert if he was going to be of any use to her and in case those following her proved too much he would need his senses sharp to escape them. Hearing the sounds of footsteps, she looked to the screens projecting images from the security cameras and saw easily six Lycans within range of the device with four more coming up the stairs. That was ten total and they all looked like they were armed to the teeth, no doubt with those UV rounds, making her odds of victory ten to one. While not impossible she could not take the chance that they might hit Michael by accident while trying to slay her. Bringing one of her semi-auto's up, she immediately began to fire silver rounds in the general direction of the door in order to force the werewolves to dive for cover. Some might even have gotten shot, in which case her odds for success would improve but she couldn't bank on what she could only speculate about.

Turning towards the window Michael stood in front of she said, "Get down."

Waiting until his head lowered to just the right level, she opened fire with her gun and reduced the glass window to mere fragments. Pushing him towards the window, she watched as he stepped up onto the sill and looked outside before looking back at her with a 'what now' look on his face.

"Jump!" She ordered knowing that by now the bite from Lucian should have strengthened his body enough to withstand a fall from this height.

"Are you fucking kidding me!?!" Michael asked incredulously, obviously not having the same faith in his newly acquire durability as she did.

However that was all that could be said because the door to the room burst open to reveal four armed Lycans, survivors of her initial assault, all with a desire to kill her on their faces. Bringing her semi-auto to bear, she opened fire, hoping to buy Corvin enough time to muster enough courage to make the leap to the ground below. Once she was certain that he was clear she would follow and catch up with him so that they could go someplace to regroup and plan anew. While she had initially planned on taking a Lycan prisoner back to Viktor so that her suspicions could be proven correct, if more werewolves had shown up here than she had expected then there could be more outside. With skill honed over decades of work as a Death Dealer, she watched as one by one her enemies fell to her bullets while their shots missed by an inch or more. Obviously they had only recently begun training with firearms which wasn't all that surprising considering that werewolves often preferred to kill in their more bestial form up close and personal. No matter. It'd just make things easier for her.

By the time she was done, virtually all the Lycans were dead but, thankfully, the one she had desired to wing was still kicking if in a bit of pain. He would be the witness she would take back with her to the mansion to prove her theories and exonerate her in the eyes of the Coven. She was just about to check on Michael when the sound of screeching tires and a roaring engine made this desire all the more urgent. Darting to he window, she watched as a police car drove away leaving a street that was completely lacking a Michael Corvin. It didn't take her even half a second to put together what must have happened, causing her to raise her gun to see if she could shoot out the tires or get a good shot at the driver. In the end though there was simply too little she could clearly see and no way of knowing precisely where Michael was. He was important to Lucian and therefore important to whatever scheme the Lycan Alpha had concocted with Kraven. She couldn't risk anything happening to him.

Plus she still owed him for saving her life.

Taking his life would hardly be a good way to repay that debt.

Her only course of action was to take her witness back to the mansion and do her best to throw a monkey wrench into the conspiracy she had uncovered. Perhaps if she could amass a large enough force against Kraven and Lucien with the information she'd cut out of her survivor, it would force them to abort their plans.

It wasn't a great plan but it was all she had.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Viktor's Mansion, Thirty Minutes Later, The Hallways Leading to the Lair, Kraven's P.O.V

Soren's late. Kraven thought as walked towards the place where his Lord awaited him, He's never late!

It was one of the more admirable traits about the blonde haired man but not the only one and he had been able to take great satisfaction in the fact that his bodyguard would never betray him. It was one of the most unusual traits that the man had that he possessed no real ambition of his own but rather seemed content with his position as bodyguard or enforcer. This was not due to lack of intelligence or opportunities as some thought, but more likely because the man was old enough to know all of the troubles that came with higher ranks and wanted none of it. At the moment he couldn't really disagree with the man that positions of power came with quite a few stressful strings attached but, unlike his second in command, he was willing to endure that stress. In a few moments though he would likely have to endure some of the most stressful moments ever since he had moments ago been summoned by Viktor. It had been a while since the Elder had given the order to imprison Selene but with the constant feeding of blood through tubing, it was quite likely that the old man was now back to full strength. No doubt the self-proclaimed progenitor of the Corvenus breed of vampire wanted an update not only on the status of the investigation into the possibility of an Iscariot attack but also proof that Lucien lived.

On the former matter, the agents he had sent out had not returned, implying that they had been killed or had encountered a force that was preventing them from returning. He'd commanded the communications room to try and raise them either on the radio or by cell phone but the weather was playing havoc with both and his future Queen's escape certainly hadn't helped matters. Nevertheless, if he omitted any difficulties and implied that the missing warriors had indeed fallen prey to the Vatican's Section Thirteen, the Elder should be satisfied with that.

As for the latter, he could only claim that the investigation into Lucien possibly still being alive was still ongoing and that there was nothing definitive to report as of yet. This would not be received as well but he was not quite willing to turn on the Lycan Alpha just yet since admitting that the mutt man was alive would automatically make him a fraud. It had only been because of his supposed victory over the leader of the werewolves and the destruction of the enemy fortress that he had all that he did. If that was exposed as a lie, he would be lucky if he was merely exiled like Andreas Tanis. It was far more likely that he would slowly be tortured to death in front of the entire Coven so that all could see what happened to those that betrayed the three great Elders.

Seeing the entrance to the Lair, he masked his inner emotions beneath a façade of loyalty and subservience so that his own worries would not tell Viktor the truth. Signaling the man at the controls to open the chamber doors, he entered to find that the Elder is indeed back to full health and is now clad in his traditional raiment of an ornamented leather jacket along with a similarly adorned set of pants. Going down to one knee at a respectable distance, just like the good toady he was thought to be, he greeted Viktor, "My Lord."

"I sent for Selene. Not for you." Viktor said as he turned around with a contempt filled look on his face.

"She's defied your orders and fled the mansion, my Lord." He explained working his voice so that it would be clear that he considered himself beneath the Elder.

"Your incompetence is becoming most… taxing." Viktor said, voicing his anger and his growing annoyance.

"It's not my fault. She's become obsessed. Thinks I am at the core of some ridiculous conspiracy." He said, hoping that his words would bring his superior around to his way of thinking.

"And here's my proof!" Rang Selene's voice throughout the Lair as she threw a beaten and bloodied man across the floor.

This was not a good turn of events.

While he did not recognize the man, he could smell the Lycan blood dripping from his wounds even from where he was standing. Depending on how high up the pecking order the old fool was in Lucian's pack, he could know everything or he could know nothing at all. Sadly he could not think of a single way that he could learn that privately and if he tried to exert too much pressure to have the man's words disregarded, he could wind up implicating himself. The best he could do was wait and begin plotting his escape strategy.

Watching as the man was chained to the floor between the seals for Viktor and Amelia he watched the proceedings hoping that the universe didn't once more prove how much it hated him.

"Now I want you to tell them exactly what you told me." Selene commanded in a tone that she often used on unruly subordinates who thought they could defy her.

The Lycan seemed reluctant but, like the trained Death Dealer that she was, Selene knew how to exert just the right amount of pain to gain compliance.

"All right… All right… We've been searching for someone with a special trait. The direct descendant of Alexander Corvenus… a warlord who came to power in the early years of the fifth century." Explained the Lycan between gasps of pain, "Just in time to watch a plague ravage his village. He alone survived. Somehow his body was able to change the disease… mould it to his benefit. He became the first true immortal."

The Lycan paused for a moment, as if unwilling to say more, but unfortunately for both he and the Lycan, Selene reminded the idiot who had the power at the moment with yet another squeeze to the wounded shoulder.

"And years later… he fathered at least two children who inherited the same trait." Said the Lycan after recovering from the pain inflicted upon him.

"The sons of the Corvenus Clan. One bitten by bat, one by wolf, one to walk the lonely road of mortality as a human. It is a ridiculous legend!" Viktor scoffed at the foolishness of what he was hearing.

"That may be but our species does possess a common ancestor." Stated the Lycan sounding more interested in continuing the discussion, "The mutation of the original virus is directly linked to his bloodline."

"There is a descendant of Corvenus lying there." Viktor said pointing to the seal of the Elder Marcus, "Not three feet from you."

"Yes…but he is already a vampire. We needed a pure source." Explained the Lycan who looked right back at the vampire that could kill him with a single slash, "Untainted. An exact duplicate of the original virus which we learned was hidden away in the genetic code of his human descendants, to be passed along in its latent form, down through the ages all the way to Michael Corvin.

"For years we tried to combine the bloodlines and for years we failed." Said the Lycan with a trace of personal annoyance in his voice, "It was useless. Even at the cellular level our species seemed destined to destroy one another. That is until we found Michael… the Corvenus strain made for a perfect union. A triple celled platlet which holds unspeakable power."

I've been had! Kraven thought as he slipped out of the room through one of the side entrances.

While he didn't want to believe that he had been so completely fooled by Lucien this wild story did indeed explain a great many things about the Lycan Alpha's behavior. If this was indeed the truth, the former vampire slave was about to gain quite a bit of power and it might very well be enough to weaken his bargaining position. Centuries ago they had entered into the pact on more or less equal ground with both having something the other needed. Lucien needed to fake his own death so that he could rebuild his army and plan anew while he personally stood to benefit quite a bit by being the one to kill the leader of the hated enemy of his kind. Throughout the centuries since then they had helped each other out where they could, all the while his plan for eradicating the triad of Elders evolved until it finally reached perfection a decade ago. It had all been so right. Now though it was falling apart like wet tissue paper in the wind and he would have to act fast if he wanted to turn all of this around or at least make it out of the city in one piece.

At the moment he had only one course of action in mind: get to Lucien and attempt to persuade the mongrel mutt to share this union power. After all if the Alpha had truly found a way to unite the bloodlines, to create a new immortal race, making himself powerful enough to defeat Viktor than that was definitely something he'd like to try. He'd have to word things properly though, give the mutt a reason to share the power with him, because if he failed to do so, he would likely be amongst the many who would die a permanent death this night.

Exiting the mansion, he was glad to see that there was a vehicle waiting for him, possibly belonging to one of the visiting aristocrats come to witness the Awakening ceremony, and without hesitation he opened the door before sliding into the back seat.

"What--?" exclaimed the driver but a look of murder shut him up quickly enough.

"Just shut up and drive." He growled, making it clear that questions would not be welcome at this point, "I'll tell you where to go once we're outside the city."

The driver seemed to get the message but before the vehicle could move even two feet, beams of light from an approaching vehicle glanced across his face. Looking towards the front gates he immediately identified the jeeps as belonging to Soren and while he would chew the man out later for his tardiness, he was glad to have his right hand back at his side. His smile was almost fully formed but it was halted in place when he noticed more vehicles coming up behind Soren's automobiles that he did not recognize. He was about to get out of the car to get a better look at them when the entire convoy of vehicles accelerated until the lead car crashed through the front gate opening the way for the others. Almost immediately the security Death Dealers on the grounds moved to intercept but this only meant that they were the first to die as the sounds of automatic weaponry filled the air. Helplessly, he watched as the men and women trained in the art of death before being given centuries to hone their killing abilities to a deadly edge fell before the onslaught of bullets. Not ordinary bullets, mind you, but he supposed that in the quantities he was seeing store-bought bullets could accomplish the same end result: dead Death Dealers. It was only when the last vehicle entered the estate grounds causing the occupants to step out into the open air that he discovered who these attackers were.

Iscariot was HERE!

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Inside Viktor's Mansion, The Lair, Ten Minutes Prior, Viktor's P.O.V

"There can be no such union!" Viktor hissed with anger at what he was being told, "And to speak of it is heresy!"

"We'll see." Spoke the foul Lycan defiantly despite his precarious position, "Once Lucian has injected himself with Michaels blood."

"Lucien is dead." He said, putting an end to this maddening rumor being spouted before him.

"According to whom?" Asked the Lycan rhetorically with a smug look on his face.

Aware of what the mongrel was implying and what his surrogate daughter had been trying to tell him, he looked to where he had last seen Kraven so that his second-in-command could respond to the accusation, he was shocked to find the location empty of all but the air itself. It was then that he realized that Selene had been right all along for there could be no other reason for his regent to leave the room in such a manner. Thinking back to the event in question, he now had to admit that he had been skeptical when a young, ambitious vampire had walked out of the fortress of Lucien claiming to have killed him. He had only been vaguely able to recognize the young man's name when it had been given and while his generals had also recognized the name, they had not been able to tell him anything to support the idea that Kraven was skilled enough to kill the Lycan Alpha. In the end he had simply assumed that the momentous battle had caused the young warrior to rise to the occasion and truly show what it was he was capable of. Add to that the fact that it would have been too much work to search the burning fortress for a body and he had been content to take the hero's word and the strip of skin at face value.

This had now been proven to be a mistake.

A mistake he would soon rectify!

Getting up from his throne he walked around one of the pillars before proceeding to the side of his beloved surrogate daughter Selene, feeling a renewed sense of pride in looking at her. With this proof she had proven her loyalty to him and to the Coven, causing him to mentally chastise himself for ever doubting one he had personally sired. He would make sure that most of the stain on her reputation was removed but there was one blemish that only she could remove. He had faith, though, that she would not hesitate to do so in the slightest.

"I can assure you, my child, Kraven will pay with his life." He said with full honesty in his voice as he began to ponder just the right manner of execution for one so foul.

"Soon this house will lie in ruins!" Said the Lycan sounding certain that this prediction would come to pass.

"Not before you!" Said Selene icily as she pressed the barrel of her gun to the filth's head.

"Nononono NO! Wait! You and you alone will know the truth of this!" Begged the Lycan, no longer sounding so smug.

With a slight jerk of his head he told his favored Death Dealer to give the condemned man a chance to speak further.

"If Lucien… was able to get his hands on the blood of a pure born… a powerful Elder… like Amelia or… yourself." Spoke the Lycan revealing information that he had no doubt been told to keep quiet about, "And inject it along with Michael's blood."

It took his mind no time at all to realize what the result would be, what it had almost been centuries ago with his beloved Sonya, and it caused disgust laced with fear as well as anger to run through his body. A ghost from the past had indeed resurfaced as his former favorite slave had apparently chosen to bring about the very thing he along with the other Elders had done their best to prevent. He could only say one thing to this conclusion.

"Abomination!" He breathed in a low dangerous tone of voice.

"Half vampire, half Lycan but stronger than both!" Said the Lycan, spelling it out for all to hear.

The man was about to say more when the sounds of explosions mixed with the shaking of the room brought all conversation to a halt. Looking about the room, he knew that a more pressing matter than Kraven's betrayal had forced its way in front of him and demanded his attention. The main doors of the Lair opened up and, with purpose in their steps, nine Death Dealers led by the weapons master Kahn, who looked distinctly troubled, if not outright panicked.

"My Lord! Iscariot forces are attacking the mansion." Kahn stated promptly as well as remarkably smoothly considering the monumental nature of his announcement, "Security along with every Death Dealer on the estate grounds are engaged in battle with them but it's not looking good."

"What about calling for reinforcements? There should be at least fifty more Death Dealers positioned throughout the city." Selene said immediately slipping into her role as an elite Death Dealer.

"The storm's messing with communications. Anything more than ten blocks away and it's not getting through." Kahn replied not sounding pleased with the situation at all, "I've sent runners to try and contact them but it's anyone's guess whether they'll get here in time to make a difference."

"Heheheheheh! It would seem that Lucien will have to get in line for the opportunity to kill you Viktor." Said the Lycan with humor in his voice, "In all likelihood, his transformation has already begun."

Angered beyond reason that the beast's words would be proven true he lashed out with his fingertips, tearing through flesh and bone to kill the smirker in an instant. Not paying the dead man any more attention even as the corpse bled out over the stone floor, he turned to his surrogate daughter to truly let her know where she stood at the moment. He could afford no dissension with the enemies of their kind literally at the gates and her response to his words would determine how he would see her from here on out.

"I am sorry I doubted you. Fear not, my child, for absolution will be yours the moment you kill the descendent of Corvenus and bring me his head." He said, looking her right in the eyes so that he could see what her soul truly felt.

There was some fear in her eyes, some indecision, but he was confident that when the time truly came she would not hesitate to place her own life ahead of some stranger who she met less than a week ago. No bond could form in so short an amount of time that could prove greater than the bond between Sire and Sired. She would kill the threat to his rule, the key to the creation to Lucien's plans, and then all would return to the way it should be. Perhaps he would even name her as Kraven's replacement once the traitor's punishment had been carried out. While he was sure she would find it stifling at first, her warrior's instincts being ill at home behind a desk, eventually she would become accustomed to the role.

"For now, though, we must repel these pious fools who think that they can attack us with such impunity. Come!" He said as he strode towards the exit, intent on arming himself with his favored blade.

His sword would drink much blood tonight and perhaps so would he.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Waiting until the doors had fully closed, he flowed out from the shadows that were plentiful in this tomb/throne room. It had been most amusing to hear all the details concerning Lucian's secret agenda and even moreso to learn that Kraven had been absolutely clueless about it. Iscariot, though, had shown up a little sooner than he'd anticipated but he was sure that it would take more than a surprise attack by Section Thirteen to give the pious peons victory. The Corvenus vampires had home court advantage after all what with this being their HQ and all.

Still… it might be prudent to pay Lucien a visit.

Just to make sure that the Alpha knew that someone else was trying to take Viktor's head before he got the chance.

Looking down as the blood of the dead Lycan began to seep through the cracks between the metal components that made up Marcus' seal, Xander smiled. "Be sure to drink your fill dear Marcus. If Viktor's forces and Iscariot prove to boring, I'll be counting on you to spice things up. Don't disappoint me. HehehehehehehahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Network of Tunnels Beneath the Subway System of Pardubice, Ten Minutes Later

Lucien's P.O.V

Tonight, my dearest Sonya, tonight I will gain a power strong enough to destroy the man who took you from me. Lucien thought as he inspected the syringes and other tools, I will make him suffer!

Hearing sounds of movement coming from his left, he turned to see that his co-star for this evening, one Michael Corvin, was finally coming around. It had been a bit off putting to see him arrive being carried by the spies he had in the local Police department but when they explained the situation, he could understand their actions. In order for the plan to work, Michael had to remain predominantly human otherwise he would full change into a Lycan, thus rendering his opportunity to so much crap. He knew he could have probably simply asked the men to extract a syringe or two of blood then dump the body someplace but he believed it would be better to keep the young man close. This was after all an experiment and as such if something went wrong it would behoove him to keep all the ingredients nearby so everything could be examined for flaws. Now that the descendant of Alexander Corvenus was awake, he supposed it was time to be the gracious host and answer what questions the man might have.

"You've been given an enzyme to stop the change." He said, perceiving that the man would be most concerned about his physical condition upon awakening, "It may take a few minutes for the grogginess to dissipate."

Turning back to the tools that would soon be employed it was only when he heard the sound of shattering glass that he turned around to find the needle his subordinate had been meant to use broken on the floor. He also saw the subordinate backhand Michael in retaliation for breaking the needle. This would not do at all. He knew how his soldiers could occasionally overdo things and he could not take the chance of this one snapping his specimen's neck by accident.

"That's enough! Just go and see what's keeping Raze, will you?" He asked, trying to keep his temper in check since he felt like giving the fool a thrashing for his hasty actions.

Once he was sure that his status as Alpha was still holding, the man firmly he turned back to Michael slipping back into the role of gracious host.

"I really must apologize. He's in desperate need of a lesson in manners." He said, approaching the young man that held the key to his revenge, "Speaking of manners, where are mine? Forgive me. I am Lucien."

Reaching up he pulled the gag that had been used to keep the human silent from his mouth. He couldn't very well have a conversation with the fellow if the words came out all muffled and distorted now, could he?

"I need to go. I need to get back." Michael said with a light insistence since he no doubt knew that barking orders would get him nowhere at all.

"Shhhhh. There's no going back. There's no going anywhere." He said as he used a cotton ball to sterilize Corvin's arm, "The vampires will kill you on sight. Just for being what you are. One of us. You are one of us."

Putting the cotton ball down, he picked up the first of the syringes and pierced Michal's skin right near a major vein.

"What are you doing?" Michael asked calling his medical expertise to the front of his mind.

"Bringing an end to this conflict." He replied simply as he watched the precious blood flow into the syringe as he pulled the plunger back.

"Your war. It has nothing to do with me." Michael said as the needle was pulled out of his arm.

"My war?" He asked with some curiosity as he tried to figure out what that Death Dealer Corvin had been seen with had told him.

No doubt it was the same bile that Viktor had been spewing since the war began, how foul treacherous Lycans had betrayed their masters the vampires and needed to be killed, and he found himself wanting to set the record straight if only with Michael. However the man suddenly went limp and then began to spasm every once and awhile, obviously lost in the clutches of one of his memories that had come bubbling to the surface. Seeing this, he decided to hold off speaking on the off chance that the young man was seeing the truth of how things began all those centuries ago. Busying himself with other matters, he swiftly used another swab to clean his own arm before he used the needle containing the blood of Corvin to inject the crimson liquid into his own arm.

"They forced you to watch her die." Came the words from Michael Corvin and, for a moment, he considered telling the young man to be silent, "Sonya. That's what started the war."

While the death of his wife might have been the reason for his war against the Corvenus vampires, he did not like to dwell on the details of that horrible day if he could avoid it. Even now, centuries later, the memory of seeing her burn to death while he strained against chains, trying to get to her so he could somehow save her, was still one of the most painful memories of his life. Still, with his revenge so close at hand, he supposed that remembering the past couldn't hurt as it would motivate him all the moreso to tear out Viktor's throat.

"We were slaves once. The daytime guardians of the vampires." He explained while forcing his voice to stay even, "I was born in servitude. Yet I harbored them no ill will. I even took a vampire for my bride. It was forbidden, though. Our union. Viktor feared a blending of the species. He feared it so much he killed her. His had his own daughter burned alive for no other crime than because she loved me. This is his war, Viktor's, and he spent the last six hundred years exterminating my species."

"What are they going to do to Selene?" Michael asked, no doubt putting a name to the female vampire he'd been seen with.

"In all likelihood she will be put on trial for consorting with you and then, unless she is very lucky, she will be put to death." He replied recalling the fate of other vampires he'd tried to form an alliance with during the early years of the war, "They have a strict no tolerance policy concern fraternizing with the enemy and Viktor has made certain that it is followed to the letter."

"No!" Michael declared and, with renewed purpose, tried to free himself from his restraints.

In a way he almost wished that he could free the young man because Corvin was now in much the same position as he had been all those centuries ago. A vampire love in danger and an overwhelming desire to save her from what would be certain death, but he could not take the chance that he would be killed before he was certain that the blending of the species had been successful. Once that was done, perhaps he could allow the boy to be set free, to go to his love, and perhaps he would even sent a few of his men to aid him. For now, though, he had to remain here.

Hearing familiar footsteps behind him, he turned and could not help but smile as he saw Raze coming towards him but this smile quickly turned to concern as his old friend appeared to have suffered serious wounds. There wasn't quite a limp in his movements but it was clear that the man would require a moment or two of rest before he would be able to do anything substantial.

"Raze! What happened?" He asked looking at his friend with some concern as the African man leaned up against the doorframe of the lab for a breather.

"We attacked the train as planned and I was able to fill both syringes with Amelia's blood but…" Raze replied as he tried to keep his head steady, "…another group was there as well. Iscariot and that freak show Regenerator, Anderson!"

This was both unexpected and unwanted but it also explained the serious wounds his friend now bore. The entire assault on the train had been planned with the assumption that the only opposition they would encounter would be Amelia and her entourage. If Iscariot was here, then it changed things significantly.

"Oh, don't be so worried, dear Lucien." Came a casual voice from the shadows around him, "This could be a golden opportunity for you if you have the courage to take it."

"Who's there?" He asked as he looked about with his eyes and used his sense of smell to try and place the owner of the voice.

"Forgive me. I seemed to have forgotten myself in all the drama of the moment." Said the voice as a form flowed outwards from the shadows for all to see, "My name is Alexander and I bring you news. The Iscariot forces have launched an all-out attack on Viktor's mansion and the vampires are barely holding their own. Interesting, isn't it?"

"Vampire!" Raze growled as he aggressively pushed himself off the wall and threw off his coat in preparation for the transformation.

It was indeed a vampire but it was one of a distinctly different breed than the hated enemies of his people. He had known that from the moment the Nosfuratu had emerged from the wall and he knew it would be foolhardy to make an enemy of this being. Unlike the others of his pack, he knew that there existed three breeds of vampire in this world: the demonic, the Corvenus and the True Nosfuratu. The first were mere gutter trash, evil to the core, and could not be trusted in the least. Their only redeeming feature being that they didn't leave a mess when they were slain. The Corvenus breed, the species of Viktor, were a more biological incarnation of vampire. They enjoyed many of the same benefits of the trash but retained their souls. Apparently a downside of this was the fact that they couldn't regenerate quite as quickly. The True Nosfuratu, on the other hand, were beings of great power and darkness that no vampire who knew even the slightest thing about them was foolish enough to challenge. While in possession of souls, this breed of vampire possessed such power and longevity that they frequently became bored, causing them to try and stir up some chaos for their amusement. They preferred to keep things interesting.

"Hold, Raze!" He said, commanding his second to take no action against the True Nosfuratu, "It would be impolite to attack someone who has brought us such interesting news."

Indeed it was interesting because it meant that at this very moment Viktor's forces were under siege from a group that made it their business to kill monsters and, by their reputation, they had become very good at it. If he wanted to take the easy way out, he would wait for the battle to conclude and then wipe out the survivors while they were weak. Should Viktor emerge victorious, his forces would be sufficiently weakened that his Lycan brothers would have no trouble slaying those that remained and he would succeed in exacting his revenge of the slayer of his wife, Sonya. If Iscariot proved to be the stronger force then necessity would require that he attack with every warrior at his disposal because it was common sense that those pious fools would come after his people next. They had, after all, encounter Raze and his men at the train station so the people from Rome would know that there were werewolves in the city somewhere. It would be unwise to give them any time to recover and regroup so as to start their purge anew with their new target being the Lycans.

"Might I suggest that you use the first vial of Amelia's blood on young Michael Corvin here?" Alexander asked rhetorically but with an eerie light in his eyes, "After all, without your dear doctor to oversee things, there's always the chance that something might be wrong with the ratio between Michael's blood and Amelia's. Why take chances?"

The logic seemed sound enough but there was something about the look in the True Nosfuratu's eyes that he didn't like. It felt like he was being set up to play the fool but, no matter how much he considered the pros and cons of injecting Corvin with some of Amelia's blood, he couldn't see how it would hurt him to do so. Michael's connection to the Death Dealer Selene would ensure that the young man's enemies would be the same as his and in the off chance the man chose to flee with his love rather than fight by his side, it would simply mean on less thing for him to worry about. It would also mean another distraction for Viktor that he would most certainly not hesitate to use to his advantage when he fought the vampire Elder. So while he still had some misgivings, he would do as the powerful vampire in front of him suggested. Moving with the first syringe filled with the blood of the Elder Amelia, he swiftly pushed the needle into the same spot where he had extracted blood from minutes ago before pressing down hard on the plunger. While normally he would have been more gentle he couldn't take the chance that Michael would somehow knock the syringe full of precious blood out of his hands like he had done to the one wielded by his subordinate. He didn't have to wait long before the changes began to take hold and they were truly marvelous making him wonder what it would feel like to experience them himself.

The eyes were the first to change, going from the familiar icy blue for a second before a sea of ink black rushed in from the eyelids to drown all in its path. Next the skin began to darken in areas while the fingers in both hands increased in length with the normal dull nails becoming razor sharp claws. The darkened areas soon turned ink black themselves before the rest of Michael's body followed suit and the area around his mouth began to change developing distinctly Lycan characteristics. These werewolf traits spread and for a moment he was worried that Corvin would simply transform into a more powerful Lycan but these concerns proved groundless. Seconds later the fully formed Lycan head shrunk back into something more human shaped while the wolf like fangs became more vampiric in nature. It was almost as if the two strains, Lycan and Vampire, were at war with each other within Michael's body struggling to achieve dominance. In the end though a compromise seemed to be reached and when the physical changes finally settled the end result was truly a sight to behold.

He liked it.

Sadly, Michael Corvin had a different opinion of his changes as he broke free from his bindings as though they had never existed in the first place. Raze tried to restrain the newly created immortal but was knocked two feet into the air and eight feet away with a simple backhand. Watching as a clawed black hand reached out to tear him apart, he almost thought he was going to die when an arm clad in red leather grabbed hold of Corvin's arm, stopping it completely.

"Now, now, is that any way to say thank you, boy?" Alexander asked as though reprimanding a child.

In retaliation the Lycan/Vampire hybrid lashed out with his other clawed hands slicing through the True Nosfuratu's skin like a hot knife through butter. What shocked him though was that the red eyed vampire made no move to evade the blows but rather took them as they came with only a manic smile on his face as a reaction. It took a few moments before Michael realized this as well and a primal look of confusion crossed his features. This didn't last long as with a mix of crimson and black energy all the damage done was healed in the space of seconds until anyone told of the injuries would scoff at the idea. Then, before another word could be said, the True Nosfuratu delivered a thunderous right fist to Michael's stomach, sending him flying to the far wall of the room. This didn't end things though because not even one second after Corvin hit the wall, Alexander was right in front of the hybrid and slammed him into the wall once again with strong right hand wrapped around the former healer's throat.

"A quick reminder though, young one." Alexander said as he increased the pressure around the throat, "Should you feel the need to attack me in the future, be sure that your first strike is the last one. You won't get a second."

With those words the half-Lycan-half-vampire hanyou was released to sag a bit against the wall before standing up straight and letting out a low growl. It wasn't a warning of another attack but a grudging acceptance of the True Nosfuratu's power and the fact that he was in the wrong in this situation. Alexander then turned to him and with an unsettling smile began to walk back towards the shadow he had flowed from minutes ago.

"I suggest you inject yourself as soon as possible, Lucien." Alexander said as the shadows began to accept him into their ominous embrace, "It'd be a pity if you arrived at the party only to find all the fun stuff was over with…hahahahahahahahaAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

Taking a moment to shake his head and wonder if all True Nosfuratu were that mentally unhinged, he eventually agreed that time was of the essence. The best chance for his Lycan pack to inflict heavy damage to both the vampires of Corvenus as well as Iscariot was when the two forces were occupied fighting each other. Therefore he could not afford to linger here long debating whether or not to inject himself with the last vial of Amelia's blood. Thus, with no preparation, he shoved the needle of the syringe into his arm and presses down on the plunger, forcing the blood of his enemy into his veins where Michael's blood was at its strongest. However there was one tiny detail that he later reflected he should have considered before injecting himself with the blood of a Corvenus vampire Elder.

Unlike Michael Corvin he had been a Lycan for centuries and had the same amount of time to become used to it. Therefore the changes by the werewolf strain of the Corvenus virus had been given plenty of time to settle in.

Thus is transformation from a Lycan to a werewolf/vampire hybrid is quite a bit more painful.

He would never be able to recall how long he cried out in pain before he lost consciousness.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The Hotel Where Xander, Lilith and Sorina Have Been Staying, Five Minutes Later, Lilith's P.O.V

"You've returned, Alexander." Lilith said without looking up from the newspaper that she'd been reading, "How do things fare?"

"Two of the dance parties have met and the third is almost ready to get underway." Alexander replied as he left the shadows to come fully into the room, "Time to get our things together and join in the fun."

Those words were enough to bring a smile to her face that would make her relationship with Alucard all too clear because it was the smile of someone who was looking forward to the bloodshed to come. As she rose to her feet, she hoped that there would be at least two or three strong opponents on the battlefield, otherwise she would get pretty bored just watching Alexander. It was something she had discovered in the hours that followed their departure from the Das Millenium facility: her newfound sanity allowed her to see the world in such a way that it was possible for her to feel boredom. When she was insane, there had always been something to amuse her whether it was something in the real world or something her warped mind conjured. Now, though… now it seemed much harder to find something or someone that could keep her amused for more than five minutes. She had been tempted a few times to simply leave the hotel room and make her own fun but Alexander had asked her to stay put to keep an eye on Sorina. Both she and the human girl had objected to this but he had promised them a night to remember if they just gave him the time to prepare the dance floor for them. Grudgingly she'd agreed and, as the hours passed with her looking at events unfold in her mind, she had to admit it was going to be one helluva party they were going to this night. The strongest members of the Corvenus vampires, the largest force of Lycans that had been gathered in centuries and Iscariot's heavy hitters all in one place, fighting it out to determine who would reign in this region of the world. There was only way she could summarize her feelings at this point.

GLORIOUS!!

Picking up the things that they had nabbed from the warehouse where they'd made their big debut in the city, she had no difficulty at all with the weight. However it was after she had picked out the weapons she'd use when they arrived there and slung the ones she'd save for later on in the fight over her shoulder that she realized Alexander was looking back at Sorina. It was true that she'd be alone for a couple of hours but the human wasn't that young that she couldn't survive in a hotel room for a couple of hours. However it was when an odd smile that appeared on his face that gave her the first clue as to what was going on inside his mind without using her powers of telepathy.

"You can't be serious, Alexander." She said, making it clear she was opposed to the plan brewing in her fellow True Nosfuratu's head.

"Oh, but I am, dear Lilith. I AM!" Alexander declared with his smile growing to inhuman levels, "After all, what sort of role model would I be for the young lady if I didn't take her out for a bit of fun every once in awhile? Do you wish to come, Sorina?"

The blonde native of the region seemed to think for a moment before a feral smile blossomed on her face that for most people would have them begging for divine intervention.

"OH HELL YEAH!!" Sorina replied as she hopped off the bed to her feet, "We're going to have a blast tonight and it's gonna be a BIG one!"