Thanks for all the reviews. Hope you enjoy this update.
"Mom, dad there's something wrong with Brooke," Nathan yelled in a worried tone as he walked out of the door that led into his and Brooke's apartment. Almost instantly Karen and Dan appeared down the grand staircase. "Her wounds aren't healing. They're getting worse."
"Which ones?" Karen asked.
"All of them," Nathan replied. "There had to be some kind of poison on the spikes of that damn chair."
"I'll go get Willow and Andy." Dan said as he turned and headed down the staircase.
"Get Ethan too," Karen called. "We might need him as well."
"She's in real bad shape mom," Nathan said in a distressed tone. "Her head is all jumbled too and I can't get a clear thought."
"Let me see her." Karen said as she and Nathan headed back into the apartment.
They headed to the bedroom and Karen was shocked at the sight of Brooke. She was led on her front on the huge four poster bed and Nathan had placed a sheet over her. They saw the large patches of blood seeping through and they mingled together. The sheet was quickly becoming completely blood soaked. Nathan and Karen rushed to her side and Karen carefully pulled back the sheet. She gasped when she saw the state of Brooke's wounds.
"Oh my God!" Karen said in a shocked tone. "What happened?"
"Peyton had her strapped in a chair of torture," Nathan told her. "I think they put something on the spikes. Either that or they were silver."
"It could be both looking at these wounds." Karen said as Dan arrived with Andy, Willow and Ethan. Ethan carried a cooler that housed several packs of blood. Willow and Andy held wooden cases that held the things needed for their spells.
"We need to get working as fast as we can," Andy said as he saw Brooke. He then turned to Karen, Dan and Nathan. "We need you to wait outside."
"Why can't I stay with her?" Nathan asked in a distressed tone.
"Please Nathan," Andy replied. "It might not be pretty."
"Come on sweetie," Karen said as she wrapped her arm around her son and began to guide him towards the door. "Let them work. We need to get your strength up too. It won't be long before Peyton and her minions retaliate."
"I hope Brooke's better by then." Nathan said as he and his parents walked out of the door and closed it behind them.
"She's not drinking the blood," Ethan said to Andy and Willow. "I'm going to set up an IV. It won't interfere with your spells will it?"
"It shouldn't," Willow replied as she and Andy set up their things. "She needs blood and if that's the only way to get it into her, then it will do."
~X~
"How's Brooke doing?" Lucas asked as he came into Dan and Karen's apartment.
"Not good," Karen told him. "Willow, Andy and Ethan are working on her now."
"I hope she's going to be okay." Lucas said as he sat down beside Nathan. Nathan looked over at him.
"When did you join our side?" he asked in a suspicious tone. "How do we not know that you're working for Peyton to give her information?"
"Trust me he's not," Chris said from his spot in an armchair. "I had a chat with him when Peyton brought him to her lair and opened his eyes up about a few things. So he joined the right side."
"Really?" Nathan asked skeptically. "What about all that crap you said to Brooke when you saw us in the park?"
"It was part of the act," Lucas replied. "I had to make sure that Peyton believed it and if her spies heard you talking about me talking to Brooke the way I did she would think I was on her side."
"I still don't know if I can trust you." Nathan told him.
"You can trust him," Chris replied. "I read his head and he's genuine. Plus he got Brooke out of the chair didn't he? If he was working for Peyton I would have found that info in his head and he wouldn't have helped her out of the chair would he? He'd have turned on us and left her there."
"You read my head?" Lucas asked in shock. "I feel kinda violated."
"I'm not surprised considering what goes on in that head of yours." Chris said as he chuckled. Lucas gave the psychic an alarmed look as he blushed. Nathan gave him a curious look as Chris laughed louder.
~X~
"How could you be so damn stupid?!" Peyton yelled at Daunte. "It was pretty obvious that it was magic when the werewolves were running through the walls. How could you not realize?!"
"I'm sorry Peyton," Daunte replied. "They looked so real."
"What about when you were shooting with the silver bullets?" Peyton demanded. "Did you not realize that they were going into the wall?"
"We thought they were going through the wolves and then into the wall." Daunte explained. He hated being on the receiving end of one of Peyton's rants.
"For a 548 year old vampire you have known better," Ian said as he arrived at Peyton's side. "And because of your incompetence, the prisoners escaped."
"They obviously had inside help," Daunte said in his defense. "How else would they have gotten out of their restraints?"
"And when we find the person or people who helped them they will pay," Peyton told him. "Just like you will pay for your incompetence."
"What are you going to do?" Daunte asked in a worried tone.
"I am not going to do anything. Ian will be the one issuing your punishment," Peyton told him as she grinned evilly. "I am just going to watch."
"I was thinking of using the Judas cradle and speeding up the process," Ian told her with a matching grin. "And then the magic fire seeing as though we have a batch ready. It would be a shame not to put it to use."
"It sounds like it will be a good show," Peyton replied as she went over and stood in front of Daunte. She glared down at him as she said. "I hope you have said your goodbyes already."
~X~
"Nathan I need you to go and get me some more blood for Brooke," Ethan said as Nathan came into his bedroom to check on Brooke's progress. "She's had lots already but she still needs more."
"What's wrong with her?" Nathan asked worriedly.
"We'll tell you when you bring the blood back." Willow told him.
"That's more important right now Nathan." Andy added.
"Okay," Nathan replied. He then quickly left the room and went to the kitchen to get more of the blood. He was back within seconds as he used his vampire speed to full effect. He then handed the blood pouches to Ethan. "What is wrong with my wife?"
"The spikes were obviously silver like you thought," Andy told him. "So that made the wounds more susceptible to the poison that was on the spikes."
"What kind of poison?" Nathan asked worriedly.
"It's something I've not seen before," Willow told him. "It's a mixture of different poisons that Peyton or one of her minions has come up with. We're slowly drawing them out of Brooke but it's taking a lot of magic."
"How many?" Nathan asked.
"So far there have been five different ones," Andy told him. "We have a feeling that there are another three at least."
"It must be starting to work because the last three pouches of blood I put into Brooke have stayed in," Ethan told him. "When we get these in her, the toxins should be out of her system."
"Can I stay?" Nathan asked. "Please."
"You can stay as long as you don't interfere," Andy told him. "Willow and I have to concentrate on these spells as they're a little more complex than normal magic."
"I promise I won't get in the way." Nathan told them as he sat on one of the chairs in the sitting area of their bedroom. Willow and Andy then continued their ritual to try and make Brooke better.
~X~
"The magically enhanced blood is in these two coolers," Cooper said to Karen and Dan as he carried them into their apartment. "Willow and Andy have done enough pouches so that we all have one each. That should give us the advantage over Peyton and her mob."
"I'm glad they managed to get that sorted before they had to go and see to Brooke," Karen said in a relieved tone as Jake, Rachel and Julian came out of the doorway that led to the bedrooms. "Hello Jake, how are you feeling?"
"Like I'm in some kind of bizarre universe," he replied as he sat in a chair. "I just feel like one of you is going to jump on me and have me for lunch."
"I assure you that won't happen," Karen told him. "And once Peyton and her group are dead once and for all, you can go back to your parents. I think if you went there now that would be the first place she would look. Did you speak to your parents?"
"Yeah, they're still on vacation thankfully," Jake replied. "They won't be back for another few days."
"At least they won't be there if she sends anyone." Lucas said.
"I still can't believe that you're a vampire Lucas," Jake said as he shook his head. "Are you sure this isn't some freaky ass dream that I'm having?"
"Unfortunately no," Lucas replied. "It is in fact reality."
"What happened to Brooke?" Cooper asked when there were a few moments of silence.
"Peyton had her in the chair of torture and the spikes were obviously silver and laced with poison." Dan told him.
"Nathan went to check on her about ten minutes ago," Karen added. "He's not back yet. I just hope nothing bad has happened."
"Brooke's here?" Jake asked as his eyes widened.
"Yeah she's a vampire too." Lucas replied. Jake's eyes widened further and he wondered how much weirder the week could get.
"Unbelievable," Jake muttered. "I have to have had something major happened to me like I'm seriously ill and I'm in a coma and hallucinating all this."
"I can hypnotize you and make you believe that if you want." Chris offered.
"You can do that?!" Jake asked in a shocked tone.
"Oh yeah it's easy," Chris told him with a grin. "You'd be surprised at what else Chris Keller can do."
"Do you always talk about yourself in the third person?" Lucas asked.
"Yes he does," Nathan replied as he came into the room. All eyes moved to him. "Andy said that I had to come and get some magic blood. Is he high or something?"
"No he's not," Cooper said as he opened a cooler. "How many pouches did he say to get?"
"Two. One for me and one for Brooke." Nathan replied.
"Here you go." Cooper said as he threw two pouches to Nathan. He caught them easily.
"What so magical about this?" Nathan asked as he studied the two pouches of blood. "It looks like normal blood to me."
"It's had magic performed on it," Dan told his son. "When we drink it we'll be immortal until sunrise."
"Really?" Nathan asked in surprise. "Wait didn't Peyton's group try this once and everybody got the vamp equivalent of food poisoning?"
"Yes but that's because Chris Keller did a little mojo of his own on the blood supply after Felix did his voodoo magic," Chris told him with a chuckle. "His face was a picture when Peyton banned him from practicing magic."
"Wait so you're not only a vampire but you're psychic and can perform magic as well?" Jake asked with a frown.
"Correct Jacob." Chris replied.
"Unbelievable." Jake muttered again.
"I think what's the craziest thing about the whole thing Jake is the fact that we're in the same room as our great, great, great Grandfather and great, great, great, great Grandfather and Grandmother." Lucas said as he frowned.
"And not forgetting your great, great, great, great Uncle." Cooper added as he grinned.
"Actually scratch my last comment," Lucas said as he thought of something else. "It's the fact that my ex-girlfriend is now my great, great, great Grandmother."
"You and Jake are also related to Chase and Tim along the way as well." Dan told Lucas.
"Man this is one fucked up family tree," Jake said with a sigh. He looked at Karen and then quickly added. "Sorry I mean messed up."
"That's okay." Karen told him as she smiled.
"Well I'm going to get this blood to Brooke," Nathan said as he turned to leave. "The poison is all out of her now, but she's still really weak."
"That blood should definitely pick her back up." Andy said as he, Willow and Ethan came into Karen and Dan's apartment.
"She's asking for you Nathan." Willow told him.
"I'm on my way." Nathan replied before he hurried down to his and Brooke's apartment. He went through the door and straight to the bedroom. He was surprised to see Brooke sitting up in bed, propped against some pillows. She still had the IV attached to her as there was a pouch of blood in the process of making its way into her body.
"Hi." She greeted in a hoarse voice.
"Hi," he replied as he hurried over to her, He climbed on the bed beside her and pulled the covers down to inspect her skin. He could still make out the marks of the crucifix but they weren't as bad as they were. "I'm glad you're healing."
"Me too," Brooke replied. "I'm still really sore."
"Well get this down you," Nathan said as he held up a pouch of the magically enhanced blood. His fangs dropped and he tore a corner of the pouch off before he brought it to Brooke's lips. He spat the torn of piece out as Brooke began to drink. "It's magically enhanced, so you'll be invincible until sunrise. In fact we all will."
"What happens at sunrise?" Brooke asked as she took a break from drinking.
"Hopefully Peyton will be dead," Nathan replied as he ripped open his own pouch of blood. He then quickly downed it as Brooke finished hers off. "I was expecting it to taste different but it tasted normal."
"It did," Brooke agreed. "But I feel full of a strange energy."
"And your skin is perfect," Nathan said as he looked at her exposed front. "Are you glowing?"
"Yep," Brooke replied as she looked down at herself. She then looked at Nathan. "So are you."
"We look like giant fireflies." Nathan said as he chuckled and looked at his hands. "Come on let's get some of our own clothes on. This robe thing is itchy. Plus we have to get ready for the fight."
"Do I have time for a shower?" Brooke asked.
"If you use your vamp speed yeah." Nathan replied as he grinned.
"Okay I will," Brooke told him before she leaned over and gave him a deep, loving, passionate kiss. "I love you Nathan Scott."
"I love you too Brooke Scott." Nathan replied as he gazed into her hazel eyes.
"How about you join me in the shower?" Brooke suggested. "With this impending fight with Peyton it might be out last chance to."
"Well when you put it like that yes I will," Nathan replied. "We'll just have to be on vamp speed."
"Well what are you waiting for?" Brooke asked as she climbed out of bed and walked towards the bathroom. Nathan quickly followed.
~X~
"So now that we all look like G.I Joe glow worms, what's the plan?" Chris Keller asked Dan. Everybody was gathered in Brooke's design studio as it was the only place big enough to fit them in comfortably. They were all dressed in magically enhanced body armor. Lucas had to admit that they did look like they could have been in a G.I Joe movie.
"We take Peyton and every last one of her minions out," Dan replied. "Anyway that we can."
"We have a variety of weapons both mystical and man made," Karen explained. "You each have a backpack with your weapons in them."
"This is pretty neat." Chris said as Cooper and Dan began to hand them out.
"Chris this is serious," Dan told him. "It's not a picnic in the park."
"Chill Papa Scott. I know," Chris replied. "It'll be a battle in the park though."
"Is that where this is happening?" Brooke asked.
"Yes." Dan told her.
"How do you know?" Lucas asked.
"Because it's neutral ground," Julian answered. "All of Peyton's other fights have taken place there. Plus it's like some unwritten rule."
"Has she had many?" Lucas asked.
"She's had more than a few over the years," Rachel replied from her spot beside Julian. "Ian took great pleasure in telling me in detail of every one when he had me in that room."
"How did you survive that room Rach?" Nathan asked curious.
"Julian," Rachel replied. "He helped me get better and gave me the strength to get through whatever sick and twisted thing Ian did to me."
"I want to take him out," Julian said as he got an angry look on his face. "I want to make him suffer like he did with my girl. But failing that, cutting his head off will do fine."
"You have magic fire in there." Dan told him as he handed him a back pack.
"I'm saving it especially for that asshole," Julian replied as he put it onto his back. He then helped Rachel with hers. "Do you want to help me with that Rach?"
"More than anything." Rachel replied.
"I want to kill that blonde bitch," Nathan said to Karen as she handed him his bag. "For everything that she has done to my family."
"I know you do Nathan," Karen told him in a soft tone. "That's why you had two pouches of blood to drink. And you have extra magic fire in your bag. I have a feeling that it may take a lot to kill her."
"So what non magical weapons do we have?" Tim asked.
"Swords made of silver," Dan told him. "So be very careful with them."
"Sure will." Lucas said in reply.
"What am I going to in all this?" Jake asked.
"You're going to stay here with me and Willow," Andy told him. "We need to work some magic and your help would be appreciated."
"Brooke that sword is almost as big as you." Lucas remarked as Brooke fastened the sword holder around her waist.
"I can't help it if I'm only little," She replied. "We can't all be giants."
"Speaking of giants, do they exist as well?" Jake asked with a frown.
"I've never seen one," Dan replied. "But that doesn't mean they don't exist."
"Faeries exist," Karen told him. "And Gremlins."
"Gremlins like in the movie?" Lucas and Jake asked in unison.
"No," Chris said as he laughed. "The ones in the movie are much nicer."
"I hope I never come across them." Jake said as he shuddered.
"Is everybody armed and ready?" Dan asked as he and Cooper finished handing the swords out. He was met by a round of affirmative answers. "Let's get going then."
~X~
A homeless man looked to his left as he sat up from the bench he had chosen as his bed for the night. An uneasy feeling overcame him as he looked into the dark. Something willed him to stand and he quickly gathered his few belongings together, before hurrying away in the opposite direction. Just as he did, Peyton and her minions came walking out of the darkness. Ian was by her side as usual. She smirked as she saw the homeless man hurrying away from them. Usually she would have sent one of her minions after him; however she had more important matters on her mind than the human. She couldn't stop her grin from getting bigger as she thought of the battle that lay ahead. She couldn't wait to put an end to both Nathan and Brooke. They stopped waling as they came face to face with the Scott Clan. Peyton counted how many were before them and was surprised. They had nineteen vampires and a werewolf. Peyton only had nine vampires, not including herself and a witch and a warlock. She had a fleeting thought that she should have waited to kill Daunte. The extra vampire would have been useful, especially with his age and experience.
"Well it's about time," Nathan said as he moved forward and stood at the front of his clan. "We had just about given up on seeing you."
"You think that I would turn down the chance to take me enemy down?" Peyton asked as she grinned evilly. "You are mistaken Nathan. How is that whore of yours? A pile of ash yet is she?"
"Do I look like a pile of ash to you?" Brooke asked as she moved to stand beside her husband. Peyton looked surprised at seeing her.
"How is this possible?" she asked with a frown as she looked at Ian. "The magic was strong. You should be dead."
"Technically I am," Brooke replied in a sarcastic tone. "So is everybody here except for one."
"Ah the werewolf," Ian said as his eyed Tim. "I can't wait to kill you wolf. Your pelt will make a nice throw rug."
"That's not going to happen," Nathan said, drawing Ian's attention back to him. "And as for what you tried to do to my wife, I'm going to make sure that you suffer."
"I'd like to see you try," Ian relied. "The only thing you're going to see is the death of that whore beside you."
"Not a chance." Nathan said in a low, angry tone.
"What's with the costumes anyway?" Xavier asked as he eyed Brooke. "Not that I'm complaining. It accentuates certain body parts."
"I can't wait to cut that sleaze ball head off your shoulders." Brooke said as she rolled her eyes.
"I like the feisty ones." Xavier said as he licked his lips. Brooke gave an involuntary shudder as he did.
"There's no way you're going to win this Peyton," Nathan said in a firm tone. "You're outnumbered."
"What I lack in numbers, I more than make up for in age and skills of my vampires," Peyton replied as she looked at the member of the Scott Clan. She couldn't help but notice that Lucas was the only fair haired one of them. "I think the oldest vampire you have is only 140."
"That's where you're wrong," Nathan told her with a grin. "We have older ones."
"I also have a warlock and a witch on my side," Peyton said with a smug grin. "I think you're forgetting Felix and Anna."
"You think that you're the only one who has magical beings in your group?" Nathan asked with a smug grin of his own. Peyton was momentarily stunned. "I'll meet your witch and raise you a wizard."
"You do not have a wizard in your clan," Peyton scoffed. "I can smell a wizard a mile away and there's none here."
"No there isn't a wizard here," Nathan replied casually. "But we have them in a safe location where you can't to him and the witch. So we have magic on our side. You brought your magic with you which means they have to fight. Correct me if I'm wrong but Felix and Anna can't do magic while they're fighting right?"
"He's got us on that one." Anna whispered to Felix.
"They may not be able to," Peyton replied. "But I can. And I can perform a spell that will render you useless."
"Normally you could," Nathan told her as he got a cocky grin on his face. It felt so good to finally stand up to her after so long. "But we prepared for that. We've all had magically enhanced blood."
"That's impossible!" Peyton replied.
"No it's not," Nathan told her. "We succeeded in creating it Peyton. We're invincible until the sun rises and by then you and your minions will be piles of ashes."
"If I die then so do all of you." Peyton told him.
"We're all willing to test that theory," Brooke said as she glared at the blonde. "So if you think that is going to scare us off from killing your skinny, skanky ass then you're wrong."
"She has quite the mouth this one," Ian said as he looked at Brooke. "Reminds me of Rachel's. And I more than know that mouth."
"Go to hell you creep!" Julian said from his spot beside Rachel.
"So you joined the enemy huh?" Peyton asked as she moved to look Julian in the eye. "I don't like traitors. I make them suffer. You, the redhead, the psychic and the blonde shall all suffer remarkably when I win this battle."
"In your dreams maybe," Rachel said in a defiant tone as she glared at Peyton. It was only then that Peyton noticed the unusual glow covering her skin. She then looked at Ian. "I'm going to enjoy defeating you after all the sick things you've done to me. I'm going to make you suffer before I kill you once and for all."
"It will be the last thing that you do." Ian told her with a smug grin.
"I don't care," Rachel hissed in response. "I'd have gotten my revenge by then so I'd be happy with not having to endure this farce of a life that was forced upon me."
"Well if you're all so keen to see us dead," Peyton began. "Let the bloodshed begin."
