Reality Hit

"So what took you?" Reaper asked as he got in the SUV. A big smile lit King's face in the rearview mirror but it was Abby who answered.

"Dayne felt like hanging out." Her voice was bland and that alone lent the words meaning. A puzzled look crossed Reaper's face but his attention shifted at King's snort of laughter. The blond knew they weren't telling him something and what ever it was definitely had them amused.

"Hang out…" he repeated. "Guess she's warming to you King."

Hannibal threw him a narrow eyed look over his shoulder but didn't reply. The blond was almost as snarky as he was. They usually went for days if some one didn't put a stop to them; most times King decided to be the more mature adult, which meant he just kept his mouth shut.

Abby was used to their 'bickering' and tuned it out, having the plugs in her ears pumping out music helped. Usually she was focused on the hunt, on what she was going to do. Her father had always been 'knocked for six' by how quickly she took to the hunting, her aptitude for handling weapons. It was all second nature for her, thanks to him.

Her mind wandered, she found herself thinking of Dayne hanging by her ankle in the middle of her hallway. She'd been cursing non-stop, threatening bodily harm on 'big brother' and Abby wondered what kind of man he was. She'd never thought to set an outdoor trap inside a house but taking a closer look realized how cleverly disguised and well planned he'd set it up.

'Maybe we can safe guard the hide out. Make it so it's not so easy to kill us in our beds… or playing…'

Those thoughts brought a flush to her cheeks as anger welled inside her chest. She wanted Him bad, wanted to make Him pay for everything He took. Abigail Whistler wanted revenge and before she died she was going to do her damdest to get it.

"It's still early." Reaper grimaced as he made himself comfortable in the back. His big frame dwarfed the seat though it didn't keep him from closing his eyes and taking a nap.

"Early bird and krap…" King trailed off without much enthusiasm for the early mornings at least their version of early mornings. Hunting though was another thing, that he was enthusiastic about but right then he was busy thinking of Dayne. He was haunted by her; she was just another random casualty of this war, Vampire's vs. NightStalkers and no end in sight. He was tired; it was getting harder to see the point of this whole struggle, to find something else to fight for. Gael and Faye seemed to have each other but in this line of work no one knew how long it could last. If one didn't die the life they lead took its toll and did he want to suffer heart ache?

'Yeah, I think I do.' King was surprised by the revelation but it was true. He'd been feeling it lately, feeling like he was missing something, something other than hunting vampires and beating the krap out of familiars. Killing them wasn't enough any more and maybe it was just that he hadn't gotten laid in the last two months…

'Two months?'

So maybe it had been a little longer, still- that wasn't the point. The point was he kept thinking of Dayne, to be exact he kept thinking of the freakish things she'd been saying while under the fang. She'd quoted Danica, quoted him for that matter and if that weren't weird enough Dayne thought it was all his doing.

"Stubborn…" he muttered wondering if she'd ever accept the truth. Would she ever admit to being turned even if for a brief moment? And that turned his thoughts to the hunt. There was a reason for this one, not that there wasn't a reason for any hunt but this one was important because according to Karen's e-mail the vampires were planning something big. Something bad and it was up to them to find out what it was.

NS

The morning slowly warmed up though the cool ocean breeze kept the NightStalkers from feeling it. After an eventless night of sitting in their hidden SUV Abby turned to find the blond surfer once again asleep in the back seat. Her features set into a scowl and picking one of her arrows jabbed the point into his thigh hard enough to jerk him awake but not draw blood. She wasn't stupid and they would need the blond fully functioning once they went inside.

"Wh- ahh! Shit! What the hell-?" Reaper growled jerking upright. His hand fisted ready to smack King when his foggy brain registered the scowling hell cat in the passenger seat.

"Morning peaches." King greeted with a merry smile and amused twinkle in his eye. Reaper mumbled some cursed incoherency while rubbing the sore spot on his thigh.

"Drink some coffee." Abby ordered tossing him the thermos filled with the now-luke warm drink. He barely caught it earning a death glare from her and the blond could almost hear the admonishment. "You better get it together, Reaper."

A bored silence fell over them, punctuated by the squelch of King shifting in his seat. The small movement earned him a harsh flick of Abby's green eyes. What was hardwired in the male DNA that made it impossible for them to sit still for any period of time? She was beginning to think it was the same gene that made it unfeasible for a male to put the toilet seat down.

"What'd I miss?" he asked into the silence while unscrewing the cap. He raised the black cylinder to his mouth and took a long distasteful swig of the brackish liquid.

"Well, Whistler did a strip tease on the hood to Here I Go Again and I loved every minute of it," King answered in a practiced deadpan tone. He didn't have to look at Abby or Reaper to see the looks they were giving him. Two death glares for Hannibal King. He held the victory smile inward, happy in his own accomplishment.

Reaper finished his death glare and coughed, looking quizzically into the thermos. He tossed it aside with a frown. Coffee always tasted like battery acid mixed with chalk dust to him. "So, anyone here care to explain why we are out here so Goddamn fucking early?" Reaper grumbled, leaning back as he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes.

"Because," King started, his voice strangely smooth for it being so 'fucking early' in the morning, "now you can have the rest of the day all to yourself, you handsome little devil, you."

Reaper yawned to mask a smile. "Or maybe you want the rest of the day to yourself."

'Here we go' King knew exactly what was about to go down. Living in close quarters with so many people gave you the feeling of family. Family in the sense of the way your high school friends were your family. The love-hate relationship of a surrogate brother. King couldn't help but roll his eyes, "Oh God you're not go-."

"Because you wanna see Dayne! Ah-ha!" He yelled from the back. There's that high school brotherhood charm. The blonde even went so far as to slap his knee. Probably only because he didn't have a frat-boy to hi-five.

King glared at Reaper through the rearview mirror. "You are so freakin' gay, you know that?"

Reaper made a face and squirmed in his seat. "You're gay."

"Apparently not, because you just insinuated that I was in love with Dayne."

"Never said that. Said you wanted to see her because you have a crush on her. End." He clapped his hands to signify this verbalized "end."

Couldn't argue with that. Though maybe crush wasn't the right word…

"Dude," King flicked his eyes to the big blonde in the backseat, "'You're gay' was your comeback? You're slippin' man."

Reaper's eyes remained closed as his mouth slowly formed the words, "No, it's too early in the Goddamn morning. And you are gay. Not gay in the homosexual way but gay in the stupid way."

"Okay," King shrugged, "do you even know how to speak English anymore? Because you're not even making sense."

"My coherence is nonexistent before 9 a.m." Reaper answered, turning sideways in the seat and shoving his forehead against the side paneling of the door.

"Or maybe it's just your mental retardation." Considering they were well into the late afternoon…

"Yeah, whatever, you can say what you want. I know where you sleep, Hannibal."

"Ha. I'd like to see you try it."

"You won't because you'll be sleeping, dumbass." Even half asleep the blond managed to catch on…

Enough half-asleep banter for King. He was getting the impression that it was only reflex for Reaper to argue back, considering the time of day and uncomfortable moments of sleep. "Whatever, shut up. Get in the zone, young Padi-Wan."

"What are you gonna do? Sick your not girlfriend on me?"

"Ye-no! She's not -."King took a breath and tried – futily – to explain. "She's not my not girlfr-."

"Okay, so she's your girlfriend."

"No! I don't – I mean I, you and with –."

"Hey, ladies!" Abby suddenly yelled from the passenger's seat, "Why don't you both just shut the hell up? I mean, Jesus Christ, I don't want my ass killed because you two are too busy talking about cuties and braiding each other's hair."

That shut them up. For all of two seconds. Reaper screwed up his face and whispered to himself, "Am not a girl. I don't even know how to braid hair."

NS

"We going in soon?" Reaper asked in a bored tone. He set the now empty thermos on the front seat ignoring Abby's huff of exasperation. She turned her eyes to the building partially obstructed by the trees. It was big, huge and it sat overlooking the ocean on a cliff far removed from town or any other homes. Abby knew there were familiars in there, vampires as well but would He be there?

"Dude, why do they all get the big fancy digs?" the blond wondered not for the first time. King had asked the same thing before but no one really had an answer. It was like asking why a vampire drank blood. The clear answer was they needed to do so in order to survive but really, vampires enjoyed it. King thought the same went for the other things as well, their 'toys'. Money was nothing to them, the older ones, those over a century old had piles of cash just waiting to get spent. A big fancy house overlooking the ocean wasn't so far fetched once you got over the fact they were all dead.

"Since when do vam-."

"Aah! Nock it off!" Abby snapped. She ripped the useless ear phones from her head and shifted in her seat to face the blond. "Can't you be quiet?" she snarled tired of hearing their winning complaints. "Can either of you sit still?" her green eyes flashed on King, including him in her tirade. "You're like friggin three year olds! Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" she did a great impersonation of a little kid. King opened his mouth to protest but Abby cut in. "Goddam-! Get out of the car."

Both men glances at each other unsure of their next move but it only made her angrier.

"Get out of the fucking car." She growled in her most menacing tone.

"Yep."

"Sure"

"We're out."

"So out of…" the doors closed and both men couldn't help throwing each other another glance.

"Let's go."

King watched Abby head towards the huge house, his mind blank for the moment.

"Dude, she's-."

"I know."

NS

Getting in turned out to be easier than they had expected but they hadn't been expecting what they found. The house, if it could be called that, was a throw back to the movie 'Hostel'. The first room the NightStalkers entered was furnished with tables and cages along one side, the opposite held metal lockers. The sterile look of the metallic walls and tiled floor only enhanced the cold. Reaper looked around taking note of the cold draft.

"There's A/C pumping in here." He murmured in a low voice.

"Suckheads like it cold." King returned. He moved to the only door and waited a moment, his ear to the exit listening for any sound.

Reaper glanced at the tools laid out on the long table in the center of the room. Half of what he saw he had no idea what it could be used for but he'd heard the stories. Vampires clubs, dens where they congregated and cut on each other; places like the one his brother had gone to and never come back from…

"Flash bombs are set." Abby reported. She took up position beside King giving the go ahead now that they were all ready. With a nod King turned the knob and quietly slipped into the long hall. Abby followed close looking to the opposite end before following King. Reaper came out and all three moved silently through the nest.

At the next intersection the three separated. Reaper headed down the branching off hall. He didn't like the quietness, nor the sterile feel of the place. He'd always thought himself a more modern type of guy but the metal furnishings in their weird shapes… it gave him a case of the heebie jeebies.

'It could be the vampires nesting here…' he thought. There was no color, just the endless gray of steel. He stopped at another door listening. There was the distinct sound of movement which never gave away the most important fact; where they allies or Suckheads in training?

NS

"I'll take the left." Abby whispered shifting around King. He watched her, frowning slightly. It wasn't that Whistler ever went off alone while on a hunt but lately he'd been noticing she did it more and more often.

"Whistler," he called suddenly. Abby stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Watch it." With a nod, Abby turned away. King watched her for a moment before he focused on his own hunt. They each had things to do and Hannibal was looking to finish his part first so he could have more time for fun.

For a big man he moved with silent ease, maybe it was the years of practice or the nifty little enhancements five years as a vampire had endowed him with. Either way, King had no trouble traversing the nest, what he did have trouble with where all the cages and chains not to mention cutting utensils.

"What the fuck…?" King wondered in a hushed voice. Through the open door he could make out a man. Clearly shackled, he was strung up, feet dangling and head slumped forward. King caught the coppery smell of blood and stepping into the room noticed the drain beneath the bare feet. The guys skin was pasty white giving the impression he was past the time of help. Unsure of going any further King cast his eyes around the 'cell'. The table beside the dangling body was laid out with an assortment of…tools. His brow furrowed at the screw drivers, saws, knives and blades he found there. The metal bowl and its content of bloody razor blades had him moving in further. His eyes traveled alongside the wall where an assortment of chains and whips were hung up.

King felt like he was in some sort of house of horrors what with all the torture equipment and bodies-.

"Uuuh…" the low groan snapped King's attention to the body he'd thought a corpse.

"Hey," King moved to the guys side, one hand shifting his head to search for bite marks but this one turned out to be clean.

"Mmm, wandered off the beaten track…" the silky voice purred. Startled King faced the door where a very busty and nearly naked red head stood. A pink tongue trailed along the red lips while the glassy eyes, a pale green, trailed over his body. Usually a look like that would bring out his signature grin and King would lay out the charm… usually, only this was no bar hopping romp in the sack, this- this was a-.

"Vampire."

"You get a treat for being so smart." She grinned and the tell tale points of her fangs shone ivory white. Her movements were fluid in a very make-his-skin-crawl kind of way. King couldn't help but wonder if his taste in women were improving; in the sense that he chose the live ones instead of living dead girls of the blood sucking variety.

"Don't go to the trouble." He threw back and raised his gun. The smile once again on his face.

"Aw sugar. Are you going to play hard to get, now?" King's smile wavered seeing another female, clad in shiny leather and playfully toying with a whip appear next to the first. Both vampires shared a knowing look before slinking towards him. Twin looks of hunger on their pale faces…

King felt his heart drop into his stomach. He took a step back brushing up against the guy still hanging by his wrist and jumped forward again. The little moment of hesitation gave the vampires perfect opportunity to disarm him. The whip stung, hurt like a bitch and numbed his hand…

King stood weaponless before the two when another female vampire came in. This one, a tall lanky blond sent shivers up King's spine. She was by far the best looking of the bunch, if he were actually paying attention to looks; her movements reminded him of a stalking cat about to pounce on its prey.

'That would be me.' King realized finding it difficult to swallow past the dry lump in his throat. Behind him the guy uttered another groan and the whip lashed out again. A painful moan erupted from the bloody body.

"Shut him up." The blond ordered in a soft voice. Her smile was any thing but reassuring and the smaller, dominatrix dressed vampire strutted towards the pair of red blooded males. The whip played in her hands drawing King's eyes to the torture device.

"Pleasure…" the vampire purred.

"Help…" the guy muttered.

"Gimme a sec." King retorted feeling uneasy with the mess he found himself in.

NS

Abby heard the crying first, a soft whimper almost like a child. She approached cautiously reaching the closed door and putting her ear to it. The distinct sound of crying confirmed, Abby slowly turned the knob, gun held at the ready as the door slowly opened.

The inside was covered in shadows and looking to the walls noticed the faint glow from the curtained windows. The sun was up but you wouldn't know it from the looks of the room. Once again the sobs caught her attention and moving into the room carefully Abby searched out the source. She passed a fallen lamp, the bulb flicking as if it would cast light but never did. The smell, sweet and bringing a copper taste to her mouth stopped Abby. Reaching to her side she grasped the stake and moved closer to the windows. She wanted the light, wanted to see what trap they set for her. Her fingers grasped the heavy cloth sliding against the stake. With a hard yank she tore the curtain; a bright wash of sunlight bathed the room burning away the shadows.

Abby stood there, her mind trying to process what her eyes were seeing.

"My God…" she breathed and then the crying rose to a wail. From the bodies at the other end of the room emerged a girl. She was covered in blood, obviously hurt and reaching to Abby for help.

"Please! Please- they-! Oh God!" she cried and reached back to the mass. Abby inched closer trying to discern what the girl was tugging on. "Help us, please! I ca- cant-." Again she broke down into racking sobs. Her torso was bent over an obscured lump and as Abby got closer the smell of blood was overwhelming. "It was suppo-. I didn't want to come! … just a stupid party…"

"Are you bit?" Abby asked gripping her Wesson tighter. She wouldn't hesitate to dust another one. "Did they bite you?" but the girl sobbed harder clutching at the body in her arms. Abby sucked in a harsh breath and turned away from the body. Her brain latched onto the fact that both were very young, teenagers-.

'In a fucking nest. They're familiars and one of them got their wish.' She told herself. Gritting her teeth she faced the huddled figure and brought the gun to bear on the girls head.

"Garth… wake up, please!" the girl sobbed. She squealed in fright sitting upright. "Garth?" she asked in a timid voice. She remembered seeing him bleed, blood all over his shirt and soaking into the rug at their feet…

"Vampire." Abby hissed aiming at the now standing teen. He looked around, unsure as to where he was or what he was doing. His eyes stopped on the girl noting her smudged face and tears before the smell overwhelmed him.

"Garth…?" the girl stood reaching out a hand only to clutch at her shirt.

"Move. He's a vampire, now." Abby ordered. The sound of her voice had the girl moving but instead of going away she ran to the new vampire. "No!"

NS


AN: So I posted half of this chapter since it's all I've managed to get out. Still depressed I lost all my other stuff but chugging through or trying to.