AN: Ok so this time it's for real. The Posting will become sporadic since I wont have access to a computer on a regular basis.

Enjoy.

So she wasn't a vampire. Sommerfield had been clear on that part. Told them the girl they'd kidnapped was probably an innocent by stander they'd confused with a Familiar but she hadn't been able to explain why… King glanced at the ID in his hand. Why Jericho Hiel had been able to effortlessly hang onto Hedges and then leap two floors down and not break a single bone.

"She's obviously a hybrid." Sommerfield had also insisted she wasn't any thing like Blade. For one, Jericho didn't need blood, at least not to drink….

King strode into the murky atmosphere of 'Cabaret' wondering where the little evil pixie could be. He found the place half full, most of the tables taken and the music blaring. What caught his eyes was the empty stage with the three poles. Dex's words came back to him, the sort of envious tone of him wanting to come along just to check out the show, though he hadn't said it in front of Abby. King was wondering what kind of job his evil pixie had as he sat at the bar.

"Pick your poison."

King stopped looking around and faced the voice. He found a platinum head with green eyes rimmed in black. The gelled porcupine hair was tipped blue-green and he was staring, taking in the little things until the bartender noticed the little gold clutch in King's hand.

"Dude," he grinned. "You got a purse I know- well, it might not be yours." He amended with a knowing look, after all this was Las Vegas. They came in all shapes and sizes, didn't they?

King smiled, un-amused by the crack and took out the ID.

"Came here to return it." He said "You see her?"

"Jeri?" the blond asked in disbelief. "You gotta be shittin' me. You're Jeri's?" he sounded half amused, half pissed off. "Fuck…"

"What?" King wasn't getting any thing useful from the blond.

"Man, only reason a woman like her don't give any one the time of day is cus she's bein' satisfied at home." He glared, actually glared at King. "Or she's an ice bitch." He looked King over wondering what it was about the man that had Jericho ignoring every other guy that hit on her.

"What the fuck…" King watched the bartender walk off to another customer. The lights flashed on stage, their reflection bouncing off the mirrored wall of the bar.

"Burlesque…" a throaty voice purred over the speakers. It drew kings eyes back to the stage just as another voice responded. "Cabaret…"

The music drowned out regular conversation and as King watched the show he noticed the lack of clothes coming off the dancers. He frowned wondering what kind of place this was when some one tapped his shoulder. Turning he found another bartender, this one dark haired in almost the same punk look the blond wore.

"See your girl?" he mouthed with a grin as he pointed to the stage.

"What?" King couldn't keep the frown from his face; they kept saying she was 'his girl' which couldn't be further from the truth.

"Top hat." He replied setting a beer in front of King. "On the House - or Jeri."

King took the beer, nodding his thanks and faced the stage once more. They were into their third song when he saw the top hat come off. A tumble of dark curls framed a strangers face and then throwing a saucy smile over her shoulder coupled with a flirty wink Jericho moved to one of the poles.

King watched the girls dance; enjoying the show even if they weren't taking any thing off.

'Not that kind of club after all.' He thought.

-----

Back stage Jericho almost ran into Roco who stood in her way.

"Jeri-."

"No." she cut him off before he cold offer her the other job, the one she'd just been doing. "I don't dance." She'd been 'forced' to cover for Yuri who hadn't bothered calling in or showing up but then, neither had Jessica.

"Jericho. My office. Now." Roco snapped in his best grinch tones. He turned around and stalked off.

"Sochi ato mesuinu. Shouben nabe." She muttered under her breath as she headed towards the dressing room. She didn't notice the pillar in her way until it spoke.

"You left this behind."

Her head snapped up at the familiar voice. Jericho made a fist ready to knock him on his ass when Stella brushed past eyeing the man. She leaned in close to Jeri and whispered loud enough for King to hear.

"No wonder you didn't show up yesterday." Stella giggled and headed into the dressing room.

Jericho snatched her clutch from King's hand furious at Stella's comment and at him for the smug grin on his face. She had the strongest urge to slap it off him.

"Saw the show." King commented. He took a leisurely look at her in the costume. She held the clutch in one hand while the other held onto her top hat. Her long black hair was curled and doused with sparkles. The look in her eyes, under the fake lashes and dark eye shadow, was full of murder. King didn't mind though, considering she was the one wearing a short red jacket, just sleeves pretty much, with gold tassels on the left shoulder. The sequined bandeau top looked in danger of falling off and the lower his eyes traveled the more Jericho's face flushed with color. She knew the bikini bottom and fishnets did nothing to cover her body. She felt naked enough as it was without having the lunatic who though her family taking a good long gander at her body. The strongest urge to put her stiletto boot up his ass was firmly stamped down. Instead, Jericho smacked his arm with her clutch.

"Knock it off!" she hissed looking around to see where the other dancers were but no one saw.

"Ow." King rubbed at his arm feeling it smart. "You're mean, you know that?" he grumbled. "After I went and brought back your bag thing-."

"It's a clutch and you wouldn't have had to bring it back if you hadn't kidnapped me!" Jericho found it difficult to keep her voice down. "What the hell are you doing here any way?"

"Watching the show-." King started to say with another grin when she yanked him around the corner to a narrow, dark hall. The only light was the neon sign marked 'EXIT'.

"Get this right, bitch. I am not-."

"Woa, woa. Baby you might wanna slow your roll here." King still had questions, mainly who and what was she.

"Slow my roll?" Jericho took a step back bumping into the wall. She was trying not to kill him but the fool was making it really hard for her not to snap his neck.

"We have questions. You answer them, we leave you alone. You don't…." King left the rest up to her. They could keep hounding her, kidnap her again if he had to, which he was sorta hoping they would…'Yes, King. Because that was soooo much fun the last time.'

"Listen," Jericho shoved him against the wall, yanking his face down to her level. "I'm not one to play with so be a good boy and fuck off." She tossed him back and walked out of the hall listening as he cursed under his breath. She had no doubt he'd smacked his head on the wall but she wasn't in a caring mood.

Her feet took her up to Roco's office where he was waiting, impatiently. When he saw her, Roco immediately moved to close the door checking that no one was within hearing distance. Closing it firmly he faced Jericho.

"Before you start, Roco, I really don't want to be a regular dancer. Covering when one of the girls is out is fine and all but I'd rather stay behind the bar. That's more my thing, this is just- just – fun-." Jericho stopped at the look on his face. She felt her stomach clench, some sixth sense telling her this wasn't about a job change.

"Yuritza hasn't come in. She hasn't called… I know you two went out, she told me." Roco moved to his big chair and dropped into it. "She usually calls me, when we don't…" he looked up at her, confusion in his eyes as well as something else, something Jericho didn't want to have to name.

"I- Roco," Jericho sighed. "We went with Jessica to some new club. I didn't feel well so I left. Yuri wouldn't come with me. She stayed behind…" the look on Roco's face was full of concern. "Come on Roco. Yuri probably has a bad hangover. She'll come in tomorrow, dark shades even in here and you can yell at her. Aggravate the pounding in her head a little, maybe guilt her into saying yes…?" she was hoping this would bring a smile to the usually scowling face. Roco wasn't all that bad, she'd had worse bosses and Yuritza was right. Roco was a softie.

He smiled, feeling a little re-assured but not enough to disregard the nagging feeling something was wrong with Yuri. It was just out of character for her and he knew it.

"You see her, tell her she better get her ass to work if she wants to keep her job." He grouched waving Jericho out of his office. She smiled knowing he was mostly putting on a grumpy face for her.

"Sure thing boss. I'll make sure she comes in with bells on."

----

Jericho stood over the trunk in her bedroom and glared. She'd spent two hours pacing the small apartment from kitchen to living room to bedroom and back. She'd cursed and muttered, whined and complained, bitched and moaned but in the end there she stood. With an angry huff of breath Jericho yanked open the trunk then grabbed the patterned silk cloth and threw it aside.

Staring back at her was the small arsenal of weapons she and Maty had stashed. The wooden stakes, of varying material were in the box taking up a corner of the trunk. Her leather satchel, the one she had used to carry and conceal the smaller weapons lay atop it. A series of small swords and katanas lay wrapped in chamois cloths, their accompanying wakizashi and shōtō as well as the tantō were all paired up.

"The two weapons together were called the daishō, and represented the social power and personal honor of the samurai…"

Jericho's smile was sad as she remembered Maty's lecture. She remembered asking him to teach her the way of the samurai. It had seemed so… special, beautiful the way they thought, how they chose to live… honor…

Jericho was older and maybe a little wiser but she knew… she would never be able to lead the life of a Samurai, not the way it was meant.

Removing the swords, she gently set them on the floor beside her. The wooden slab came next revealing the short ax and throwing knives still neatly in their cases. She had a machete which Maty had not understood, saying over and over how un-practical it was.

"Don't stress yourself, it's a cultural thing." She had laughed at his annoyed look, poked fun at him…

"Maty…" she whispered and then her hand touched the hard case. Taking it out she set it on the edge of the trunk. The latches snapped open at her touch and lifting the top, gently trailed her fingers over the compound bow.

After months of trial and error they had finally come up with a design that both enhanced and worked with her natural skill and strength. She'd argued with him over the color scheme and gotten her way. Jericho smiled at the memory while tracing the burgundy grip, both limbs were still black.

Standing she set the bow on her bed, case and all knowing she was going to need some of the special arrows Maty had engineered. The large box with the shafts and arrow heads took up most of the trunk bottom. She didn't bother with the smaller chest in the left corner; she wouldn't need that until after she finished her hunt.

------
The cabbie let her out two blocks from 'Sangria Noir' glancing at her curiously because of the coat. Jericho had known she'd get curious looks because of it but there was no other way of hiding the bow folded at her side. She'd worn light clothing to compensate for the warm coat, a thin white t-shirt with a light black cotton vest, comfortable jean capris and the thick black leather belt that held her bow with the tall black boots with the square heel. She'd slipped a tanto into each boot and her wakisashi into the back of her belt.

Her boots heels echoed loudly to her ears as she walked to the wrought iron gates. She stood there unknowingly in plain sight of their camera. Taking a deep breath Jericho reached for the ancient padlock and broke it off. The gates didn't make a sound as she pulled them open. The crimson double doors were also locked, those she kicked in having to repeat the motion when they didn't open on the first try. She moved in quickly, barely able to hear the alarm though the flashing lights inside the club confirmed there was one. Jericho dropped the coat at the top of the stairs easily lifting the bow as she surveyed the ground floor.

They were feeding. She could see the pairs, one of them- the girl laying at an odd angle caught her attention. The red heels and bare legs, one sporting a tribal looking tattoo on the ankle… Jessica.

There was nothing to be done about her. It was too late to think she could be saved, not then-.

Jericho counted seven vampires, each with a victim, sitting at different areas. She had thought the red color scheme a bit much but now she knew, red covered any blood they missed…

She knocked an arrow taking aim at her first target. She breathed in feeling the familiarity of it all come back to her.

'Like I never left…' she thought letting loose. She knocked a second arrow watching as the first hit its mark and loosed another. Three, four, five arrows and then she noticed… they weren't ashing. None of them had burst into ash as her arrows hit through their heart. It was possible she could've missed one but not all of them. This was her favorite of weapons and Jericho had never missed, not since being Called.

"Get her!" the hiss of anger followed the order. Jericho reluctantly slung her bow. She took the ax from her satchel pulling out a stake as well. Taking the stairs at a run Jericho leapt up to the rail using it to slide down as the vampires tried to make a grab at her. She flipped to the ground floor bringing the ax around but missed the vampire as he ducked. She kicked his leg out knocking him on his back. She stood over him and brought down the stake. It went through perfectly, right through his heart and still he didn't ash.

"Nanra za heru?" though she asked she wasn't expecting an answer. The vampire kicked up, Jericho was thrown aside. He stood up yanking out the wooden stake. He looked at it, disbelief clearly written on his face.

"What the fuck bitch! Wood?" he looked at her as she stood.

"You'rs not as stupid as you look." Jericho noted with a slight arching of her eyebrow.

The answer came in a feral growl as the vampire lunged at her. Stepping aside, Jericho easily swung the ax, taking his head. Her smile was pleased as she saw the vampire go up in a flaming puff of ash.

"I can work with that." She stated twirling the ax in her hand. Using her free hand, she slipped off the satchel with the rest of her wooden stakes but not before retrieving Maty's Katana. "You guys go poof, all bright and flaming. Is that new?"

"Bitch, we are gonna tear you apart." The male snarled coming to stand beside the other five that were left. He'd apparently pulled out the arrow though it had done more damage coming out than it had going in.

"Promises, promises…" Jericho sighed. "Look, I'll make it easy. I'm looking for a friend of mine, busty red head with a high pitched voice, kinda ditzy but all around good girl. You guys suck on her?" the last was said in a tone that warned they had better not have touched Yuri.

"Who the fuck are you?" another one asked. He grinned as if his words were a major accomplishment.

"Me?" Jericho wondered at the question. Hadn't she been trying to figure it out since she was twelve? Who was she? Did it matter any more?

'Just for tonight… I can be her again, cant I? Just tonight…'

Her eyes hardened, darkening to onyx in the crimson club.

"I'm the Slayer."

----

The NightStalkers had discussed their options. King had said the woman wouldn't volunteer any information, had made it clear she wanted nothing to do with them. That pissed off Abby. It occurred to her that they had been in the wrong, mistaking Jericho for a Familiar and then a vampire, kidnapping her… the woman had a right to be angry but she hadn't gone to the police.

"Maybe she-."

"No." Abby cut in. "She didn't go because she can't. There's a reason why Jericho Hiel only has a life span of six and half years." She faced Dex who was sporting a shiny red patch on his face. "She's hiding." And weren't they all?

"So, what…" King huffed. "We sit on our asses and twirl our thumbs 'till she decides to come nicely or we get another chance to grab her-?"

"No, no more grabbing, or kidnapping, or…" Sommerfield sighed trying not feel disappointment. "We need to focus on this club that's opened on the strip."

"She's right." Hedges agreed. He looked about nervously as if he expected the little brunette to come out and hang him over the second floor rail. "There's more missing people reports and it looks like these vampires are turning their Familiars."

"Then we take them out." Dex stated standing straight. His face was set in a dark scowl which he didn't bother to hide. He was pissed a little woman had knocked him out even for a second and he wanted to dust some vampires.

"Saddle up cowboys. Yeehaw!" King exclaimed swinging his arm around his head like he had a rope. The NightStalkers looked at him, stared actually. Not one of them cracked a smile. "What?" he questioned using his most innocent It-wasn't-me look. "What?"

----

"Try to keep up, King. I don't want to have to come back and carry you again." Dex didn't bother hiding his grin. Abby, on the other hand didn't think it was funny. She turned a serious face on both NightStalkers.

"You both better keep up and no stupid cowboy moves." She turned to King on the last.

"Wha-." He opened his mouth, looking affronted at such a suggestion. "One stupid cowboy 'Yehaw' and I'm branded." He complained as they walked to the side door of the club.

"Shoulda kept your mouth shut." Dex shrugged off King's 'don't help me' look and worked on the door.

"That would take a superhuman effort on his part." Abby snarked at his back.

"Two against one." King noted. "That's fair."

"Abracadabra." Dex smiled holding the door open. He glanced at King motioning him in. "Ladies first." His smile didn't waver as King started backing out of the door. Abby's snicker of laughter only added to the insult but she pushed him in with Dex following.

"We split up, keep in contact and don't get killed." Abby ordered looking at each man.

"Or turned." King added. At their looks he shrugged. "Ex-vampire." That was more than enough explanation for the NightStalkers. They continued down the same hallway until they got five yards down. It branched off but before Abby could take it Dex headed down the corridor.

"Just you and me, Whistler." Abby rolled her eyes at his waggling eyebrows. She didn't know how he could be making jokes and fooling around when they were trying to dust some vampires. "Come on Abby…"

"Don't get killed." She ordered before turning left at the next hall. King sighed and continued forward now quiet and very serious. He put on a brave-I-don't-give-a-shit face but really, the thought of them turning him scared him shitless. He never wanted to go back to that, not if he had another option…

"King!"Abby's voice hissed in his ear. "What did you do?"

"Me?" he turned in a half circle looking for the source of the blinking red lights and the low whine he could barely hear. It hadn't been ten minutes and he was already getting blamed for something.

"Someone set off an alarm." Dex reported. "Found me some bodies…" he added with a sigh.

"Check them." Abby ordered and then King came out into a balcony of sorts that overlooked the club's main floor. He caught a glimpse of the fight before the woman disappeared beneath the balcony, a suckhead trailing after her. King took aim but he was too late to fire. Grumbling he turned around and headed back the way he'd come until he found a door that lead away from the hall.

At the next door King could hear the sound of metal clashing and the high pitched squeal of a vampire dusting. He hurried, burst in, gun at the ready and stopped in the door. At first, King wasn't sure he was seeing what his eyes were seeing but then she tumbled back, off the table. The flash of steel barely registered as he was left with half a gun. The sparks flying out of it and the ruined camera suddenly combusted and King threw it aside with a curse.

Jericho barely had a chance to focus on the vampire what with the sudden distraction by the door. She had felt him come in and almost ended up taking his head before she recognized the lunatic who couldn't seem to stop stalking her. She had a momentary feeling of satisfaction in leaving him without a weapon when the vampire slashed at her. Jericho hissed at the pain, her eyes could have shot fire at the snarling vamp.

"That's mine!" Jericho snapped. It didn't seem to matter though because he grinned, flashing sharp fangs and then, to add insult to injury, he licked the blade of her wakisashi. She was ready to lunge forward when the vampire ashed.

King found himself staring at the end of a very sharp sword and into dark brown eyes full of anger. "Who are you? And why do you keep following me?"

The question wouldn't have seemed normal under any other circumstances and King wondered if it were normal even under the current ones.

"I'd like to keep the blood on the inside…" he murmured and slowly took a step back. She didn't follow but her eyes never strayed nor did her arm waver. King was beginning to seriously re-consider teasing the woman but insanity returned just as soon as he was free of the sharp point.

"Name's King. And I wasn't following you." At her disbelieving look he shrugged. "Well, not today any way."

"Tod-." Jericho heaved a sigh grasping at patience and finding enough shreds she could think. Running him through or taking his head were definitely out of the question. "Get out of my way." she ordered in stead. So far she hadn't been able to locate Yuri and the hope that the red head wasn't here, that she had left the club, was the only thing Jericho wanted to think about.

"Get- listen lady, I just saved your ass-." King stopped as the point of the sword touched his throat again.

"I don't play well with others." Jericho warned slowly moving his around until she was in the door frame. "Fucking ibara oite mai sokumen." She muttered and then with a little tap of the blade she said; "Stay."

"Stay?" King echoed in disbelief as she fled. "Stay? Like I'm a God dam mutt!" he stormed out of the room after her. "Fuck this! Hey!"

Jericho ignored the voice, the soft pangs in her gut that told her 'King' was close behind. She kept searching, looking for Yuritza and coming up empty. Finally, coming to a three door dead end Jericho glanced from one to the other.

"Donde putos estas!" she hissed under her breath. Jericho decided to go for the door directly in front of her. Before she could raise her leg to kick it in the door on her right opened and two vampires rushed her.

There was no chance of her using the Katana or even raising it to block against the blows. Her face stung where the vampire's nails had scratched and then all three fell into the next room. The Katana slipped from her fingers, skidding across the floor.

"Get – off!" Jericho grunted with effort of throwing both vampires away from herself. One of them scrambled towards her, fangs bared. Pulling the tanto from her boot, Jericho swung her leg around kicking the vamp away. She heard a soft snap as her foot connected and knew something had broken. She pushed up, onto her feet catching a glimpse of King as he came to the door but the tanto was already out of her hand. The blade sunk into the vampire's forehead slamming him back into the wall with an echo.

Behind her, the second vampire grabbed at her. Jericho ducked under his arm, grabbing the wrist over her head she kicked straight up. The vampires head snapped back and before he recovered Jericho jabbed her elbow into his chest. The satisfying snap brought a grim smile to her face. Turning, she brought his wrist down in front of her body breaking the arm and with her foot swept his legs out knocking him on his back.

She heard the gunshot and the bursting vampire, felt the heat as it ashed but ignored him. Instead she took the second tanto from her other boot and slashed at the head. It came away easily, the body burst into burning ash and then was gone.

"So," King drawled watching her stare at the ash. "What happened to vampires aren't real?"

Jericho glanced at him over her shoulder, the tanto clutched in hand…

AN: Come on people, dont be stingy with the reviews.

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