Its getting harder and harder for me to get these out now that my Spring semester is done and I can't routinely go to the school library anymore. But I'll do what I can, if an update is late it ain't my fault. Now…UPDATES FOR EVERYONE!

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Chapter Eleven

Sanctuary

"Raven!" She turned and saw Robin running up to her. "You okay?"

"Better then him," she said looking down at the vampire's smoky remnants. "Where are the others?"

"That's kinda why I was looking for you," said Robin looking about their surroundings. "We got spread pretty thin, you the first one I've come across.

"Why don't you just raise Cyborg on the comm. link?" she asked with a clear note of obviousness.

"I've been trying but something seems to be jamming it somehow. In any case I'm glad I found you, can you do a short sweep with a five mile radius?"

"Five miles?"

"I figure they couldn't have gone father than that."

"I'll see what I can do," she said getting into a cross-legged sitting position. While she chanted her words Robin attempted his comm. link again but was once more disappointed with the outcome. The signal was being blocked y an unknown source but that was least of his worries at the moment. He had no way of knowing if Starfire had been taken or not. Raven opened a single eye to observe him for a moment then closed it with an annoyed sigh. "Will you relax fearless leader, Starfire's probably just fine. If you don't mind me saying she probably kills these things better than you do."

"Doesn't mean I can't wor-WAIT A second!" He knelt down to her. "What do you mean she's better than-"

"I found her," interrupted Raven. She squinted her closed eyes trying to focus more. "I found them actually, three miles due East."

THREE MILES EAST…………

Starfire's back hit the ground as her vampiric foe bore down on her. He came closer and hissed through his teeth.

"You must come back with me mistress." Starfire said noting but hit him in the face with her eye beams. He was blasted off of her with a pained screamed and was ashes before he returned to the ground.

"I do not appear to care." She heard a leaf crunch behind her and spun around with a raised fist.

"YO! It's just me."

"Oh Cyborg thank goodness," said Starfire lowering her fist. "I was begging to worry, where is Robin and Raven?" Cyborg spotted someone over Starfire's shoulder and backed up with his sonic cannon ready.

"Don't know but I'm betting that's not them." Starfire turned around and saw four more vampires approaching out of the nighttime mist. "Oh man! Seriously how do they keep finding us!" He and Starfire backed up for more ground. As they did a masked figure watched them high among the tree limbs. The first one charged at them using his vampiric speed but Starfire, who also had such advantages, was ready for him. She shot her eye beams directly in his stomach and he fell to his knees slowly burning. At the sight of the rest of them coming Starfire laid a heavy kick to her fallen opponent and sent him flying at the rest of them.

"Cyborg!" The half man took her signal to heart and once their foes lay in a crumpled heap tossed a UV grenade near them. It landed near the face of one of them then unfolded with a several light bursts. Starfire watched it with slight surprise and smiled as Cyborg retrieved it.

"That was, as you say, 'so cool'!" He glowed humbly.

"Well thank you kindly, designed it myself. Now have you seen Liz?" They heard what sounded like a female battle cry and ran to find it. Liz dodged a number of punches and kicks being sent her way. She swung her short sword but he caught her wrist and flipped her to the ground.

"Pathetic," he said in a scratchy voice. He took hold of her neck and picked her up off the ground. She struggled in his grip.

"I'm-not…afraid-of-you!"

"Look me in the eyes and say that." Liz kneed him in the chest and he released her with a grunt. Upon landing she back flipped and the back of her foot bucked him in the chin. As soon as she deemed it ready Liz reached for a hidden knife in a leg pouch and threw it into his throat with dead accuracy. Cyborg pushed aside his crumbling form as he and Starfire found her.

"Well look at you, girl's got skills." Liz nodded somewhat nervously and sheathed her weapons.

"I've been paying attention to Robin, that's all." Cyborg and Starfire exchanged glances.

"There you guys are." They all turned to see Robin and Raven walking up to them. "Took us a minuet to find you, must've moved a mile since I found you," said Raven.

"Maybe,' replied Cyborg.

"Everyone okay?" asked Robin. They all replied in the affirmative. "Good, then let's get out of here before something else happens." He didn't take half a step before a kunai stuck in the ground at his feet. They halted at the sight of it. "Like I was saying…" They heard faint girlish giggles. They trialed their eyes upward and saw someone sitting up on a tree limb, her face looking upward. She held one leg to her chest while allowing the other dangle off the side and swing about. Her red kitamo wrapped around her beautifully. Raven arched a brow.

"Who are you?" The mystery person only grew more mysterious as she looked down at them and they saw she wore a geisha mask. She made no response except more derisive giggles. The mask was not of normal distortion but more sleek in design while keeping the large smile and large oriental eyes. Robin's mouth dropped.

"It can't be…Cheshire? Is that you?"

"I know not of whom you speak," replied the girl.

"Okay not Cheshire. So who are you? Are the one who's been stalking us?" More giggles.

"I do only what mother tells me. You may call me Kaede." Robin and Cyborg looked at each other curiously.

"Right, and who's mother?" In the blink of an eye she left her high perch and softly touched down on the ground. She elegantly rose back up and stood still.

"Do you recall the name Xiao Su Sun?" Robin furrowed his brow in remembrance.

"Lao Su's brother? What about him?"

"You killed him didn't you?" Robin shook his head.

"What kind of a question is that? He was a vampire and I'm a vampire slay-er, it's kinda how things work around here."

"Mother taught him well, he was among her greatest students until the Council's allure and his brother pulled him away."

"Hold on, Xiao was 'mother's' apprentice?" Kaede sent him a short nod. "That doesn't make me feel pity for him you know."

"When news of his death reached mother, she was heartbroken," she said with a melancholy tone. "I am now mother's closest disciple, I would happily die for her." Raven put up her hands.

"I've seriously had enough of mother; can you tell us in plain English who you're talking about?" Kaede began to slowly approach Robin. His hand easily found the hilt of his sword. Starfire held a charged and ready fist behind her back. The smiling mask disallowed them to see any form of emotion from Kaede. She stopped just before Robin and tilted her head upwards. Her hand then moved aside her raised collar and exposed a wolf tattoo that looked more like it was branded. Robin and Starfire both narrowed their eyes at the mark. Kaede backed up and turned away from them.

"That is who mother is." With her back still to him she allowed several kunai to slip in between her fingers. "Not that said knowledge will benefit you in the afterlife." Robin pushed his sword ever so slightly out of its sheath with his thumb. Raven read Kaede's mind and threw up a bubble around them just as the masked girl let loose a whirl wind of kunai. The tinny sharp knives hit the shield like hard drops of rain. Cyborg looked around with gritted teeth and a raised cannon.

"Man she's throwing those things like a damn machine gun!"

"She can only concentrate on a single target," said Starfire. Robin removed his sword all the way.

"I wouldn't count on it. If she's as good as I think she is we can bet she aim at just about all of us. Take her down from every angle and don't stop moving even for a second, got it?"

"Got it," they all replied in unison. Robin noted every recent hit trying to pin point from where they were being thrown.

"Now Raven!" Raven dropped their shield and once again they found themselves dodging every which way to avoid the flying daggers. Kaede jumped down behind Liz and swept her feet from beneath her. Yet just as she was about to plunge her own weapon into her heart she jumped off of her and engaged Cyborg and Raven. Raven threw up small force fields to defend against Kaede's attacks. She kicked away the pale Titan and dodged a punch sent by Cyborg. She slid underneath him and used his stable frame to boost herself back up into the trees. Starfire flew up into dense foliage letting her fists light the way.

"You can't stop us." She heard a voice speak to her. Starfire whirled around in mid air among leaves. She slowly turned back around and Kaede pounced on top of her. She held the alien girl flat against a branch and filled her vision with her mask. "Why do you travel alongside them, you are their enemy."

"You are wrong!"

"Wallowing in denial is your prerogative, but sooner or later the thirst will overpower you and you will betray your friends who foolishly trust you. It is only a matter of time." Starfire's eyes glowed a furious green and she kicked Kaede off of her.

"NEVER!" Starfire formed a large ball of energy between her hands and threw it just above Kaede's head. The resulting flash did blind her somewhat but didn't have the effect Starfire was hoping for. "You-You are not-"

"A vampire? The first of many surprises I assure you." At that moment they were joined by Robin, Cyborg, Raven, and Liz all supported by black energy platforms. Kaede eyed each of them and knew her advantage was lost.

"No more games," said Robin. "You start talking right now!"

"Ohh but that would ruin so much; it was not mother's wish that we conclude things so early anyway. I just wanted to have a little bit of fun. Don't be bitter, we will surely cross paths again soon." She pulled a ball no bigger than a golf ball out of her belt and threw it against the tree. The whole of them coughed and choked from the smoke giving Kaede more than enough time to take her leave. The small group jumped down from the large tree taking in fresh air.

"S-See her anywhere?" They all looked about the landscape.

"No," said Liz. "She's gone." Cyborg pulled a lone kunai out of a portion of his leg and threw it away.

"Our day just keeps getting better and better; first we have raving ego maniac chasing after us, now these weird goons, and then there's a girl who's far as I can tell has a doll's face for a head."

"I never did like those masks," said Raven.

"Let's keep moving," said Robin. They walked onward toward their destination still with no sighting of Kaede. They hadn't gone far when curiosity pecked at their non-Titan friend.

"Did you recognize that mark on her neck?" asked Liz. Robin and Starfire glanced at each other and he nodded.

"It's the sign of the Red Wolf; I've only run into one of their operatives. To be perfectly honest I didn't think they really existed," said Robin moving his eyes along the land before them.

"Well obviously they do." He looked down at her while they walked.

"Well excuse me, the guy was alone and a little messed up in the head. I just took him for a Council bandwagon wannabe. Truth is I don't really know anything about em'. Star could probably explain though." Their heads all turned to Starfire as the floor was passed to her.

"The Red Wolf is an independent rouge group outside of the Council's power."

"So they don't answer to them?"

"Certainly not, the Sovereigns would never officially recognize them souly because of who leads them. She calls herself Isard."

"And that's who Kaede was talking about when she kept saying 'mother'," said Robin repeating the phrase insolently.

"We can assume that, yes."

"But why does the Council hate her so much?" asked Cyborg. Starfire narrowed her eyes.

"She is a blasphemous heathen, content to mingle her being with that of her enemies." They all turned to her somewhat fearfully.

"She did what now?" asked Robin. Starfire blinked and shook her head.

"I mean, she performed an act which the Council would naturally frown upon." They began walking again careful not to allow anything to resurface. "Isard drank the blood of a Lycon."

"What!" Stuttered Raven. "I don't think that's possible."

"It must be, Isard is now a daywalker not to mention many if not all of her normal attributes have been doubled."

"Kinda like you," said Robin. Starfire looked at him curiously. "You're stronger than all of them put together, mainly because you could probably bench press the tower to begin with."

"What about doll face," said Cyborg. "She didn't seem like the normal lead flunky to me. I don't know about you guys but I was sensing almost childlike devotion for a second."

"No one in their right mind could blindly follow someone like Isard," said Liz. "Right?" Robin tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Raven, you think we can count on some kind of behavior modification going on here?"

"You mean brainwashing?"

"Yeah whatever."

"As far as methods and techniques go I think we can rule out any technologically sophisticated means. Depending on the subject's will some sleep deprivation and electro-shock therapy would do the job just fine."

"Could we change the subject guys?" asked Cyborg. None of them seemed to be able to find a replacement leaving the task to Cyborg. "Hey Raven you kinda passed out the last time you were telling us about you and BB."

"Oh yeah, sorry about that. Didn't mean to startle you."

"You said you were being pursued by Lycons yes?"

"That's right; we tried to make a run for it at first, but it soon became clear that outrunning them wasn't going to be an option."

"We're running out of room to run Raven!" Shouted Beast Boy. They ran as fast as they possibly could through the dark tunnels with the Lycons in hot pursuit.

"There's not much we can do about that!"

"Well phase up to the surface or something!"

"There's no telling where we'd come out, we need to keep going and maybe we'll-" They skidded to a halt as their way was blocked by a tall wolf-like creature. Beast Boy moved in front of Raven and took charge as a rhino. While narrowly missing the slightest scratch he knocked the wolf man away. Raven's hand glowed and she collapsed the tunnel behind them.

"There, that should slow them down for a while."

"Or at least until Fred here wakes up," said Beast Boy. He kicked the unconscious creature forcing a grunt out of it. "YAAA! RUNNNN!" Raven rolled her eyes as Beast Boy took off in a flash. She glided along the empty tunnel.

"Could you at least wait up for-" Her speech was cut short when she finally caught up with him and found herself surrounded. "-Me." He shrugged apologetically and they were taken down another passageway.

"They took us before the one in charge, who as it turns out is the last descendant of Fenrir; the father Lycon. They called him Reynard."

Raven and Beast Boy sat in chairs before an empty desk. Two guards stood behind them ready to transform at a moments notice. They both stared at the floor nervously. Wanting to lighten the mood even just a little Beast Boy let out a half chuckle.

"Boy, this wasn't how I pictured my weekend turning out." Raven looked at him out of the corner of her eye. He put up his hands defensively. Form behind them a man entered and sat down at the desk. He had shoulder length hair and had a smooth look about him.

"I am Reynard."

"Nice to meet you," said Raven halfheartedly.

"So, who sent you?" They looked at each other.

"What?" asked the changeling.

"Asmodeus? Sebastian? Saladin? Who?" The pair remained silent. He looked between them. "Speak." Once more he received nothing from them. "Very well, take them out of here and-"

"Wait!" said Raven. Reynard stayed the guard with a raised hand and beckoned her to continue. "We're not spies or assassins, we're Teen Titans."

"What's a Teen Titan?"

"Dude you really have been living under one giant rock haven't you." Reynard narrowed his eyes at him. "We protect the city that's being burnt to a crisp right now." He moved back slightly.

"The city is being destroyed?"

"Why else would we come down here?" asked Raven curtly. He said nothing in response. Beast Boy leaned over to Raven and whispered just loud enough for Reynard to hear.

"See Raven right now he's thinking 'now that I think about it...that rumbling noise probably wasn't my drier acting up'." Reynard nodded to the one behind Beast Boy and the changeling received a blow in the back of the head. "HEY! Easy Easy! I sometimes use that head."

"Speak no more," said Reynard. He directed attention to Raven. "No more titles, tell me who you are now."

"My name is Raven and this is Beast Boy."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No," they said in exact unison. The room grew unusually silent. Raven finally broke the awkward lack of noise.

"Bottom line is we didn't come here to kill you or any other of your wolf buddies. We were trying to escape and we got separated from our friends."

"It is well within the realm of possibility and in all likelihood that your friends did not survive."

"They're tougher then you think," said Beast Boy.

"If your friends were as powerful as you say the Council would not allow them to wander among the survivors." Raven crossed her arms.

"Who's they? And why would they go to the trouble of picking out five people out of a couple billion?"

"A vampire's insatiable lust for power is matched only by his pompous ego."

"Vampires? Are you saying a bunch of vampires are the ones attacking our city?" asked Raven disbelieving.

"Have no illusions Titan your city is one target among many. It is shaky coalition of several vampiric armies, rallied together by Rafael Asmodeus-"

"Sounds like a pretty bad dude." Reynard regarded him with, if possible, even less respect.

"He has sent a number of assassins in past two hundred years to kill me and each time I displayed their heads outside my dwelling." Beast Boy's face winced slightly.

"I'd hate to see what your Christmas tree looks like-ow!" Raven quickly kicked him in the shin.

"What do we have to do to get out of here?" asked Raven. Reynard folded his hands on his desk and concentrated hard on Raven. She and Beast Boy looked at each other apprehensively. "What?"

"I really don't care what anyone says; Lycons are no better than vampires in my opinion."

"Well what did he want?" asked Robin. The others looked at her curiously. Raven seemed like she was about to answer but stopped short.

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," she said looking at the ground.

"If it is so mortifying friend you need not speak of it at all," assured Starfire. Raven smiled just so and nodded.

"Thanks Star." With that the remainder of the journey, for the most part, was done in silence. Now with just a few hours of walking they would finally reach their destination and find safety within Rome.

ELSEWHERE WITH BEAST BOY……………

Beast Boy lay on a wooden bunk and coughed out loud. He turned over onto his stomach and saw Jacob sleeping on his not far from him. He moved just so slightly toward him careful not to alert the guards prowling about the bunks. He finally reached a point which he could quietly speak to him.

"Jacob," he whispered. Jacob lay with his back to him and issued a short grunt. "Jacob," he said a little louder. He opened his eyes but didn't turn to Beast Boy.

"If they catch talking the punishments will be very severe, you know that."

"It doesn't matter," said Beast Boy to Jacob's back. He quieted as a guard moved swiftly by them. As soon as Beast Boy was sure he was out of ear shot he began again. "We can't stay here, we have to try and escape."

"S'not possible, they call this place a prison for a good reason and that's because we can't leave. Can you transform today?" Beast Boy hung his head and shook it.

"No, I haven't been able to since I got here and I don't know why. Just tell me, is there even the slightest chance of anyone making it out of here?" Jacob paused as if afraid to tell him for fear of what he might try.

"I believe it is extremely remote-"

"Then it can be done?"

"They will kill you if you try."

"They're going to kill us anyway!" He voiced in a raised whisper. "At some point. Look I'd rather be shot trying to make a run for it then on my knees knowing I could've tried to get out here."

"You dream my friend."

"Well you have to if you wanna keep yourself from going nuts. I'm going to try Jacob…I'm going to do it." Jacob closed his eyes in dread. "I'm not going to ask you to come with me-"

"Good."

"Jacob…" persisted Beast Boy. But the old man was no longer awake. Beast Boy silently made his way back to his would be pillow and considered this carefully. The warden of their prison was a vampire with a vengeful attitude. If he were to attempt an escape and fail, chances were others would be executed in his place as an example to any who would try to flee. The choice was indeed difficult, very slowly they were all be executed; executed by misery and despair. If he could escape then he might be able to bring back help and raid the camp of all its prisoners. Beast Boy had no idea how he would accomplish any that, but he was willing to try.

HQ OF THE RED WOLF……………

Isard sat at a computer in what she claimed as her office. Her base of operations was one seized from Slade just weeks before the first attack on humanity began. Since then the resources left behind by the masked villain had proven more than useful to her. She darted her gaze between two computers one monitoring the progress of something in a beaker off to the side. Isard read the results of the first test and sighed.

"Initial tests…DNA manipulation rejected in ¾ of all test subjects…only twenty-five percent success rate." She brushed a lamp off her desk in frustration. She considered the initial results and thought of something. "Perhaps an artificial RNA sequencing to make up for the lack natural proteins." A graph on her first screen changed just slightly. "Success rate would rise to just thirty-one percent, this will not be so easy." A knock came at her door. "Come."

"Forgive my interruption mother," said the vampire. Isard raised the lighting with a snap of her fingers and smiled up at him.

"Not all, do you need something?"

"Kaede has returned."

"Wonderful, send her in," she said looking over some notes. He left with a bow and walked out. Shortly after he left the geisha masked girl entered. She walked around Isard's desk and bent down on one knee.

"Mother…" Isard smiled and cupped her chin.

"Please dear child, get up." She did so. "Go on sit down." Kaede walked back in front of her mistress' desk and took a seat. "What news have you."

"Our contact was reported in; the Dragon and his friends are nearing Rome, Nightingale is with them." Isard turned off the various screens.

"Yes I know. How is she?"

"She is fighting a loosing battle within herself. I sense it will just be weeks before her body begins to reject whatever substitutes they're using to keep her calm. When that does happen do you wish me to let her finish them off?"

"No, many things will occur between now and when Nightingale returns. Rafael will want her in one piece and unspoiled." Kaede hung her head doubtfully.

"Mother, may I speak my mind?" Isard smiled almost evilly.

"Of course you can, when have you ever been punished for doing so?" Kaede was struck with involuntary silence. "Please…"

"I think you are trusting too much to the Nocturna Council." Isard nodded somewhat. "They hate and despise you and as soon as it serves them best they will betray you without a second thought. Not to mention the humans of Rome are becoming a formidable force. How can we hope to fight two powerful foes?"

"My dear Kaede you must have more faith in your mother." Kaede bowed her head. "Let me tell you something about fighting two enemies at once; you've heard the phrase 'divide and conquer' I assume?" Kaede nodded. "What we want is the complete opposite." If Isard could see Kaede's face she would have seen mass confusion. "When you are relatively small and almost unknown to the world you have the advantage of subterfuge. Set your agents amongst them and allow them to establish relationships with those around them. Do you see what we are creating?"

"I don't."

"Trust; instead of creating decent among our enemies we are in fact creating trust brining them closer together."

"Would that not strengthen their resolve-?"

"Allow your mother to finish!" Kaede immediately knelt down. "It would indeed, until the moment comes for our agents to complete their tasks. Rafael and the Council are far too blinded by their own ambitions to notice my subtle yet decisive movements. And the people of Rome too preoccupied by their notions of survival. You see what I'm trying to tell you child; neither the Nocturna Council nor Rome will realize what is happening until it is far too late." Kaede nodded and avoided Isard's eyes.

"Yes mother." Isard smiled sweetly down at her servant.

REJOINING ROBIN AND THE OTHERS………….

Robin lent Starfire a helping hand to move up over a small dirt mound. As soon as she was over he did so with Raven, Liz, and Cyborg merely managed on his own. With that they stood atop a large hill overlooking the outer wall of a massive city. They stood in silence taking in the spectacle.

"Robin…this is?"

"Rome," replied Robin. Starfire moved toward somewhat excitedly then stopped with a fading smile. "What's wrong?"

"I am not sure, now that I am here…perhaps this is not such a good idea to bring me here."

"Come on Star, we'll be fine," assured Cyborg.

"Besides we've kinda been walking and hitching a ride for days to get here," deadpanned Raven. She shook her head and moved back still. Robin looked between Cyborg and Raven and held out his hand.

"Everything will be okay Star, I promise." She eyed his hand longing to take.

"How can you make such a promise on behalf of everyone behind those walls?" Robin glanced back at the city and shrugged.

"I guess I can't. But if anything does go wrong I promise nothing will happen to you." She felt overwhelmed by the look of the large city; like a new kid standing outside the building on their first day of school. She took Robin's hand and he led them down toward their place of safety; their sanctuary.

Just in case anyone's wondering about Kaede's name; I know some of Japanese names can be almost impossible to pronounce. If you already have it don't bother reading this. Kaede (Kai-yeah-de). It kinda sounds different when you roll it together but there it is. Hope you liked this chapter. Lateres!