A Road Trip to Hell

"Damn Nazis. To think that this chase would end up having us stuck in a cabin." Nicole sighs as she lays on the couch. The car ride was a long one and to deal with the soldiers getting a hold of the stone was inconvenient. "Signorina, do you want something to drink?" Caesar asks as Nicole had been staring at the ceiling for the past couple of hours. The car ride was a long one and she sat in between Lisa and Loggins. She stayed up to keep Caesar company since he was the driver. Nicole insisted on being his substitute driver just in case he grew tired.

"I am just exhausted." Nicole answers. Caesar frowns and moves from the table. He sits up and walks over to Nicole. Joseph was reading a book until he sees Caesar kneeling in front of Nicole. "Hey, no making out over there. I know you two have been fooling around." Joseph said as he knew the two were in a relationship. Nicole coughs and turns her face away from Caesar. She was now irritated. Caesar gives Nicole a sympathetic look. Nicole was too tired to argue and turns on her side to not look at anyone.

"Jojo. You must respect their relationship. Nicole and Caesar aren't children." Lisa said as she lets out a sigh. Caesar places his hand on Nicole's head. She softly breathes and Caesar strokes her hair. "Tch. I trust him. Just not when Nicole is in a mood." Joseph said. He may have let Caesar get closer to his friend but the public affection was something he was cautious of. "Jojo...I understand how you feel, but you must trust me. I don't want Kars to take her. Whatever happens...Nicole will be safe." Caesar said.

He does not look back at his friend. The Zeppeli man could only love the Brando woman. His mind was set on not allowing any man to take her away. The tension in the room fades and Nicole fell asleep. It was not long until she woke up. Everyone else was quiet and Joseph was gone. Nicole sits up then pushes herself to get off the couch. She heads downstairs and opens the door.

She was surprised to see the room filled with blood. No, it was Kars standing in the room. Joseph was standing in front of the door. He glances over his shoulder and sees Nicole. She looks angry and yet shocked. "Go back upstairs Nicole. I'm going to handle this." Joseph said. Nicole could not move. Nor did she intend to leave and not get answers. Kars notices Nicole and smirks. He was glad that he would not need to find her.

"Kars." Nicole walks around Joseph and towards the pillar man. She was not going to be stopped by Joseph or Stroheim at this point. Nicole stood only a foot away from Kars. "Why did you tell Eisidisi to not harm me? What is the point of having me?" Nicole questions him. She needed to know why this man was after her. Joseph was about to take a step forward but Nicole holds her hand up to stop him.

"You have authority over the human...I'm satisfied. I suppose I can explain myself in front of these useless beings. A human who values nature over oneself is rare. Specifically, one who uses hamon. I do not see you as being prey. Your potential is a rare one." Kars explains. He reaches out to touch Nicole on the cheek and she almost flinches at his touch. Kars' fingers brush against Nicole's cheek.

"I don't intend to eat you. I desire to own you as my lover." Kars said. Stroheim becomes impatient and he did not want to take the chances. Nicole had caught the pillar man in a calm mood. "What the hell? Why me? I can't be-" Nicole was silenced by the sound of gunshots. The bullets would have struck Nicole if Kars had not pulled her behind him. His body took the majority of the shots until Joseph was able to stop Stroheim. The blade had sprouted from Kars' arm deflecting the remaining bullets.

He made sure none of the bullets hit Nicole. Nicole was shaking out of fear. Kars holds Nicole close using his free arm. "You could have killed her!" Joseph yells. Nicole looks up at Kars. She was speechless. He looks down at her. "Are you okay?" Kars ask. Nicole notices a few holes in the man's body. Nicole slowly nods and she pokes at a small gash in his arm. "Kars...I am unscathed, but you're hurt. Why did you protect me?" Nicole spoke up. Kars lets out a chuckle of amusement.

"Humans create amusing toys. To think in a manner they have progressed. However, I disappear off the recklessness. If I had not pulled you behind then you would have been killed." Kars said as he gives Nicole a smirk. Nicole rolls her eyes. She was glad to be alive but thanks to Kars made her feel sort of annoyed. "As much as I despise Kars...What the hell, you saw Nicole right there and decided to shoot! Now we know he does have the hots for her..." Joseph said almost muttering the last sentence.

"Hey! My situation is nothing to joke about! I did not ask for this dammit!" Nicole almost shouts as she was now embarrassed. "I never said you had a good record of attracting decent men." Joseph comments. Nicole wanted to slap Joseph in the back of his head but she had no time to argue. Kars had her in his arms. The one pillar man saved her and now he was holding her. Nicole knew she was not dreaming. "I won't let anyone harm you. Although I do not intend to have any other man touch you. I tend to get violent." Kars stated as he places a kiss on Nicole's cheek. The kiss he gave her silenced the room.

"Oh, bloody hell! Don't molest her you bastard! That lasagna-eating asshole does enough of that! Release her now!" Joseph says as he was livid. He was ready to fight. Kars could only smirk as he strokes Nicole's cheek using his thumb.

"Is this woman precious to you? Allow me to do this to prove a point." Kars teases before he kisses Nicole on the lips. The kiss was sensual with the unusual warmth. Casually Kars slips his tongue in her mouth while he holds the woman steady. "Ka...Kars!" Nicole tries to speak. He releases her altogether. Nicole covers her mouth with her hand. "Go back upstairs. After I retrieve the stone and kill everyone else, we shall head back." Kars said and pets Nicole on the head. Nicole nods in mere confusion and walks over to the stairs.

"That monster wants to keep that woman alive. What for? No human can satisfy this beast." Stroheim says to Joseph. "Tch! He wants to take her as his lover. So you targeting my family is a big mistake." Joseph explains. Nicole was about to open the door that led to the stairs as she overhears the conversation. Nicole glances at Joseph and sees the serious look on his face. Instead of doing what she was told, Nicole turns around with her back against the door. "I need answers," Nicole spoke, her eyes only focused on Kars. She could not leave. Not with Joseph in harm's way.

"You sent one pillar man after us. The result was one human dead, another injured, and Eisidisi dead. Joseph, in the end, was the victor. Although when Eisidisi was speaking to me he told me something..." Nicole spoke. Kars narrows his eyes in suspicion. "You turn humans into vampires. I, however, am excluded from that option." Nicole finishes speaking. "Yes, humans are turned into vampires for nourishment. Eisidisi enjoys taunting the enemy. I cannot deny his words." Kars said as he lets out a sigh. He was losing his patience seeing Stroheim and Joseph.

In his mind, both men were wasting his time with their presence. The only issue was keeping Nicole away from the violence. She was just a human. "Let's stop bantering and get to the point. You want the stone and now you want this human woman. I know what you are capable of and I can tell you that this precious stone will not fall into your hands. I suppose it has a more important purpose with me." Stroheim spoke in confidence as he pulled the stone out of his breast pocket. Nicole glares at Stroheim. She was not certain how this man knew what the stone could do.

"Using a stone that does not belong to you displays the stupidity for mere entertainment. I will enjoy killing you first. Now Nicole...go upstairs or I will punish you." Kars said. His lips curled into a smirk as he licks them. Nicole was not ready for the sexual harassment and immediately leaves to go upstairs. The door shuts from behind. Nicole walks up the stairs in silence. As she reached the top, Nicole found herself being stared at.

"Kars is here. He and Stroheim are fighting." Nicole spoke before walking over to the couch. She sits down on it and places the palm of her hand on her face. Lisa, in shock, knowing that Kars was here, blinks in confusion. Nicole was not telling everything. Caesar would be pissed. Caesar notices the look on Nicole's face. "Coach...I'll go get Jojo. Signorina, please get some rest." Caesar said and then leaves the room. Once the door was shut, everyone became silent.

"What happened down there?" Messina asks. Nicole looks up at him. "He saved me. Eisidisi spoke the truth. The damn soldiers are dead. Stroheim shot at Kars while I stood in front of him. Kars pulled me out of the way." Nicole explains. "If Kars kept you safe then he's intending to take you," Lisa confirmed it. Messina folds his arms in front of his chest. He was not amused knowing that Nicole's life had a bigger influence on the fight.

"I hate my life right now," Nicole says with a sigh just before the sound of shattered glass cut her trail of thought. "We need to go out there." She said as she abruptly stands up. She then exits the room with Messina and Lisa following from behind. Nicole slams the door open to see the room in more carnage. A hole was blasted through the wall. Not that the soldiers' corpses bothered her. Lisa and Messina stood in more shock. Nicole looks around to see no one else here.

"Damn you Jojo!" Caesar's voice directed everyone to the outside. "He better not die on me!" Nicole says as she runs out the cabin. The woman did not have her coat on so the cold wind slightly bothered her. The snow against Nicole's boots did not affect her, though. She was in a hurry. Joseph and Kars were chasing after the stone. Nicole had ran as fast as she could until she came upon Stroheim now waist deep in the snow. Kars had broken his lower half then destroyed it. "The hell, what happened to you?" Nicole questinos as she tries to catch her breath. In reality, Nicole hated running. Stroheim uses his arms and hands to turn his body around to face her.

"You...! Jojo and Kars are still going after the stone. Caesar should be following them. You need to catch up. Those three will end up falling off the cliff if neither can catch the stone in time!" Stroheim explains. He did not have time to interrogate Nicole about her relationship with Kars. Getting the stone and saving Jojo and Caesar is more important. Nicole wanted to yell at the man for shooting at her earlier but he was right. Nicole nods to Stroheim then runs off. Nicole needed to reach the three men even if it meant being around Kars. The pillar man was not going to let her go. "That woman is involved with the wronge men." Stroheim said as he watches Nicole. Lisa and Messina approach him.

"She's a hamon user. But is Jojo's friend. The two are considered siblings. I doubt that woman would allow herself to be captured by Kars. Although...explain you reason for shooting at her. Nicole told us what had happened and I doubt Jojo is amused." Lisa spoke. Stroheim sees the seriousness displayed on her face. She was mad. More so livid. "Even if she had taken a hit it would lead to Kars taking her away with ease. I expected him to kill her." Stroheim explains. Lisa could only guess what Nicole could be ready for.

"Caesar!" Where's Jojo and Kars?" Nicole said once she caught up to Caesar who has his arm over the edge of the cliff. Caesar glances over his shoulder as he was struggling. "Signorina. Please help me raise Jojo up. He's hanging." Caesar said and Nicole peeks over his shoulder to see Joseph handging by icicles created from water and infused with hamon. "Dammit Jojo!" Nicole shouts in anger as Joseph was dangling around like a rag doll. "Hey I'm not dead and I got the stone so help me up. It's cold out here!" Joseph said. "How the hell are you both...?" Nicole could not believe it. Caesar chuckles seeing the look on her face, "Please help us Signorina."

"Freaking..." Nicole places her hands on Caesar's back. She releases hamon into his body. The hamon was escaping her fingertips and moving through Caesar's body. "Signorina...! Is this your hamon?" Caesar asks. Nicole steadies her breathing as she concentrates. "As long as I can do this then you can pull Jojo up. Now hurry and I will explain later." Nicole said. Caesar nods and he moves back pulling Jojo up in a careful manner. Nicole's hands never left his back. "You better not be molesting him and hurry up!" Joseph says losing his patience. Caesar's eye twitches and Nicole's body stiffens. The comment hit a nerve. Both lovers did not say a word.

"Drop him."

"Signorina...the stone."

"Get him up, take the stone then kick him off."

"Nicole, I can hear you!"

"That is the damn point!"

Kars landed in the snow. He looks down at the lone flower blooming. That very flower reminds him of the woman he plans to take. He had plans for her and he intends to go put them into action. He now understood Nicole and Joseph are close. He wanted Nicole to cut her ties with him someway or another. Kars had his eyes set on the one human and that human was Nicole.