Dimitri had his left hand on the heavy revolver in his shoulder holster. The old man in a white suit stepped forward with an inviting charisma.
"Welcome sir Dimitri. I'm so glad you could join us for this meeting." Venetia said warmly
Dimitri cocked an eye at him. He slowly released the grip on his weapon. Lowering his arms he straightened his shirt and turned to walk away.
"Won't you stay, I need to talk to you." Venetia said
"I only came here to tell my boss that I quit and am leaving this city. Seeing that he wont be hearing a word of mine, or anyone else's for that matter I am leaving now." Dimitri said
Trying to leave, the cluster of kindred stopped his movement. Dimitri turned his head towards Venetia.
"What do you want?" Dimitri asked
"Only that you join me." Venetia grinned
Dimitri turned his head back to the group of kindred.
"No." Dimitri said
He started walking to the door again. One tall man with dead eyes stood before Dimitri.
"I don't think you listened to our boss. He offered you to join us." He sneered
"So?" Dimitri asked
"Now, we can kill you." He laughed
Dimitri put his hand in the kindred's open mouth. A spike of blood shot out the back of his head. It's body fell into a whisp of ash. Dimitri shook his hand getting the dried ash off of his skin.
"Try it." Dimitri growled
"So let me get this right. You work for my father and you've been spying on her this whole time. So why did they "recruit" us to find her?" Jacoby asked
Ben sat silently. He looked down at the floor of Jacoby's car.
"The only reason I can think of is it's because I stopped reporting back to them a month or two ago." Ben explained. "After the briefing I was given a file about Cybil. After I read it and found out what she is and what happened to her I couldn't go through with what my mission was."
"What was your "mission"?" Jacoby asked
Ben sighed. Putting his face in his hands Ben was ashamed at himself as he thought of it.
"I was to make contact with one Cybil Servana and get her to trust me enough that I could get close enough to her. Then I was to bring her with me to our base in this city so that my commander could finish his plan with her." Ben said. "However, I stopped reporting in and I have been dodging them to protect her. Seeing Officer Servana is enough to prove they are serious about this now."
Cybil was in the bathroom staring at her reflection in the mirror. The color in her flesh was gone. Gracing her hand across her skin Cybil barely felt it. Her nerves were dying. It was like her flesh was asleep. Pinching herself Cybil didn't feel it. Pressing harder Cybil tried to feel something.
"Damnit, I felt that bite why cant I feel this?" Cybil thought to herself
Opening the mirror she pulled out a pair of scissors. Looking at the point she pressed a finger to it. Barely feeling it she kept pressing until it pierced her flesh. Shocked she looked on at the shard of metal twisting in her finger. It worried her that she could barely feel the puncture. No blood left the wound as Cybil pulled the point out of her skin. Looking at it the small hole on her fingertip sealed up. A small white mark was all that was left to prove it happened. Looking back up to the mirror she ran a hand through her hair. Pulling it she desperately tried to feel alive. The absence of pain made her afraid. A knock came to the door.
"Cybil sweetie, are you ok?" Sophia asked
Cybil sighed. Opening the door Sophia stood with a worried face. Cybil broke down and fell into Sophia.
"Honey what's wrong?" Sophia asked
"I don't want this. I don't want to be like this." Cybil cried into Sophia
Sophia held Cybil as she cried. Calming down Cybil broke away and couldn't look at her own flesh.
"Why couldn't he have just left me to die? Then I wouldn't have to continue on as a corpse." Cybil said
Sophia picked up the large tomb off of her desk. She had been reading through it for the past few weeks. Several pieces of paper were sticking out between the pages.
"Cybil. I think you should read this." Sophia said
Cybil looked back at the book.
"What is it?" Cybil asked
"It's about him, well more his family." Sophia said
"Why should I read it? I hate that bastard." Cybil said
Cybil walked out into the kitchen looking for something. Sophia stood in the living room with the book open turned to a page with a sheet of paper sticking out.
"Dimitri Nikitin, sired son of Logan Nikitin and son of Elizabeth Dudkin." Sophia read out loud
Cybil stopped her search and looked up to Sophia.
"You're lying." Cybil said
"When I was sired into this life they took my daughter away from me. No one could tell me where she was taken." Sophia said
Sophia looked back down to the book and flipped past several pages.
"Wife to Logan Nikitin died of pneumonia at the age of 27. Only son was said to have disappeared for twenty years after her death. It is written that he was torn apart that he had to watch his own mother die and he couldn't do anything." Sophia said closing the book. "His surrogate father sired him. Once Dimitri was born he was on the brink of death. So why would he keep Dimitri "alive" while his own wife suffered and died?"
"I couldn't tell you." Cybil answered. "But why must you keep reading that book?"
Sophia opened the book again, turning to another marked page with a large picture facing the page.
"Because I can see her again." Sophia said. "I can see my darling Elizabeth, I now know what happened to her. It's taken so much off of my chest knowing she lived happy after she was taken from me."
Sophia held the book out to Cybil. She looked down at the page reading the passage. The picture was of a man a woman and a small child standing between them.
Father Nikitin, Son Dimitri, Wife Nikitin.
"If that is you're daughter in all of these passages and this painting." Cybil said
"I know he would never tell me. It would explain a few things about him." Sophia said. "My poor grandson."
"You're poor grandson?" Cybil said. "I'm sorry that I can't feel the same way about that bastard that you can. I know that a lot of what happened in the past that I blamed all on him was wrong. But, why couldn't he have just told me. He said he was going to protect me. He was going to save me. Where is he?"
Cybil stood in the living room infuriated. Sophia stood with the book held to her chest. She sighed and looked down.
"I don't know. I'm sorry that all of this has happened." Sophia said
Cybil picked up a knife from a drawer. She placed the blade to her wrist and pushed it along her skin. Cybil stopped it after going an inch into her skin.
"I really am dead." Cybil said
No blood seeped from this new wound. Pulling the knife away the skin folded onto its self and sealed again. Angry she pulled the knife up and slammed it through her hand.
"What are you doing?" Sophia cried
Cybil held her hand up. The knife rested in her flesh. The handle of the blade pointed out while the blade stuck out through the palm of her hand. Cybil stared at this scene.
"I, I can't feel it." Cybil said
Putting her other hand on the knife's handle and pulled it out.
"I've tried so hard to feel anything. But…" Cybil stopped
She put the knife down on the table next to her.
"Is this why he kept doing it?" Cybil said
Cybil walked past Sophia and stopped at the door.
"I need to find him. If he's still in this city I'll find him." Cybil said
Vicker's pulled the car to a stop. Vicker's Jacoby and Ben looked at a seeming empty building. All the windows were closed off and the only door visible was bolted shut.
"So, do we just knock or does it have a motion sensor?" Vicker's asked
Jacoby looked back at Ben.
"You sure you want to go through with this?" Jacoby asked
Ben looked up at him. His determination could clearly be seen.
"Yes. I have to do this." Ben answered
The three stepped out of the car. Jacoby pulled out his two handguns. Ben picked up the assault rifle sitting next to him in the car.
"You guy's and your guns." Vicker's said
"So Ben, did they ever tell you about my father's work?" Jacoby asked
"I've met him once, but no one ever really talked about him. Why?" Ben asked
"Were you ever approached about "Saint's Blood"?" Jacoby asked
"Yes actually. But I never took it. As a small class rank I never needed to go on hunts." Ben said
"That's a shame. We're going to need some help with this. Cuz if what Lucia said is true. Then everyone here is using it." Jacoby said
Ben aimed his rifle at the door. The three walked towards it. Vicker's walked up and in a blur he punched the door's open. The halls were lit up with a siren resounding.
"Ok they know we're here, so lets rough em up a little!" Jacoby yelled
Alarms went off as Celphie sat in her quarters. She picked up a radio and hit the call button.
"What the hell is going on?" Celphie asked
"Three rat's got in." The officer called back. "They are fighting their way through our men."
"Ok, lock this place down. I'm going to wake up our hunter's." Celphie said
She picked up her keys and walked out into a hallway. Walking down some steps and another hallway she stopped hearing an explosion coming from over head.
"Punk's are really making a mess of the place." Celphie said
Placing a black card key in a reader the door she stood in front of unlocked. Pushing it open she stepped in. Hitting a switch the lights flickered on. She gazed at the glass cases of several dozen men and women. Restraints held them in place but they were all asleep. Walking past all of the cages Celphie stopped at a control panel. Typing in a few codes and entry keys each of the hunter's awoke. A feed line shot a stream of crimson liquid into their bodies.
"Ok, we have three rat's roaming in this building. You are to find them and suppress their attack. Kill them if they resist." Celphie finished
All of them filed out of the room. Dressed in a full black military suit they vanished in a blur.
"Do those things ever run out of ammo?" Ben asked
Jacoby held his guns out waiting for more soldiers to come into view.
"I haven't yet." Jacoby said
Ben fired off a stream of bullets down a corridor hitting two more soldiers. They saw the lights die and the alarm stop.
"Five bucks says this isn't good." Jacoby said
Ben stood with his rifle aimed at the hallway facing them.
"Where are they?" Ben asked
Jacoby glanced over to Ben as he felt the wall collide with his back. Ben turned at opened fire. Chips of the wall and ceiling rained down in the small walkway. The rifle clicked empty as debris clouded the area.
"What the hell was that?" Jacoby asked
Ben was franticly trying to reload his rifle when he looked down the hallway. He saw nine of them. Nine men and women stood in a black uniform with a silver cross on their left shoulder.
"Shit!" Ben cursed
Pointing the rifle at them he opened fire again. The group slowly walked towards them. He stopped firing and moved his hand to the grenade launcher attachment. Pulling its trigger he fired a 40mm grenade round at the group, the explosion rung out through the building.
"We are going to die here." Ben said in fear
Jacoby picked himself up. Holstering his handguns he rubbed his hands together.
"Let them come. I am done playing the weakling that everyone thinks I am." Jacoby said
Celphie walked down the hallway towards the barracks of the other soldiers. Lucia came out of her room with her weapon in hand. She stopped and saluted Celphie.
"Hold on, I have a job for you." Celphie said
An explosion shook the floor. Ben ran out into another room. He pushed a desk over and kneeled down on the ground. Reloading his rifle he cursed at himself. Dropping the empty clip to the floor he stepped up and aimed the rifle to the door he just dove through. Silent he watched for any movement. He was perspiring, afraid and nervous he wished he didn't leave Cybil alone at her apartment. Not that he had a choice.
"Real smooth, tell her you've been spying on her and she'll just brush it off and ask you to stay the night." Ben thought to himself
He remained motionless waiting for anything to walk through the door. Uneasy he stood up and walked to it. Nudging the door open with the barrel of his gun. It swung back at him. He pulled the trigger pumping a dozen rounds through the door. Stopping a body fell to the floor. Looking down he saw the body of one of the hunters.
"Heh, I guess they aren't as invincible as they made them out to be." Ben said
The hunter turned his head at Ben.
"Boo." He said
Ben pulled the trigger finding the clip to have run dry. Dropping the rifle he dove through the glass window leading to the next office. Just narrowly dodging a hail of gunfire he rolled out of the glass trying to get away from the cluster of hunters chasing after him. Ducking though the small office pathways he ran into someone. The gunfire stopped. He looked up to the person he ran into. Celphie looked down at him with no weapon drawn.
"Officer Drake. Nice to see you again." Celphie said
"If you're going to kill me just do it." Ben said
"Heh, I don't want you dead yet. I need you still." Celphie said
"I'm not coming back. Nothing will make me work for you monsters again." Ben said
"Really?" Celphie asked
Celphie pulled a potable monitor. Clicking it on he handed it to Ben. Looking into the screen the camera it was looking through was centered on a woman.
"Ben, help me!"
"Cybil?" Ben said
The video showed Cybil hanging by her arms naked in a jail cell. He saw a soldier approach her as Celphie took the monitor from him.
"All you have to do is follow my orders for the night and she wont be touched. If you wont the guys below can do what ever they want to her." Celphie said
Ben stood up and looked at her with anger and hatred.
"Yes sir." Ben forced out
The soldier stepped up to "Cybil" and cut the rope that held her captive. She brought her arms down covering herself.
"I guess I deserved this." Lucia said taking off her wig
The other soldier stood there looking at her.
"Get the hell out of here!" Lucia yelled collecting her clothes
Jacoby was running down a hallway trying to get away from the hunters that chased him. He heard a shot resound behind him. Flinching her turned his head to see what was coming. A hook spun out and caught his arm. Pulling into his flesh he stopped and fell to the ground and jerked backwards. He put a hand over the hook trying to pull it out when the chain pulled again. The force dragged him along the ground. He took on of his guns and fired at the chain dragging him. The bolt of energy severed the chain as it disappeared into the hall behind him.
"God damnit, what the hell are these people?" Jacoby cursed at his wound
Getting back up he could hear the running footsteps coming from behind him. Jacoby dropped down leaning back watching the hunter jump over him looking at the long glimmering blade slicing through the wall next to him. She landed on the ground and slowly turned to Jacoby. She held the blade out pointing it at him. Jacoby pointed his handgun at her. She grinned at his failing attempt to not look intimidated. Her body moved in a blur. Jacoby saw his gun fall to pieces, pulling his hand back and saw the tip of the blade stop. She held the sword at his left eye. Motionless Jacoby couldn't move. If he blinked the tip of the sword would cut his eyelid.
"Well, I've never been one for fighting." Jacoby said
She brought the sword up digging into his skin cutting across his forehead. Jacoby fell back and rolled to the side. The hunter lunged down stabbing her weapon into the ground. Jacoby kicked her in the back sending her down. He placed a hand on the sword and pulled it up out of the floor. He held it up in a defensive positioned. He grinned in his personal victory. Jacoby felt a hand grip his wrist.
"Aw this is not going to end well at all…" Jacoby said
The hunter pulled him forward into her fist. Coughing out in pain he felt his hand snap and flew backwards. Landing on his feet he held his wrist in pain.
"The hell with this." Jacoby said painfully
The lights above him shattered as electricity sparked off snapping in the air. Holding an arm up he channeled a bolt of lighting at the hunter. It shot from his hand through her chest. It ran through her body and shot into the ground. A large smoking hole burned through her heart as she fell to the floor dead. Jacoby stood there holding the bleeding wound in his arm. The hook fell to the floor as he ripped it out. Walking forward he forced his wound closed and cracked his wrist. Mending himself Jacoby slowed down. He fell to one knee and grabbed his chest. His heart pounded in his ribcage. He yelled out in pain.
Cybil was just wearing a long sleeve shirt and jeans. Walking alone she felt an attraction. In her mind she was dead set on trying to find some way of getting in contact with Dimitri again. She pushed her way through a small crowd of people. Unable to feel the people brushing against her Cybil was growing depressed again. But in her mind the pull on her brain to keep walking towards this unknown destination kept her moving. The streets slowly thinned out of people finding herself in front of a large office building. The thing pulling her was inside of this building. Looking for a way in she walked around the walls. Cybil stopped once she saw Jacoby's car and a blown open door.
"What the hell?" Cybil said
Standing between the car and the door she looked up at the black sky. Turning her head to the door she kept thinking about how she needed to see Dimitri how she was determined to find him and talk to him. But it was washed out by what she really wanted.
"Ben…" Cybil thought to herself
She turned and walked into the building.
Jacoby woke up. He lied on the floor holding his arm. He quickly got to his feet to see the hunter he killed was gone. Losing his sense of direction he picked a path and started running. Coming to one intersection of hallways he noticed a blood stained wall lined with bullet holes. His eyes saw a man holding a dieing woman on the ground. Rubbing his eyes the image was gone.
"Shit, now I'm hallucinating." Jacoby said
Walking past the intersection he turned his head to look down another corridor.
"Damn this place is just a giant maze." Jacoby said to himself
A chunk of plaster blew up next to his head. Ducking down he looked to where the shot came from. A large metal spike stuck out of the wall. Two more struck the wall and the ground in front of him.
"Damnit… this thing freaking sucks." Lucia yelled
Lucia walked towards Jacoby firing the repeating rifle. Short metal spikes launched out at him. Rolling out of the way into the side hallway he saw more debris cloud the area. Adjusting his sunglasses he started concentrating. Putting a hand on the wall his arm flexed and his muscles tightened. Lucia ran to the intersection where Jacoby dove. Still carrying the rifle she was ready to fire once she saw him. Jacoby bolted out into the corridor in front of Lucia. She stopped and fired again. In a blur Jacoby ducked out of the way and run under her fire. He came up pushing the rifle to the ceiling. Lucia was shocked. Jacoby took the rifle from her hands and in one motion swung around slamming the heel of his foot into her side. Lucia was launched into the wall. The impact created a small dent into the plaster siding. She pushed herself out of the wall and fell down on the ground. Her right arm was broken. She looked in horror seeing the bone coming through the skin. Jacoby spun kicking her again sending her backwards several yards. Lucia lied there holding her arm. Jacoby looked over the rifle. Aiming it at Lucia he waited for her next move. Lucia pulled her arm forward and pushed the bone back into her arm. She rolled on the ground crying in pain. Her skin flushed of color and Lucia stood up.
"Ok I guess I deserved that after what I've been doing to you." Lucia said
Jacoby fired the rifle. A metal spike launched out at her. Lucia put up her left hand. It flew backwards from the impact. Bringing her hand back out in front of her she showed her new wound. The metal spike rested in her hand. She bit down on it and pulled it out with her teeth. Dropping it Lucia clenched her fist making the wound close up and heal. She dashed at Jacoby knocking the rifle out of his hands she dropped low bringing her fist to his knee. He pulled his leg back in time to dodge the blow. He dropped his elbow down slamming her into the floor. She bent her legs backward kicking Jacoby. He rolled off of her bringing an arm to his face to block her fist. Jacoby got up and saw Ben running up from behind him. He grinned at Lucia seeing his back up. He took a defensive stance waiting for her to attack again. Lucia backed away seeing two enemies to defend against.
"Ok, I'm tired of dealing with you madam now just step out of the ow…" Jacoby said
Putting a hand to his neck he looked back at Ben. He turned away from Jacoby holding an empty syringe. The world hazed and he fell to the floor.
"Thank you Officer Drake." Lucia said
Ben dropped the syringe to the ground and didn't say a word.
"Just you and Officer Servana better keep your promise." Ben sneered
Lucia picked Jacoby up off the floor with one arm.
"I wouldn't worry. You do good for us and you can have that mishap all to yourself." Lucia said
She walked off carrying Jacoby. Ben turned and pulled out another syringe and marched off to his next target.
Vicker's had just finished planting the last of his mines. Switching though his detonators he saw that they were all online.
"Alright, now to get the hell out of here." Vicker's said to himself
Sneaking out of the boiler room of the building he walked around a corner to see Ben standing there.
"Yo, Jacoby sent me to find you." Ben said
"Really, what's up?" Vicker's asked
"He found where they were making that blood stuff he was talking about earlier. He wants to make sure it is destroyed." Ben explained
"Well I do have a few charges left so why not." Vicker's smirked
The two came to a set of locked doors. Heavily bolted Vicker's cracked his knuckles and punched the doors open. The two walked in as lights flashed on. They were standing in the middle of a large open room. A dozen hunters stood around them by the walls.
"What the hell is this?" Vicker's said
Ben stood with the needle in his hand. Gritting his teeth he hated himself for what he was about to do. Taking the syringe he stuck it into the major artery in Vicker's neck. Pushing the clear fluid into his bloodstream Ben took the needle out. Stepping back he watched his poison take effect. Vicker's turned around at Ben. Falling to the ground his mind left his body.
"Good job." Celphie clapped
Celphie walked out from behind two of the hunter's. One of the soldier's dragged Vicker's body out of the room. Ben was left standing alone in the center of armed men and women all glaring at him.
"It's always nice to see that even a stray is still obedient." Celphie said
"I brought you the two you wanted. Now give her back." Ben said angrily
Celphie smiled to herself.
"Yes, our deal… Bring her out." Celphie ordered
Two hunter's drug a battered woman blindfolded out into the room. A zip tie held her wrists together. Dropping her onto the floor one of the soldier's carrying her kicked Cybil out towards Ben. He walked towards her when the door's swung open behind him. Cybil dove forward just dodging an attack from a pursuing hunter.
"What the hell is this?" Ben asked
Cybil rolled to the side as the hunter swung down chipping the floor with his sword. Enraged Celphie yelled out at the hunter's in the room.
"Damnit, kill them." Celphie ordered
Lucia pulled her blindfold down and stood up.
"Well this wasn't expected." Lucia said
Celphie glared at her.
"Go take care of those two idiots then I'll figure out what to do later." Celphie ordered
As Lucia left Celphie stopped one of the guards.
"Once she is done dealing with the commander's son and his friend do the same with Officer Warren." Celphie whispered
The guard nodded and ran after Lucia. Two of the hunter's ran out of formation and grabbed Ben. He struggled to get out of their grip, over powering him Ben yelled at Cybil.
"Cybil, get out of here." Ben said
"No, I'm not going with out you damnit." Cybil yelled
She tried to weave around the hunter's but they moved around her fast enough to box her in. Slowly advancing on her Cybil was stuck. Without an option she knelt to the floor.
What are you going to do?
A voice rung in Cybil's head, she looked around trying to see where it came from. Only seeing her demise inching towards her she hid her head under her arms.
Are you going to just sit there and die?
"No, I don't want to die." Cybil thought. "I just want to leave her with Ben. Leave this city and never look back."
One hunter stopped at her and grabbed Cybil's arm.
"I want this to stop. I want them all to just stop!" Cybil yelled in her head
Felling the hand grip her arm it didn't move. Gaining some courage she opened her eyes to a man looking blankly down at her. She glanced around her to see that everyone had stopped moving.
"What the hell are you doing?" Celphie yelled. "God damnit kill them!"
Each of the soldiers stood still as statues. Pulling her arm free Cybil stood up. Celphie pulled a pistol from her hip holster. Pointing it at Cybil she fired. A hunter moved in front of her taking the bullet. Celphie dropped the handgun and charged at Cybil. Throwing her right arm out to the side a scarlet whip flew out from her flesh. Bringing her arm around front of herself Celphie struck the hunter blocking her target. Slicing the man in half she stood feet away from Cybil.
"You damn mistake. What do you think you are doing here?" Celphie said sullenly
Cybil took a few steps backwards. As she did the soldiers standing around her all stepped into the gap between her and Celphie.
"What the hell is this?" Ben thought
Celphie slashed though each of her former guards. As each one was struck down she grew more irritated.
"I will rip you apart with my own hands!" Celphie yelled
Celphie swung down at Cybil and stopped. A bullet tore into her side knocking her down before she could attack. Holding the wound she looked over at Ben. He held his handgun aimed at her. She swung her arm at him. The whip lengthened wrapping around his neck. Pulling him to the ground Ben couldn't breath. The vitae burned his flesh as he struggled to pull it off of his neck. Celphie laughed as she watched her used Officer die.
"Stop it. Leave him alone!" Cybil cried
Celphie turned her head. A twisted smile graced her lips.
"Why?" Celphie asked. "Why the hell should I listen to you?"
"You said you were my sister. Please just let him go." Cybil begged
"Heh… you're not my sister. You're just a mistake. A abomination on this world." Celphie hissed
Cybil couldn't understand what she was saying. Celphie picked up a handgun off of one of the corpses in the room. She pointed it at Ben and fired. The bullet ripped through his leg. Falling over he still tried to get free from Celphie.
"Stop it! Let him go!" Cybil yelled
Celphie shot again hitting his left arm. Ben's body started to fall limp. Cybil's mind burned with sadness and soon anger. She held her hands to her face blocking her vision. A feeling grew in her right hand. It was warm. Her anger focused her rage into her right hand. Not knowing what she was doing it felt almost natural in her mind. Running off of what her intuition was telling her to do Cybil stopped hesitating.
Cybil ran out, her right hand grew a thin blade of vitae from her fist. She quickly cut the whip of blood that was slowly killing Ben.
"You bitch." Celphie said in anger. "I guess I'll have to finish the job and kill you myself."
Celphie pointed her handgun at Cybil. Pulling the trigger three rounds burned through her body. Cybil stood up straight undeterred by the gunfire. She brushed off her wounds as they healed. Cybil opened her now crimson eyes. A long flat scarlet blade hung from her hand. She growled at Celphie showing her grown fangs. She was taken back by how Cybil was acting.
"What's this? The freak has a back bone after all." Celphie said
Pointing the gun at Cybil she fired again. Cybil's eye's widened and she reflexively reacted. Her body dropped low and she swung her vitae blade upwards. Its flat end connected with the bullet and deflected it at the ceiling. Cybil rushed at Celphie. She swung the blade at her face. Celphie kicked her own legs out from under her body. Gravity pulled her body backwards just out of range of Cybil's attack. Pulling her arm back Cybil swung down again. Celphie rolled out of the way as the vitae blade punctured the floor.
"Shit." Celphie cursed. "Men! Get in here and kill her!"
Celphie yelled into a small microphone on her shoulder. A set of doors opened behind her. A small group of soldiers rushed in. They all trained their weapons at Cybil. She pulled her blade out of the ground and stood ready to defend herself. Celphie backed away waving at Cybil. One soldier started firing. Cybil swung her blade slicing down the oncoming rounds. A second soldier joined in. He shot out her legs. Unable to feel the burning metal she kept swinging her scarlet weapon in the air. They stopped shooting. Another soldier stepped forward with a shotgun. He fired sending a hail of buckshot at Cybil. The force of the impact sent her back. Still unable to fell anything except the vibrant warmth in her hand Cybil fell. Every bullet that tore through her body forced the blood in her system to heal it. She had pushed her body too far and burned too much blood. The soldier with the shotgun stood over Cybil. She had collapsed on the floor. The blade that grew from her hand melted and drew back into her wrist. Cybil heard the man pump the shotgun and the shell that hit the floor. Clenching her eye's shut she awaited her final death.
A loud gun shot rung out in the room. The body of the soldier fell to the ground in front of Cybil.
"Now now… who picks on a girl like that?" Dimitri said
Cybil opened her eyes. A series of gunshots filled the room as the rest of soldiers fell dead. Cybil felt her body pick up off the ground.
"Hey, are you ok?" Dimitri asked
Cybil closed her eyes and started crying into his arm. Anemthia walked in holding a dagger. Dimitri smirked at his wife. He pointed at Ben. Motioning her to bring him with them. Dimitri felt the weakness in Cybil's body.
"I never thought you'd have to go through any of this." Dimitri said
"Why did you leave me again?" Cybil cried. "You said you were going to protect me."
Dimitri held Cybil as she shook in his arms. He laughed softly.
"I thought I raised you better then this." Dimitri smirked. "I did everything I could to protect you from this shit, but you still walked head first into this rotting world hiding from the sun."
Cybil stopped crying and looked up at Dimitri.
"Why? Why did you curse me like this?" Cybil asked
"Curse you? I saved you. I did this so you could do what you wanted. You have been chained down by mortality too much. You had no way of defending yourself against the likes of me." Dimitri said. "Now, you can. Stand up with your own two legs and fight back."
And remember I can never leave you now.
Cybil pushed herself away from Dimitri. She looked over to her twin holding Ben.
"Put him down." Cybil said
Anemthia looked at Dimitri and he nodded his head. Anemthia walked to Cybil and let her take hold of Ben. Anemthia said nothing and walked away.
"There is a path out, I say we leave now." Anemthia said quietly
Dimitri started to leave. He stopped and looked back at Cybil.
"Use my own two legs." Cybil said
Cybil laughed at herself seemingly as if she had gone insane. Picking Ben up she started walking behind Dimitri as he showed her the way out.
Ben opened his eyes. He lied in a hospital bed. His body was weak. Barely able to move his arms he closed his eyes as the nurse opened the window blinds.
"Well, I'm glade to see you finally woke up." The Nurse said
Ben moved his head away from the light.
"Where, what happened?" Ben asked
"The girl who brought you in here said you were in the wrong place at the wrong time. A gang shooting and you were just in the crossfire." The Nurse explained
She walked around the room checking his pulse and hooked and new IV line into the back of his hand. She stopped.
"Oh yeah." The Nurse said
She walked over and picked up a loose piece of paper and handed it to Ben.
"The girl who brought you in here left that for you. She kept coming back every night for a week to see if you would wake up." The Nurse explained
"For a week? How long have I been here?" Ben asked
"It's been three weeks now." The Nurse said. "Along with two gun shot wounds there was this odd abrasion wound on your neck."
Ben held the paper up with his left hand. Looking at the rough handwriting Ben read it.
"Damnit…" Ben sighed
He tried to get out of the bed. A sharp pain ran up his leg to the tip of his spine and paralyzed his body.
"Hey calm down. The bullet wound in your leg shattered the bone. You can't walk just yet." The Nurse explained
Clenching his eyes in pain Ben gritted his teeth.
"God damnit Cybil, why did you have to leave?" Ben thought to himself
Cybil looked out over the edge of the bridge.
"Home." Cybil said
Walking over the bridge she looked up at the small street lamps. She held a pair of keys that Dimitri had given her. Cybil found the old apartment that Dimitri had taken her to for years. Opening the door she no longer found it cold. This safe haven would keep her for the nights to come. Cybil lied back on the bed she used to sleep on. Her black hair had grown long. Rolling over it covered her face.
"I'm sorry I had to leave. But I can't risk you dieing because of me again." Cybil said to herself.
Manipulating the blood in her body she felt the warmth blush in her hands and arms. Smirking to herself Cybil pulled the covers over her body just as an aesthetic.
Ben let the paper drop on the table next to him. He put his arm over his face as the last words of the letter echoed in his mind.
I will come back.