*Rewritten
We prowled through the dark alleys of the Transylvania region in Romania. Erik, Markus and Tuomas were right behind me. I was able to pick my own team back, so I chose those who were closest to me, who I could trust my life with. We had been scouting the city and its surroundings for two days now. I was tense. I knew Miika would not have asked me to leave unless he had no other choice. We reached the city's end and an old factory came up in the distance. We had been patrolling the area and keeping a close eye on our Lycan friends.
I checked in with the mansion every other day so we knew what to expect. One night I got back from my scheduled communication, I had to confront my team who were waiting for me to report. How was I even going to tell them what happened at Olavinlinna. My legs hardly held me up and my hands were shaking. "Nathalka what is wrong?" Markus asked, I couldn't fool him with my calm Death Dealer demeanor.
"The attack on Olavinlinna happened last night, there were complications, I just spoke to Bardulf. They were betrayed, by Elija or so it seems. I don't know any details" I tried to focus and remember exactly what Bardulf had told me. I looked at my team. Their eyes were almost burning with anticipation. "They took the blood from our cellars".
I knew the moment I left Olavinlinna that I was making a mistake. I couldn't stand the idea of the mansion being under attack without me to command the troops. Although I had faith in my kinsmen, we all had our own specialities. There were fighters, medics, engineers and commanders. I left them without their best commando's, medic and leader. I felt I was proven right by my gut feeling and got punished by not listening to it.
Erik let out a sigh of frustration. I knew he felt as powerless about the situation as I did.
They started discussing amongst themselves. "But that is not all..." they stopped their bickering right away and looked at me. "Miika has been taken... by Lycans". I said. Blinking my eyes, hiding my own emotions.
"He has been WHAT?" Markus' eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What the hell went down over there?'.
"What and why isn't important now Markus! This is why we are here. This is why Miika asked us to leave the mansion. So there was a last line of defense! And like it or not but that is us now!". My team shuffled with their feets, knowing I was right.
"Now," I breathed in deep "someone better get me a schematic of that factory. We've got a rescue mission to plan".
The Lycan warriors arrived in the Transylvanian factory with the elder blood and Miika firmly tied up in chains. His wounds were healing now but he was in no position to offer a fight.
"Put him in a cell. Our mistress would want to drink from him herself when she awakes from her slumber" the leader of the pack said.
He went into the cellar where a makeshift laboratory was set up and a small man in a lab coat awaited the pack leader with great anticipation.
"Do you have it?" the small man asked.
"Almost all, here are the packs from the cellar at Olavinlinna" he opened a bag and dumped the bags of blood on the table. "Start the process, our mistress should awake soon. The eleventh elder is downstairs in a cell. Our mistress can drain him dry herself" the pack leader said with an evil grin.
The pack leader walked out to the laboratory and up the stairs. "Gather around men!" He shouted into the halls of the factory and Lycans came scrambling to the main hall.
"I have tasted the last elders blood and took his blood memories. There is a group of Vampires near our headquarters led by Miika's pet Death Dealer Nathalka". He spat her name as it was both familiar and deeply hated by the Lycans. "By now they have for sure gathered intel on the disappearance of their beloved elder. Be on your guard men, these are no mere aristocrats, they are Death Dealers on a warpath". He looked around the circle to stress his point.
"Our mistress is being awoken as we speak, we cannot have a group of Death Dealers interrupt the sacred process! Lets prepare a little surprise for our guests. Get to work!" his shout echoed through the walls.
We had to wait until nightfall the next night to move out. This gave us time for a plan. We would move in on the factory from the back, closest to the entrance to the cellar where we imagined Miika to be held captive. I gave the halt signal and we spread out. We reached the factory and I slowly pushed the door open. It was very rusty and it took a great effort to push it open. The Lycans must use another entrance.
Inside it smelled awful, like a sewer pipe on a hot day. I coughed a few times and slowly proceeded in, closely followed by Erik Markus and Tuomas. It was darker than the night inside and I could hardly make out objects. I took a moment to let my vision get used to the darkness. Carefully I put one foot in front of another. It was quiet too quiet. The only sound was that of our leathers crackling as we proceeded in.
"Wait" I whispered. I got a strange feeling in my stomach, the kind of feeling you get when you know that somewhere thing's aren't right. Quickly I tried to put the information of my surroundings together. "Something is wrong" I said, as I concluded this wasn't a usual Lycan lair. For one, Lycans were not quiet, and they didn't like living in complete darkness.
We took a few more steps forward. All of a sudden someone switched the light on.
In reflex I covered my eyes with my arms. I was blinded by the light but quickly blinked my eyes to regain my eyesight.
This is wrong, this is really wrong.
I felt my heart racing, we were in trouble. Just as I had thought that a pack of Lycans moved in from the other end of the room. They knew we were coming.
I ducked behind a small wall that offered hardly any cover.
We opened fire on the Lycans and they shot back with equal vigor. We were out numbered that much was clear. As I hit the Lycans with a few silver rounds, they had no choice but to shift into wolf form to work the silver out of their system before it killed them. This was an opportune moment for us to strike.
"Markus, Erik go down to the basement. Find Miika get him out, go, go NOW!" I shouted as I inserted fresh clips in my twin berettas. Markus and Erik dove into the stairway and ran down the stairs. I heard gunfire from downstairs and just hoped Markus and Erik would be able to fend them off themselves.
Tuomas and I got out of cover and leaped over the group of transforming Lycans, now being at their back gave us the advantage of laying down fire from both sides. Two Lycans did not make the transition because they were already too badly damaged. Another was now in full wolf mode and made a leap for Tuomas who barely jumped away in time. I immediately raised my weapons and fired a quickly calculated shot with my left handgun. The bullet flew threw the air, my heightened senses made it look like slow motion, slowly it flew threw the air and pierced the back of a Lycan head. Without looking to the right, I fired my right pistol, the Lycan betrayed itself with his heavy, animalistic breathing, and the bullet had punctured his eye before my head made the turn.
I felt a dull knock to my head, not nearly enough to knock me out but it staggered me. A wolf jumped at me. I caught myself with my hands, causing my pistols to glide over the floor but also giving me the opportunity to kick my right leg up right into the Lycan's stomach. I felt my left boot fill with blood as I spilled the beasts guts over the floor. Kristan's silver heeled boots were a godsend.
I smiled, but it got quickly wiped from my face as I saw Tuomas being jumped by two wolves. I had no time to worry about him because, before I knew it, another wolf was on me. The Lycan lashed my arm with his sharp claws. I cursed as blood dripped to the ground. Quickly I retrieved my fallen weapon. I kicked him away from me and put three bullets through his head. His brains splattered on the wall behind him.
I scrambled to my feet, as I looked over I saw Tuomas' face get ripped off by one of the Lycans. I didn't look away. The sight was hideous and all I could hope for was that the death was instant. He died serving with me, death in battle is the death us Death Dealers hope for, albeit not too soon. I jumped for the Lycan and drew my blade from my boot. As I came down on his back I stuck it's blade into my foes head. The Lycan yelped as I withdrew my blade and he fell to the ground.
I looked up and saw Markus and Erik come up from the dungeon with a cloaked figure in between them. They have him, thank the elders they have him. I let out a sigh of relief.
As I did that, I felt sharp pain manifest in my shoulder. Markus' face contorted as he looked at me. I smelled blood. I was hit. I spun around, guns ready. A second wave of Lycans arrived in the big hall. I jumped behind an old working bench as more bullets flew around my head. I got up and opened fire on the Lycan horde that came in. I heard Markus shouting from the back entrance.
"Markus get out of here! Get Miika to safety go!" another bullet hit me in my upper leg.
I hissed in pain but never slowed my firing rate. Taking out another Lycan with my bullet salvo.
"Nathalka!" I heard him shout from the back.
I turned my head for a brief second "Don't argue with me get out! That is an order!"
Another bullet hit me in the abdomen and I fell to my knees. My left gun clicked. Out of ammo. Another bullet hit me in the arm. I fell on my back and saw Markus and Erik leave the building with Miika. I smiled and closed my eyes as another bullet buried itself into my torso. I had done my job.
Just as my vision blurred I heard a strange melodic female voice.
"Wait".
Somehow the Lycans seemed to listen because my head was still attached to my torso. "Don't kill her yet, that would be a shame" were the last words I heard before I passed out.
"We have to go back!" Markus yelled in panic at Erik after they ran for a few kilometers dragging a nearly conscious Miika between them.
"Did you see those guys, there is nothing we can do for her now!" Erik shouted. "We need to get back to the safe house, make sure Miika is okay and contact the mansion!" He saw the panic in Markus' eyes. And as horrible as it was, he admitted he feared for their friends lives as well.
"Nathalka is my sister, man! She's the only one I've got!" Markus said tears welled up in his eyes, not from emotion, but from the pure hatred he harbored for their attackers. "She could get killed!"
"I know, but the two of us are no match against them, we must send word to the mansion" Erik said. "You know we can't go back. If we do that we'll get killed and Nathalka would have died for nothing". He noticed that he already thought of her as dead. Then again he saw her go down in the battle.
He grabbed Markus by the arm and they ran off into the forest, to the safe house, where they would stay during daytime, take care of Miika and contact Bardulf and the mansion.
I woke up with a searing pain in my body. I was on the cold floor in a cell of some sort. I am not dead. Was the first thought that went through my mind. I tried to move but the bullets in my body wouldn't let me move very far without doubling over in pain. I used the wall to push myself into a standing position so I could scout my surroundings. My Death Dealer training took over. I need to try to find some way to escape.
"Oh Nathalka, don't you know when a battle is lost?" It startled me. Even though the cell was dark I had the feeling I was alone. But the same person who earlier told the Lycans to wait was in here with me. Who is that? And worse, why did it know my name?
"Who are you?! Show yourself you coward!" I yelled. My heart was racing in my chest.
I tried my best, but feared that my voice would break and reveal the fact I had never been this scared in my life.
"This is not the time for your tough act, Nathalka, not when your life hangs in the balance" the stranger replied as I heard her approach. Some light shone in through the bars of the cell door. I could smell blood on her breath. She wasn't Lycan… she was a Vampire. The Dark Vampire.
No it can't be.
I saw a dark figure cloaked and hooded approach from the the other end of my cell. The face was masked, long hair was draped over her shoulders.
The cloaked stranger walked up to me and grabbed me by the throat. She held me up by my neck the tips of my toes dragging the floor. She was extremely strong. I gulped in bits of air as she tried to choke the life from me. I tried to fight back at her but there was no use.
"Aah, Nathalka… Miika's own little pet… I'm sure we will have loads of fun with you" she said, her mask not moving an inch but I felt she was smiling. She threw me to the floor after a punch deep in my stomach. I landed with my back on the floor, curling up into a ball I coughed and tried to catch my breath again. My lungs filling themselves with precious oxygen. At times like these, being immortal was a true curse. To be deprived of oxygen, feeling your brain burn away inside your skull screaming for fresh air, for an eternity, was truly a fate worse than death.
Two Lycans entered the cell. Both still with blood stains on their bodies from the fight earlier.
"Tie her up against that wall, we will have a little fun before this is over. We knew you were coming, you know that? You should have. A brilliant mind like yours did not think of the blood memories from your Elder? A rare flaw from the great commander, Nathalka. Although, I must say I am surprised that you managed to break out your Elder amidst the battle. It proves that you must never get a Lycan to do a Vampire's job" she said with a snarl towards the Lycans behind her. "He might have escaped, but I'm sure your buddies will come looking for you. And then we will throw them a little surprise party" the cloaked figure said as it laughed a high pitched laugh and walked away.
The skin on my throat bruised as I was violently dragged away and pinned up against a wall with my arms above my head.
The female Vampire turned around, walked up to me and stroked my arms. When she got to the bullet hole in my shoulder I flinched.
"Ahw my dear, that must be painful. Let me help you with that" she walked off to the dark end of the cell and came back with with a small knife. I started breathing faster. Not trying to give away my distress.
With her long lean fingers she cut away the fabric that covered the shoulder wound, and without warning plunged the blade deep into the wound. I bit down on my lower lip, drawing blood. I made a muffled noise. I would not scream, not for her, not for this freak of an experiment. She poked around the wound and a warm stream of blood trickled down my torso. When she found the bullet she popped it out. The metal made a loud clank on the hard cold stone floor of my cell.
"There, that must feel better" she said in the sweetest voice possible as she moved down to start working on the bullets in my legs. She got out 3 more bullets when I nearly lost consciousness. A sharp slap to the face made me resurface.
"You are not tired yet are you?" she asked as she stroked my cheek with her hand. "Your wounds already start to heal, I see".
"Go to hell traitor" I spat at her.
"I have been Nathalka, and I can tell you it isn't pretty" she answered.
Drops of sweat stained my face as I tried to control my breathing.
A searing pain ripped through my abdomen as she inserted the blade in another bullet hole.
"This one must be deeper than the others" I felt her push the blade deeper in as I got ready to lose consciousness again. I heard a loud clang and she moved the dagger away from me but the burning pain did not stop.
"Ahw, it broke! But that was one of my favourites!" It took all my force to open my eyes and see her walk away. "Ah well, we'll leave the rest for some other time". She moved for the door, knocked three times after which it opened. She and her Lycan guards left my cell.
Being alone, I dropped down my head and drifted into unconscious bliss.
The lycans had left the mansion, taking everything they needed along with them. Nathalka had to leave us here, she left me in charge, made me promise to protect the mansion, to protect her family. I didn't mind that I failed the coven as much as the fact I failed Nathalka.
Kristan helped me up, I felt his cold gloved hand wrap itself around my wrist. I saw every Vampire, man, woman and child work to board up every hole in the mansion to prevent sunlight from coming in. The battle was over but Vampires were still able to get hurt by small rays of sunlight.
"Did Miika…" I uttered. "He jumped right in front of you when that Lycan tried to tear you apart from limb to limb. I'm afraid they took him." Kristen replied immediately his eyes looked grave.
"Dead?" I asked fearing the worst. "I don't think so. They need his blood, so they probably want him alive for the time being. Are you alright? I thought your head was going to come off when that beast hit you." Kristan asked. "Left a nasty wound though".
"I fail…" I tried to say that I failed the coven but Kristen interrupted me.
"You did what you could. If anyone would say you failed, they haven't seen the monsters we were up against. They were Elite's buffed by the full moon. Our own troops betrayed us. It was a lost battle from the start". He was right, but I didn't want to believe it. It would have spared so much life if we just handed the lycans the blood. I looked down. There was a body next to my feet, the body of a young girl, she looked barely twenty years old. Her face was beautiful, the back of her head was missing. I didn't know who were Rogues and who were our own Vampires, but I cared for every loss. Even the Rogues had been lied to, manipulated by Elija.
While the adrenaline in my body slowly disappeared, my wounds started to give off their dull, beating, rhythm of pain. I raised my fingers to my head and felt loose skin at my temple. When I looked at my fingers, they were smeared in blood and hair. Blood was streaming over my face, I'd had these gashes looked after on a later time. Right now, I had a more important task at hand. I managed to find our communications officer in all the ruckus. We set up a transmission with Nathalka. The fact that she kept her calm when I broke her the news scared me the most. I'd rather have her scream at me, wishing me dead, than complete silence. If only she showed some emotion, give me a clue to what she feels so I could make the right decision.
Three days have gone by. The mood was grim but we started to pick ourselves up. Kristan and I took up Miika's office to create a base of operations. When I leaned over Miika's old desk, it felt like I looked through his eyes. I memorized his past decisions in combat which helped me to make educated guesses about what to do next, although, I'd rather have someone else be in charge right now.
That night one of the Death Dealers came into Miika's office which I currently used for planning. "It's Markus, they've got Miika!" I let out a sigh of relief. Thank the gods they were already there, ready to strike. "But Nathalka and Tuomas have been compromised during the mission. Tuomas is dead, they are not sure what happened with Nathalka". Her eyes were pained. So much death, so much loss. I did not respond right away. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. "Gather your men and women. We are going to Transylvania".