A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net

A/N 2: R&R, people! Feed the starving artist ^^

Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy

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Chapter Thirty-Six: Blood Moon Rising, part I

(Continued directly from chapter 35)

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"Ryan!" Blade growled. Now that he knew the reason behind his nightmare, it was so obvious that he wondered why he hadn't realized it until now.

Damnit!

"Blade?" Jordane asked. "What's wrong?"

"It appears that Cretes is playing mindgames," Blade replied and barely suppressed anger was obvious in his words. "I strongly suspect that nightmare wasn't a coincidence."

"*He* caused it? But he wouldn't..." Jordane trailed off, confused. Nightmares, mindreading...it wasn't Ryan's style, she knew that. The man was almost obsessive when it came to his powers - he refused to use them for unethical purposes, unless the lives of his teammates were on the line.

"Either he's breaking down...or maybe he isn't such a goody-two-shoes after all," Blade said slowly. "Either way we need to take it into consideration the next time we face him."

Jordane sighed.

"I'm getting tired of him. Why don't we just kill him and get it over with? You know where they're staying, don't you? One well-placed bomb would take care of our problem for good," she suggested.

Blade raised an eyebrow.

"A bomb?" he repeated. "I thought you hated explosives."

Jordane sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"He hurt you, and I don't like to see you in pain. Tonight it was a nightmare...who knows what it'll be tomorrow?" she whispered. "Stop the game, Blade. You've won - it's only a matter of time before he breaks. Let's kill him before it's too late...*please*."

She was right, Blade knew that much. If Cretes broke down, there was no telling what he might do. But it was also too early to stop the cat and mouse game. It was too tempting to continue, even if he knew the risks.

"Not yet, my Queen. I know what I'm doing - trust me," he said confidently. "But he will pay for what he did, I promise you that."

Jordane looked confused at him, but he didn't offer any further explanation. Instead he got out of bed and quickly put on his clothes, then turned to Jordane again.

He took her hand and helped her out of bed, taking a moment to enjoy the view. Jordane noticed his lingering gaze and raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Like what you see?" she teased, and there was no doubt that she enjoyed having his undivided attention.

"How could I not?" Blade asked and caressed her cheek. "But as much as I like the view, you better get dressed. We have something to take care off."

"You mean I can't walk around naked in the hallways?" Jordane asked mischievously.

Blade shook his head and pulled her closer. Jordane willingly responded and melted into his embrace, a look of absolute trust on her face.

"You're mine, Jordane," Blade stated quietly. "And I don't like sharing."

"Feeling possessive?" Jordane replied breathlessly.

"Only when it comes to you." A lingering kiss on her neck followed the words, and then Blade stepped away. "Get dressed. We have work to do."

* * *

The three Guardians drove into the parking lot by the hotel, and parked the car where it couldn't be seen from the rooms rented by the Shadow Alliance. They had deliberately turned off the lights on the car and wore dark clothes to make them less visible in the night - with a little luck, they would avoid confrontation altogether.

The trio stepped out of the car and stayed in the shadows as the walked closer to the hotel.

"Are you going to tell us what's wrong?" Kyle mumbled. So far, Ryan had been unusually quiet - the only time he'd said anything during the drive, it had been to give a few, curt directions.

Ryan sighed.

"I fucked up," he admitted quietly. "The nightmare...it was the last straw. I wanted to get even with Blade, so I used his own memories against him. Unfortunately, I pushed too far, and he found out that I was the one behind it."

"Damn," Kyle cursed softly and Ryan nodded grimly.

"Yeah."

"How bad do you think it is?" Deirdre whispered.

"It's...bad," Ryan finally admitted, deciding to say it as it was. "He already hates me as it is...it's not unlikely that he'll kill Suzuka to get even."

"He can't kill her!" Deirdre objected. "We have to get her out of there, now!"

"And we will," Kyle assured her. "We'll do whatever it takes, I promise."

They stopped a bit away from the hotel, taking a moment to survey the area. It was silent around them, and only in a few of the rooms were the lights on. Ryan reached out with his powers, quickly scanning the building, searching for Suzuka and mentally marking the locations of their enemies.

"That room up there," he said quietly and motioned towards a room in the corner of the building, as far away from prying eyes as possible. "We can use the emergency stairs and force the window open. Let's avoid the hallways if we can - too big a risk of discovery."

"Sounds like a good idea," Kyle replied. "The emergency exit is probably locked, anyway - no one is stupid enough to leave a door unlocked here. Seraphim?"

Deirdre nodded.

"No arguments from me," she said. "Let's go."

They took a quick look around to make that they were still alone, then hurried into the alley between the hotel and the larger building beside it. Kyle reached up and grabbed the end of the ladder that led to the emergency stairs. The screeching sound of metal against metal and the low rumbling that followed was cut short as Kyle raised his hand and froze the ladder mid-air. He took a deep breath, then slowly and almost soundlessly lowered it to the ground.

The trio exchanged a look, then Ryan took a solid grip on the ladder.

"Let's go."

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"The question is simple, Nike - is she worth keeping alive?"

The words were cold, uncaring, and somehow Laetitia wasn't surprised to hear them. Somewhere deep down she'd know that it was only a matter of time before Ryan tried something to get even, and when Blade and Jordane had shown up in her room, she had known that she'd been right.

Laetitia paused before answering, giving herself time to think everything through. Unlike so many others, she wasn't afraid to voice an opinion Blade might not want to hear, and they both knew it. She wasn't stupid enough to argue with him, but if asked, she would let him know exactly what she thought.

"In my opinion...no," Laetitia finally replied. "We have almost broken her, yes, but none of the information she holds is vital to us. She's temperamental, dangerous, and nothing but a liability. Her presence makes us vulnerable to a possible attack from the Guardians. She has served her purpose in turning Jhonen away from the Guardians for good; her continuous presence would only serve to unsettle him."

"Oh, yes. Your little project. How would he react if we killed her?" Blade asked.

Laetitia smiled coldly.

"He won't turn away from us now, it's too late for that. I had a talk with him after he saw her. Twilight's anger had already weakened whatever loyalty he still felt for the Guardians. I merely finished the job."

Blade nodded slowly.

"You've been busy," he noted.

Laetitia raised an eyebrow.

"Isn't that what you pay me for?"

Blade smirked, but didn't reply. Instead he took a moment to consider everything Laetitia had said, and decide on a course of action. Suzuka's death might very well push Ryan over the edge, and if not, then at least give him severe guilt-trips. First Suzuka, then Ryan himself...yes. Jordane had been right - it was time to finish the game.

You'll regret this, Cretes. You'll regret this for the rest of your miserable existence...however short it may be.

"Kill her, and dump her body someplace public," Blade ordered coldly. "I want it on the cover of every tabloid on the continent tomorrow. Make it bloody and despicable. Make sure that no one will ever forget it."

Laetitia's responding smile was one of disturbing eagerness, and Blade realized that yes, Suzuka, with her stubbornness and deep-running desire to do good, was indeed one of the persons who annoyed Laetitia the most...which was the main reason why he'd decided to let Laetitia be the one to kill her. He could almost feel the frustration Twilight's stubbornness and sickeningly heroic attitude had caused Nike, and he knew that it would make the young assassin even more unstable than usual. Much as he would have liked to kill Suzuka himself, he knew that it would be smarter to give Nike an outlet for her frustration, before she did something they would all regret.

Laetitia reached down and grabbed a silencer from a bag. With quick, precise movements she attached it to the gun she'd been cleaning, and clicked off the safety. She sent her two teammates a brief look, then disappeared out the door.

"What about Ryan?" Jordane asked concerned, once she was sure Laetitia was out of hearing range. "You know this could very well push him over the edge."

"We'll deal with him soon...very soon," Blade promised, and his tone left no doubts about the truth of the words.

Jordane nodded and felt some of the worry leave her mind.

* * *

Suzuka didn't move as Laetitia entered the room - she remained where she was, curled up in the corner, not even raising her head to look at her would-be killer. Tired, lonely, miserable, scared...

Broken, Laetitia noted with a look of triumph in her eyes. They'd won. It was time to end the game.

In one, fluent movement she aimed the gun at Suzuka. It would be quick and painless, as she'd promised. The cuts, the bruises...she could make them later. She'd done it before, once, while she still lived in Greece.

Laetitia smiled coldly, and there was no hesitation as she pulled the trigger.

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To be continued...