CHAPTER 8

****

Niccolie walked down the hallways, everyone he passed had made strange faces like they were waching a red elephant juggling circus balls, a common effect he gave off, but it was different this time they ran away to laugh in some closet or some thing. He, on the other hand felt somewhat refreshed like he had some weight lifted of his shoulders. He walked down to the main hall, and then down to the blood fountain rooms. He pushed open the doors automatically the commotion ceased. Everyone in the room looked at him and their eyes grew big in amazment. He had his normal flat face on, the face he had on all the time until he met Kyla.

"Captain nick?" asked one of the younger riders.

"Don't ask," he said flatly in an angry tone.

"Shark, Karven, Masa and Moko come with me." said Niccolie.

The four got up and finished their drinks. They were Niccolies most trusted men, Shark being his first and right hand man. Shark was the only one Niccolie trusted his personal issues with.

All four of them fallowed Niccolie to the horse salts.

"Were are we headed," asked moko.

"To Rahabs, I have to deliver some massages"

The four got on to their horses and road out. To be on his horse again, it felt different. The cool wind was nice. Twenty minutes they rounded the gulch and ran out on to the green hills of the plains a head of them was the forest.

"Captain!" Niccolie reared his horse and turned around To see karven pointing at a burned out campsite.

Niccolie went down and checked it out. The dirt was torn up where tents were posted and the campfire was burnt out but still had warm coals.

Niccolie was quite from moment, why would humans make camp in vampire territory? Then he passed his eyes over a sharpening stone on the ground next to the fire.

"Oh no" he gasped

"What is it Niccolie?" shark trotted up next to him

"A slayer camp."

"A slayer what! Here!!" shark yelped in suprse "why would they be all the way out here?"

"They must be going for the city." Of course! Why not? a meeting of the most powerful of Zephonim clan. A prefect opportunity to wipe out a vampire bloodline!

"HA!!!" Niccolie yelled as he slammed his spurs in to Black rains sides.

He charged down the hill and road hard to the gulch. His men scurried to keep up just a few feet behind him.

****

"I thought you said my dad was leaving!!!" whined Karie as she saw a bunch of riders strool pass.

"Well, I don't see him." El said

"If his riders are here, HE is here!!!"

Karie, and EL squabbled at the doors to the city, Moemie, Ariel and Vic stood next to them. Shila and thresh Where in the in the blood room.

"Look!! Karie, your dads not going to kill you." Moemie tried to convince her every thing was fine.

"But boy will HE be mighty pissed" EL pointed out

"Look what could possibly go..."

*BOOM!!!* The doors suddnely banged open.

"...Wrong" moemies voice faded.

Vampire slayers swarmed in and the guards screamed, "attack! attack!"

Karie for a moment stood still and watched as the vampire slayers stabbed a spear in to one of the guards and lifted him off the ground.

Suddenly she felt an arm grab her and pull her back.

"Move woman!" screamed the guard that pulled her back.

A vampire slayer ran up to him screaming and he stood in front of Karie.

They threw each other blows, but it was clear to Karie who would be the victor. The slayer was fresh from the battlefield and awake with experience, the guard had been out of action for many years.

*Shink* a swift blow and the guards head rolled to Karies feet.

She felt like barfing, But suddenly the slayer turned to her and raised his sword.

*Swif* he lashed out but Karie jumped back in time.

*Swif* again now faster, she jumped back.

*Swif* again she dodged.

"DIE VAMPIRE!!" he screamed

*Swif*

*swift*

*Think* this time he missed and it got stuck in one of the stone supports.

"Eat THIS!!!" said Karie kicking him down to the ground.

The slayer hit the ground with a groan and Karie turned her attention to the sword.

"Uh!" she pulled on the sword but it was stuck tight.

*Thwick* came the sound as a blade flew through the air.

"AHHH!!!" She screamed as a throwing knife stuck into her leg.

The vampire slayer got up and Karie backed away dragging her painful leg.

*Shink* he pulled out his sword and twirled it in his hands.

"Too bad scum." He said raising his sword.

"Yeah, too bad." Came Vics voice from his side.

*Crack* the vampire slayer fell to the ground with one punch.

Vic stood next to him and picked up the sword. He looked at Karie.

"Thanks" she said. "Ahgh!" she pulled out the throwing knife.

"Where is Moemie?" Vic asked looking about.

"Die vampire!!!"

*Shink*

"AHGHH!!" Screamed Vic as a sword lashed across his back.

"VIC!!" karie screamed

A black armored vampire slayer stood over him. karie felt a shiver to terror run down her spine. the black armor, the fearom eyes, the battle hungery roar. it was like witnessing her father in his vampire slaying days. the armor was of the same desgin, only exception was that her mother was not idolized over the brest plate. a fearful relization of what her father once did paralized her mind. but then as she saw Vic wounded on the ground she felt a uncontolable hate boil up in her body, the infomas Lehethess bloodline signiture gene of rage and fury.

"YOU BASTARED!!" screamed Karie as she threw the throwing knife at him.

*Clink* he caught the knife

"Pitiful!!" he mocked.

"AAAHH!!!" Moemie jumped on him from behind and he jerked in surprise.

"GET OFF ME SCOURGE!!" he yelled dropping the throwing knife.

He reached up and grabbed Moemie by the hair. She screamed and he flung her off him. But EL ran up and stabbed him in his side with the throwing knife.

"HHHAAAGHHH!!" the slayer roared

"HOW DOES THAT FEEL?!" EL pushed the knife deeper

"YOU LITTLE..."

*CRACK* EL flew back as he was backhanded. He turned to Moemie and lifted his sword up above his head.

"NOOO!" screamed Karie, her body surged with power and she tackled him like a angery bull slamming him into the ground. She sat on top of him and punched his face with all her strength, shattering his jaw and knocking him out. Karie got up and took his sword and trusted it down ward into his chest.

*Shink* he coughed up some blood then laid his head back, dead.

"KARIE LOOK OUT!!" Screamed Moemie as another slayer ran up to her, sword rose above his head.

"THAT'S NOT NICE!!!" came a hideous roar as a pair of Threshes big hands grabbed him and slammed him into a stone support, smashing the mans spine to pieces.

Karie suddenly heard the sound of feet running up behind her, she spun around with the sword ready, But she quickly stopped as it was Shila, who had a cut on her face and a bloody sword in her hands, helped Moemie up.

The slayers were all over the place. Vic was on the ground bleeding, EL was still spinning from the hit and Ariel was missing.

"SIR IT'S HIM!!!" screamed some one through the raving of the battle.

"LOCK THE DOORS!!! DON'T LET HIM IN!!!!" screamed an older voice. Karie glanced to the doors to see five men on horses charging towered the doors, swords drawn.

The doors slammed shut and the slayers moved the bolt it to place.

"Karie it's your dad!!' said Moemie watching the men bolt the doors.

"Die spawns"

*Sturk*

"AGH!!!!!" Thresh cried as a spear was thrusted into his chest.

****

"Captain! they locked the door on us!!!!" yelled shark. Niccolie looked around desperately. A way in. ANY way in. suddenly he saw a window that was close to the ground.

"FALLOW ME!!!" roared Niccolie. And he slammed his spurs in to black rain and she reared up and charged at the window.

*Krish!!! * Glass slatted across him.

He looked around it was utter confusion vampires and slayers swarming among each there.

"HA" he galloped through the crowed. Running over any thing in his path.

*Shink* he lopped of a head.

*Shink* an arm

*Shink* a head.

It seemed easy now he could see every thing with his hair weaved tightly. Suddenly he saw a small familiar girl run out of the crowed screaming with a slayer chasing her.

He knew her; she was one of Karies friends.

He charged the horse down on them.

*Shink* the slayers head rolled off it's body.

He road in front of her.

"Give me your hand!!' he said reaching for her with his, she took it and he pulled her on to the horse.

"Hold on tight and close your eyes!!" he said as he dug his spurs into black rain.

They ran through the crowed looking for Karie. He couldn't find her. He charged and lopped the slayers to pieces.

*Swip* *Swip* *Swip* *Swip* he sliced threw the slayers

Ariel screamed suddenly and Niccolie lost control of the horse as a slayer caught it with a spear. Black rain screamed and stumbled to the ground. The two fell to the ground but Niccolie quickly got up and raised his swords as a slayer threw a downward blow.

Niccolie cut off his legs and looked around. He saw Ariel with two arrows in her back,That's went he noticed the pain of the other two in his back. He ran up to her and picked her up.

He grabbed on to her with a death grip.

"Oh!!! It hurts!! It hurts!!" she said in an almost crying tone.

"DAD!!" he heard Karie scream, yet he could not see her.

"Damn it didn't kill him!!" said a slayer reloading his cross bow.

"Well THIS will" said Niccolie throwing a dagger into his face.

The man dropped dead to the ground and Niccolie put Ariel down, who now had gone very quite, and pulled out his combat sword. He picked Ariel up and charged in to the mass of fighting bodies. He must had have killed twenty people before he finally found Moemie, Karie and EL fighting one slayer.

"You three are weak!!" said the slayer as fended them off.

"DIE WELP!" Roared Niccolie as he raised his blade.

the slayer turned, but didn't get the chance to scream.

*Shink* Niccolie gave him such a blow that it cut through his armor like a hot knife through butter. The slayer fell to the ground, vertically cut in half.

"Oh my god! Ariel!!!" screamed Karie as see instantly saw her.

"Put her over there, she will be safe." Niccolie handed Ariel to Karie.

"OH MY GOD!! YOUR HAIR!!!" screamed Karie again.

"Shut up!! And used that sword!!!" he roared at her trying to denture her from his new look. Niccolie looked around. Thresh was moaning in pain as he leaned against a support pillar, Vic was on the ground in a puddle of blood, And Shila was clutching her stomach, which was pouring out blood.

"Dad, you have arrows in you back!" Karie pointed out.

Niccolie mostly irritated by the situation broke them off leaving the heads with a little bit of stick sticking out of his back

"Sir, we need to find lord Zephon!!!" said Shark still on horse back.

"I will do that," said Niccolie pulling out his riding sword. "You protect my kids."

"Their all yours?"

"They are now!!" said Niccolie running down the hall to Zephons quarters.

The older vampires had done a good job of killing most of the vampire slayers here, but most had moved to the opening to fight more of the slayers forgetting their posts to guard lord Zephon and the lieutenants.

Niccolie ran up the stairs and a slayer with a crossbow shot at him from the top of the staircase. But one throwing knife latter Niccolie was holding the crossbow and running down the hall.

He ran down the hall then heard some move meant behind him. Some one lifted a sword and he innately moved his sword behind his back.

*Clink* the swords hit and Niccolie spun around.

*Crack* and punched the person to the ground.

He aimed the crossbow at its head and suddenly noticed the dark blue hair and dark red lips.

"Kyla!" he said in shock and embarrassment quickly moving the cross bow form her head.

"I think I still Am." She said getting up dazed and wiping the blood from a cut above her eyebrow.

"Why were you trying to kill me?"

"Well, somebody was running around with a vampire slaying cross bow. And it's dark if you haven't noticed. Obviously you would do the same seeing you threw a hard one for my face before you had even seen it."

"I'm sorry," he said in his most sincere tone with a kiss to her.

"It's ok," she smiled "I have had much worst. Me and the other lieutenants waiting around killing anything that comes by. The guards ditched out to fight down below."

"Where is Zephon?"

"I don't know, last I checked he was in the meeting room. Slayers went down that area, to many for me and the other lieutenants to take on."

"What!! You didn't stop them!"

"We didn't have a choice, we were out numbered and they were screaming for Zephon to open the door or some thing."

"I am going after them."

"are you crazy? there are fifteen or more of them, too many for one man!" she said worry high in her voice.

"but it's my duty,i will bring them my Wrath" niccolie hurried down the hall.

"Wait I am going with you."

Niccolie and Kyla ran down the halls and were joined by the second and third lieutenants. When they waked up the meeting room they saw the doors were open.

They slowly walked up to the doors. They heard a horse breathing sound. They tapped open the doors.

"Come in everything is fine" came Zephons voice calmly from the room.

Niccolie pushed the door open. Zephon stood in the middle of the room with a blood filled wine glass. eighteen bodies of vampire slayers lay on the ground. And one that was leaning against the wall in front of Zephon, with his throat ripped out and his windpipe hanging out, sucking air in and out.

"Zephon, I didn't know you could..."

"Please Niccolie, Kain wouldn't make me one of his 'sons' if I was weak and defenseless as you think." He said sipping the blood."By the way this is the vampire slayer parties leader. His name is Torock. But he will not tell me who told them how to get in here through my secrete passage."

"What secret passage?" Niccolie asked preplexed

"You don't know where it is, Mostly because you rarely ever come to the meetings. But some one did tell them about it and I want to know who."

"Why would some one want to turn on us and try to kill everyone?"

"That's what I want to know. Nice hair by the way." he said emotionlessly.

"Um yeah, Kyla did it for me."

"Reeeally?" he said sarcastic razing an eyebrow toward Kyla.

"His hair came up in a discussion we had when you showed me to him, I offer him a solution."

"Hummm, try smile." Zephon said with a grin

"Um...no. Back to the traitor thing." Niccolie wasn't in the mood to be laugh at.

"Had to be some one close, maybe one of your men, hell, any one of higher rank could have told. Niccolie you weren't here when we built it so you don't know. Kyla, you I could question but I high doubt you would do such a thing."

"I find it insulating, you would mark me as a possible traitor to the one person who saved my life more times then I can remember." Kyla crossed her arms a little upset

"I maybe overreacting" Zephon said trying to sound sorry. "As for the rest of you, I will be watching..."

The door busted open and a vampire ran in.

"What?" said Zephon sipping his blood.

"We have killed all the slayers, in the main hall, the entrance and the blood rooms sir, but there may be some running around still."

"Do a complete search of the whole city, and I want a casualty list."

"Yes sir." And he left.

"Where are my last two lieutenants?" Zephon asked...seeing he only had four.

"We don't' know." Said the second lieutenant

"Well..." Zephon bent down to the leader slayer, grabbed his arm and squeezed it till blood flowed out of a cut on his wrist into his glass. When it was full he turned to Niccolie and the others. "...Find them, pair up. Kyla stay here. I need to talk with you."

Niccolie went with the second lieutenant.

"Where should we start?" he asked.

"Lets try their rooms." They walked down the halls to the rooms where they found fifth lieutenant. On the ground with a sword through him. He looked as if he was surprised; his eyes frozen wide open in a death shock. Later they met with the other lieutenants. Who found the sixth wandering around the library. It's seemed suspicious.

Niccolie went down to the main hall were all the injured where. He found Karie, Moemie, and EL sitting next to Vic, thresh, Ariel, and Shila who all on beds. He found shark doing the best to help them.

"How is every one?" niccolie asked them

"My back hurts like hell," said Vic in a soft wiry tone.

"They were all very, very, luckily." Said shark handing Niccolie the two arrows that hit Ariel. They were bloody and seemed to go half way in. bit lucky they missed their mark, which would be the head or heart. That reminded Niccolie about his arrows.

"The worst is her," shark said pointing to Shila who had bandage rapped around her waste. "She took a blade, but managed to kill the guy before he got it all the way through.

"Good job shark, you have no idea what you have done for Me." he patting shark on the shoulder.

"And what about lord Zephon?" shark asked.

"I underestimated him"

niccolie kneed down next to Karie.

"Are you ok?" he asked

"If funny you know" she said " went you spend all those hours listening to people talk about fighting, and killing and battling like they know what they are talking about...then you get into this and you realize its all bullshit."

"I know, it's like they don't know what they are talking about."

"Yeah. Like that."

Niccolie got up and began to walk away when Karie turned around.

"Hay dad"

"Yes, Karie?"

"What the HELL happed to your hair?"

Everyone including Shark turned to hear the answer.

"I uh...I felt that it got in the way, so I asked some one a favor to fix it."

"Hay, try smile" El asked

"NO!" niccolie flinched, and then paused. "Ahh, what the hell..."

Niccolie gave one great big smile and walked off as everyone laughed.

He walked to the infirmary were he saw Kyla getting some attention for her cut. He sat down next to her.

"it was close" she said "the slayers were all armed with annointed weapons and they knew all the routs in the city."

"we vastly underestimated them...and we paid for it dearly." Niccolie added

"So how's your daughter?" she asked

"Huh?" niccolie grunted confused as he took a seat next to her.

"I saw you talking to her as I came in"

"Yeah, she's fine, just in a little bit of shock."

"Aren't we all?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Zephon is freaking out, scream 'there is a traitor among us.' He is all ready drawing up assumptions on who it might be."

"Sir can I help you" asked a nurse.

"Yeah, I have...um...some arrows in my back and maybe some glass too." He said bending over so she could see his back.

"Ok, looks like they broke off. We may have to dig them out."

"Yeah, I broke them."

"Frustrated?" asked Kyla.

"What did your um...'father' say, is he suspicious of us.'

"No, actually he is acting like we are the only two he can trust"

"No, I meant...um...well you know."

"Oh, um no he didn't even ask."

"Aarrrggah" Niccolie groaned as the nurse dug a knife in to his back and popped out one arrowhead, then the other. Then she put some oil on it and a patch.

"My father wants you to hunt down the traitor." Said Kyla getting up.