Damien easily dodged a swing from a vampire and brought his sword up, splitting the vampire from stem to stern. It exploded into so much dust.

"This isn't getting any easier guys," he yelled to his companions. He decapitated another vampire in a back swing.

Network tossed his crossbow down after firing the last bolt. "So you say," he said as he pulled his battleaxe off his back and swung it at a vampire.

Paul ran a stake so hard through a vampire that he reached right through the chest and staked the next vamp back. Both turned to dust simultaneously. "We have already slain over half of our opponents," he announced.

Damien looked up at The Master. He stood, watching the skirmish, watching his army fall. "Weak," he said. He turned to Xavier. "How can this happen?"

"It's like I said," Xavier tried to explain. "Vampires are just a joke now."

Penelope stepped forward. "I'll kill the sorcerer," she said.

"He is more than a sorcerer, Penelope," The Master said. "But go ahead and try." She started to walk towards Damien. "And Penelope? Be careful."

"Come, master," Xavier said, gently grabbing The Master by the arm. "You are yet weak. We need to flee."

The Master looked at Xavier then back towards the battle. "You are right, Xavier. Now is not the time to fight."

The two vampires fled down one of the tunnels. Paul watched them flee. "The Master is escaping," he said.

Damien finished off another vampire. "I'll get him," he yelled.

Penelope stepped in front of Damien and grabbed him by the throat. "Not while I have you," she growled in his face. She lifted him off the ground, slowly squeezing his neck.

"Damien!" Network yelled. He split a vampire in half and ran over to help. Penelope smacked him aside with her free hand, knocking him unconscious.

"Paul," Damien said, using every once of strength he could muster to speak. "Protect Nate!"

Paul looked at Damien, then Network. A vampire jumped on him but he didn't notice. "But you require assistance as well."

"Help...Nate!"

Paul grabbed the vampire on his back by the neck and slammed him onto the ground in front of him. He quickly staked the vampire, turning it to dust.

Three vampires were gathered around Network, ready to drain him of his life's blood. Paul stuck his larger arm out and a sound like metal movie could be heard. Suddenly, a stream of fire shot out of his arm and set the three vampires on fire. They flailed around before falling to the ground incinerated into ash.

Damien muttered a spell, sending a ball of energy into Penelope. She flew back a good ten yards, dropping Damien as she did. Damien massaged his throat for a minute, then picked up his sword and walked towards Penelope, decapitating a couple vampires on the way.

"Shouldn't have done that, girl," he said, his voice sounding almost as hollow as Paul's.

"Soon The Master will kill you all," she threatened. "This world will again learn why it once feared our kind."

Damien raised the sword above his head. "That may be. But they'll never fear you."

Before Damien could bring his sword down, Penelope surprised him with a rock to the face. Damien's nose exploded in blood and a flash of pain. He dropped his sword and fell to the ground holding his nose.

Penelope stood over Damien. "I told The Master that I would kill you," she said. "And I always keep my word."

Just then Network's battleaxe hit her in the chest, knocking her back into The Master's throne. She pulled it from her chest and tossed it aside. She looked to see who threw it and saw Paul, Network swung over one shoulder, the last three vampires surrounding him. They jumped at the robotic monstrosity, but he swung around with a speed that no one would ever guess him capable of and fired a stream of fire, setting them all on fire. The fled down various tunnels, screaming.

Penelope didn't waste anytime in fleeing after The Master.

Paul walked over to Damien and laid Network on the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Ee broke by ose," Damien said, blood pouring from his face.

Network started coming to. "What happened?" he asked.

"You were knocked unconscious," Paul said.

"Figures," he muttered. "Would it be to much to ask that no one tells Montoya?"

"Too late," Montoya's voice came over the radio. "But you're okay, right? All of you?"

"I have sustained no injuries,' Paul informed her. "Damien's nose is broken and Nathaniel seems to be fine."

"Other than my ego and a pounding headache," Network said.

Montoya was silent for a moment. "And The Master?"

"Gone," Network said. "I would say that we could chase after him, but it'd be pointless. Aside from some Snoop Dogg wanna-be and the girl that broke Damien's nose, the rest of his little army is dust. He's going to have to rebuild it before he can do much of anything."

The Master was not used to fleeing. He couldn't remember a time when he ever had to leave a lair to escape. He was not pleased. Further more, he did not like feeling so weak.

"Don't worry, master," Xavier tried to reassure him. "I know of a better place we can hide. It is well fortified and should protect you until you are stronger."

The Master stopped and looked down the tunnel. He heard something behind him. "We are being followed," he told Xavier.

Xavier stood in front of The Master, ready to protect him with his life. It wasn't necessary for their pursuer was none other than Penelope.

"I have failed you, master," she cried. Blood was seeping from the large cut in the middle of her chest.

The Master looked at her, studying the open wound on her body. "No, you fought these hunters and live where all the others have fallen. We are precious few. Come with us, Penelope."

Xavier turned to head back down the tunnel. "Come, master, we must hurry."

The Master reached his hand out to Penelope. She took his hand and joined his side. "You remind me a lot of another young vampire I know, Penelope."

Penelope looked up into The Master's hideous face. She smiled. "What was her name, master?"

The Master followed behind Xavier. "Darla," he told Penelope. "Her name was Darla. And how I miss her so.

Back in the White Room, Montoya watched as Damien, Network, and Paul stumbled in. Damien held a cloth that used to be white to his nose. It had since been stained red with his blood.

"Didn't go well?" she asked.

Network leaned his axe up against the wall next to Damien's sword. "Well, we found The Master, killed his small army of vampires, and forced him out of lair. So that's good. The bad news is he and two others escaped to God- knows-where."

Paul said, "We will find him, Nathaniel. If he remains in New Roanoke, then there is only so many places he can hide."

Damien removed the cloth from his face, revealing his swollen nose. "He theemed weak," he said, the pain of speaking making him flinch.

"That he did," Network agreed. "There must have been a problem with the resurrection. That, or everything that is written about this guy is a great exaggeration."

Montoya looked Damien's nose over. "You already reset it?" Damien nodded his head. "Wow. That must have hurt like hell."

"He cursed for nearly two minutes," Paul told her, warranting a glare from Damien.

The Master looked his new lair over. It was a factory, or rather was one once upon a time. Xavier was right, it would do nicely for the time being. Now if only he'd get back with that food, he thought.

"Something troubles you, master?" Penelope asked.

The Master looked his new servant over. "I hunger, is all."

"Xavier should return shortly, master. Is there anything I can do for you?"

The Master shook his head. "There was more power in the other lair. We were closer to the hellmouth there."

"I felt it too, master," Penelope agreed. "This place doesn't hum like the caves did."

The Master eyed Penelope. "You are young in our breed, aren't you?"

Penelope looked at the ground. "Yes, master. I was turned only a few years ago." The Master put a reassuring hand on Penelope's shoulder. "You are unlike any of my children before, Penelope."

"You said I reminded you of one, master. Darla, I believe her name was."

"Yes," The Master turned away from Penelope. "She was my favorite. So loyal. Curse the Slayer for taking her from me!"

Penelope looked at the ground, unsure if she should say what was on her mind. "I heard a rumor that a vampire called Darla gave birth to a son in Los Angeles about the time I was turned."

The Master quickly turned to face Penelope. "Is this so? That would be most...unprecedented."

"I have returned, master," Xavier said as he walked into the room dragging a teenage girl behind him. Her face was bruised and she looked frightened. "I bring you food."

"Ah," The Master said, a pleased look across his hideous face. "Well done, Xavier."

Xavier pushed the girl over to The Master. She looked into his face and all but screamed. The Master gently stroked her face with his long, pale fingers.

"There, child," The Master said in a soothing voice. "No need to fear." He leaned forward and bit into the soft flesh of her neck. Finally, the girl screamed as The Master's sharp fangs broke her skin, releasing the blood in her veins. He drank her dry, then dropped the lifeless girl to the ground.

The Master wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth. "Delicious," he said. "I am pleased, Xavier."

Xavier smiled. "I wish I could take credit for this, master, but it was another who offered her to you."

"Oh?" The Master looked surprised. "Who brings me such a gift?"

Another vampire entered the room. He was dressed in khaki pants and a hideously ugly silk shirt. A leather jacket was slung casually over one shoulder. His face was "bumpy" in the usual vampyric way.

"That would be me," the mysterious vampire said.

The Master eyed this new comer. "And what shall I call you?"

The vampire smiled, something that didn't quite look right on his monstrous face. "Everybody calls me Packard," he said.

"Well, Packard," The Master said. "What is it I can do for you?"

"I wish to join you," Packard answered. "And I can tell you everything you need to know about those little hunters you're having trouble with."

THE END