14.

On the ride to the location, I kept trying to mentally reach out to Vega. "It better not be you, you undead bastard. You're too good to die like that." I muttered under my breath. But if it was him, shouldn't something have happened to me? Shouldn't I have at least felt some sort of separation from him? Maybe if it was him, things would be a lot less confusing, but I didn't want it to be him.

The second person who came to mind was Jean-Paul, but he wasn't a master vampire. That didn't really matter, though. Maybe the squad that came for us last night had gotten hands on him. I didn't want it to be him, either. I hated to admit it, but he wasn't so bad most of the time. He was a bit of a victim, and he was a little confused, but he was an okay guy to be a vampire.

From what I gathered, this scene was a little more gruesome than the other murders. Bayman hadn't wanted to tell me much over the phone. I don't think I blame him, and secretly, I was glad he hadn't told me too much over the phone. If it was as bad as I was expecting, I wanted to see for myself. I didn't like people to tell me the bad news beforehand.

When I finally arrived at the scene, there were officers everywhere. I never understood why so many police officers had to be at any given murder at any given time. Was it some unwritten law of law enforcement that said that a billion officers needed to be present? So many people at one place was a crime scene contamination waiting to happen.

A news van was parked nearby. The police had been successful so far in keeping this out of the media, but it looks like all that was about to change. And with media coverage came the higher-uppers breathing down your neck. Trust me, it wouldn't be long before Bayman's superiors started screaming for him to do something about all these murders.

A reporter was already shoving his mic down Bayman's throat; Bayman looked like he could choke the man any second now. I almost couldn't wait to see this one on the news. It was sure to attract a large following, and then the media would really be rolling in. I made a mental note to myself to stay as close to the bloody body as I could. That was a surefire way to keep from being filmed.

I flashed my crime scene ID to the officer guarding the "entrance". He let me through with little fuss. There have been times when officers would give me a hard time about coming on a crime scene, especially the new grunts. I spotted the body the minute I stepped under the tape. I really couldn't tell much about it from that point. I froze. I didn't want to go closer. What if…?

Bishop was looking at the covered body. Lucas Bishop was another mutant I knew. The professor had offered him a spot on the team, but Bishop declined. Seems like a lot of people didn't want to a superhero these days. He thought he was better suited for this kind of work. He helped us out from time to time on missions and acted as an inside man when we needed information, but he didn't want to become a permanent fixture on the team.

I clenched my hands at my side and walked toward the body. I stopped next to Bishop. He tried to smile at me, but he couldn't manage one. I knew that Bishop was a hard worker, very dedicated to his job. I wonder who he had pissed off to get put on this case. He should have been cracking something high profile, but he was here. This kind of work was considered punishment for officers.

"Ororo," he nodded at me. He didn't say anything else as he pulled the sheet away from the body. He hadn't even asked me if I was ready. Thanks a lot, pal.

I pulled away, then peered curiously down at the body. It was a vampire female. Her body was twisted as if someone tried to bend her into a pretzel. There was a gaping mouth of a hole where her heart should have been. Her stomach had been ripped open like the mutant's chest cavity. There were scratches up and down her arms. She had put up a fight. There was something missing.

I turned to Bishop. "Where's the head?" It wasn't a clean sever. Someone had ripped this vampire's head away from her body. My stomach lurched. Don't lose it now, girl. I said to myself. I looked at this kind of stuff frequently. I had to keep it together.

He led me to another smaller lump covered with plastic. "You ready?" he asked this time. He looked at me with concern.

"Yeah," I said softly. He stooped by it and pulled the plastic away. Gray eyes stared at me. "Goddess!" I said. I gripped Bishop's shoulder.

"Ororo, are you okay?" Bishop asked. I didn't answer as I continued to stare into those eyes.

It was Christie.

I took a deep breath. "Y-yes," I managed to stammer. She had finally gotten what she deserved, but I was still surprised to see her laying there in blood. I blinked a couple of times before I looked away from her.

I always thought it would come down to her and me, but it looked like our murderer settled the score for me. I tried to feel bad for her. I really did, but the only thing I felt bad about was the fact that someone had beaten me to her. If the killer kept this up, there would be nothing left for me to do. I'm still debating on whether that's a good thing or a bad thing.

After I left the scene, I went to the mansion and started suiting up. I was going to the Church of Eternal Life. Okay, maybe I actually wanted a little retribution for what happened the night before, but I was starting to suspect that the Church had something to do with this. They were just as zealous as HAV. They hated freak parties and were just as adamant about expressing that as HAV.

I strapped on my double holster equipped with two 9mm. I strapped another holster to the small of my back, slipping a Beretta Elite into it. I sat on my bed a moment, mentally preparing myself for this. The head of the church was a powerful vampire. I'm sure that wouldn't be able to see him without demanding an appointment, but I wanted to be ready for anything they might throw at me.

"You ready?" Logan asked from the doorway. I asked Logan to come with me as backup. Yeah, I know. Now is a fine time for me to finally decide to accept his help. I just hoped I hadn't made a bad decision by doing so. One friend was caught up in the crossfire. I hope that didn't turn into two.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I answered.

The Church didn't like to be associated with all the negativity and glamour that was usually associated with their kind. They frowned upon Vega's club, and freak parties were enough to make them want to stake themselves. They were supposed to be the "moral" vampires. Oh, the irony in that statement. This sort of matched their M.O., though.

The vampires that attended the Church despised vampires that made the vampire community look like a sordid affair. So, why not off a few master vampires to get their point across? Then again, if they were trying to get a point across, it was really vague. I guess they were trying to say that they were not going to take it anymore. I was going to talk to the head vampire in charge there.

I made a mental note to check on Jean-Paul since I was going to be out. I felt a little guilty about what happened at that party. Okay, I felt very bad about what happened. If I had never pressured him into going to that party, he wouldn't have felt obligated to help me and almost get his arm ripped off. Maybe I could take him flowers. Would that look suspect? A vampire hunter giving flowers to a vampire. That sounded like the punch line to a bad joke. It was the least I could do, though. He seemed like the type who might like flowers.

Logan and I walked up the stairs of the large church. It was a nice church, but there was something eerie about a church with no God. I didn't believe in God, but this seemed to infringe upon something sacred. Everyone had their gods, and this seemed to go against everything righteous.

"Is there anybody here?" Logan asked. I knew what he was thinking. The sun had started to set, but it was still a little earlier than vampires were used to rising.

"They have to have humans do their business during the daylight hours. I'm sure there's someone here." I said. I didn't mention that humans even did some of the recruiting for new vampires. The thought made me sick.

We walked into the temple. I couldn't believe people came here. There were even confessional booths. Confessing your sins to a vampire, someone who had enough sins on their soul to damn them for five lifetimes – that was frightening. We found a door marked office and walked in.

There was a man at the desk. He was young. I would say he in his early twenties. He was slight man with large brown eyes and short, light brown hair. I bet if I said "Boo!" he would have ran. Innocence just exuded from him. When he stood I saw a fresh bite mark on his neck, he hadn't been turned. They were making him a sort of slave to their will. He walked around the desk.

"Hello, I am Bradley," he said, extending a hand toward us. Logan just stared at it in disgust. I clasped hands with the young man.

After we shook hands, I put a hand on chin, pushing his head to the side, examining the bite mark. "You know holy water will fix that bite right up for you." I said, trying my hardest to sound sincere. Bradley pulled away. I could tell from his broken expression he was taken aback and maybe a little confused.

"Have a seat," he asked as he retreated behind his desk. He made a motion for us to take a seat. I sat in one of the chairs.

Logan crossed his arms. "I'll stand. Thanks." He leaned against the wall near the door. He had a look that said, 'bust a move'.

Bradley eyed Logan warily, then turned back to me. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to speak to the master." I answered.

"Well, Miss or is it Mrs.?" he asked, looking at Logan again.

"Miss Munroe." I told him.

"Miss Munroe, we have a dedicated group of experienced individuals that will help you decide if this is the life for you." He said. His words sounded robotic and emotionless. Logan snorted in the background.

"Bradley, I'm not interested in becoming a vampire. I need to talk to your master about the recent vampire slayings." I said. Bradley blanched. I guess I hit a nerve.

"Surely, you need to talk to the police about that type of thing, not us." His voice dropped about ten octaves.

I stood up and planted my hands firmly on Bradley's desk. I looked him directly in the eyes. He flinched. "Who am I supposed to talk to? You, Bradley? Are you trained to handle such affairs? Last night, I had a run in with some of your members, and I'm starting to get just a little suspicious. Now, either I talk to the master or I talk to the police. You know I can identify some of those members in a lineup if I had to. That wouldn't be too good for business, now, would it?"

"No," the man dropped his head. Ororo Munroe, weather witch and big bully. He started scribbling on his notepad, as I gave him my full name and repeated my business. "Come back later. Around 9. The master will see you then."

A little blackmail will get you a long way in this line of business. I backed away from the desk. "Thank you, Bradley." I said, nodding to Logan that we were leaving. Bradley just nodded after us.

"I think you scared him." Logan said once we were outside the office.

"Not as much as you did. He probably couldn't be paid enough to stay in a room with you." I chuckled. Logan had that effect on a lot of people.

"Smart kid."

We walked out the doors of the church. The sky had dimmed considerably since we stepped foot in the church. I barely had time to even enjoy the fresh air when Logan pulled me back into the church, pushing me to the floor. Bullets smashed into the church. Thank Goodness for Logan, huh? I would have never seen that one coming. We ran through the second set of doors leading from the lobby. Great, this was all I needed. I pulled my Beretta from my holster as we took refuge behind a pew.

The shooting had stopped, but I knew the shooter was still there. "He's sneakin' through the front door." Logan muttered. I'd be ready for him when he came through the door.

I heard heavy footsteps. Someone was running through the church. "What's going on?" I heard Bradley call through the quiet. I pulled Bradley to the floor as he tried to pass our pew. He let out a startled mew, as I put a finger to my lips, indicating for him to be quiet.

"Is there another way out?" I whispered. Bradley nodded. "Good. Logan, get him out of here. I'll handle the shooter."

"Are you sure?" Logan asked. I could almost see myself getting into an argument with him over this, but we didn't have time.

"Logan, I am quite capable. This you should know." I assured him.

He nodded grimly. I had taken care of myself long before he joined our team, and I would continue to do so. Logan and Bradley disappeared behind the maze of pews. Time slowed as I waited for the shooter to enter the temple. The doors opened slowly, and I could hear him walking slowly down the aisle. I pushed myself under one of the pews, watching his feet pass me. He was an amateur. He should have been sweeping under every pew. I slowly slid from beneath the pew. I stood and stepped behind him, putting my gun at the nape of his neck. He froze.

"You got me." He said, but then he elbowed me hard in the ribs. He turned, grabbing my gun arm, shaking my gun from my hand, putting his own gun to the base of my throat. "Or maybe, I got you."

I shouldn't have hesitated. That was the problem with being the good guy. I always hesitated. Still, he didn't know who he was messing with, and this was going to hurt him a lot more than it was going to hurt me. I grabbed his arm, unexpectedly, bending it back. The gun pointed to sky. I caught him off-guard. I had to act before he started trying to overpowering me.

He cried out as the first sting of lightning surged from me to him. The gun fell from his hands. I gripped my fingers tighter into his arm, sending yet another shock through him. He tried to pull away, but another surge weakened his resolved. He tried to bring his other fist up to catch me in the jaw, but I blocked with my free arm, kneeing him in the groin. He doubled over.

I let go of his arm momentarily, placing my hands on the back of his neck. I jerked his head down, bringing my knee up to kiss his face. His staggered back when I let go of him. I put a foot in the middle of his stomach and forced him to the ground. I pulled my 9mms jacket, pointing them in his face. "Who are you?"

He laughed.

"What do you want?"

He kept laughing. The man was a lunatic, but I guess you had to be crazy to come after someone like this. I wonder who put him up to it. "I want you to die, bitch!" He grabbed my leg, pushing me back. I lost my balance and fell on my back hard. Mistake number two. I couldn't make another one. He was already on me before I could regain my composure. His hands closed around my wrists, banging them hard against the floor. He took my guns and put one to my forehead. Anger warmed my blood, my body. I would not die like this.

The doors of the temple opened as a large gust of wind came at my command. The man stood and backed away from me. I used the winds to lift myself. His eyes widened as I waved an arm toward him. The winds attacked, throwing him against the altar. He held his midsection, struggling to get up. Shakily, he aimed the gun at me again. I raised my arms toward him again. Lightening flowed from my very core to the man. I lowered myself, walking toward his body.

He was definitely dead, and if he wasn't, he definitely wasn't happy. The temple doors opened again, and I turned, readying myself for another attack. Then I relaxed when I realized it was Logan. Logan stood beside me looking down at my would-have-been assassin. "I think you killed him." Logan said with a hint of amusement.

"We were just shot at and you still find the humor in all this?" I said. Logan nodded. Had to love his honesty.

Logan turned his head, as if listening. "We'd better get out of here, or we're going to have a lot of explainin' to do to the cops."

He didn't have to tell me twice.

A man named Archibald Corrigan, a master vampire, ran the church. The man was as slick as a politician and ten times deadlier. I went back to the church alone. I told Logan I think I would be okay. The church would packed, and if Archie was trying to uphold a reputation. I didn't plan on being there long, and I had my guns loaded with silver bullets.

The place was clean when I got there. You would never know that I fried someone there only hours before.. Those vampires sure cleaned up quick. Archie welcomed me into his office. I stood this time, just in case. We made the usual casual conversation. Hello. How are you? Fine and you? The whole time I held his gaze. He noticed this. "You've never looked me in the eye before, Ms. Munroe."

"There's no threat. I don't think you're trying to bespell me." I answered.

"As I've told you numerous times before, but you would never look me in before tonight." He moved toward me. He was a blur, but I saw him just the same. I pulled back and pulled my gun before he could catch my wrist. I continued to back away, but he made no effort to advance on me again. If he took just one more step, I'd fill his chest with lead. "You've been marked." He said calmly. He clearly wasn't effected by the sight of the gun.

"Yes." I admitted. There was no sense in trying to hide it. He wouldn't have believed me if I tried to hide it.

"Who did it?" he asked. There was that question again. Realization set in. That's what Sakura meant. She wanted to know who had given me the mark. She wouldn't be happy to know that Vega did it. I guess I'd better continue playing dumb where she was concerned. It had gotten me this far.

"That's a story I don't have the time to tell you. Maybe another time over tea." I said. Even if I wanted to tell him, I wasn't exactly sure about it myself. Vega had been so unclear about what was going on.

Archie chuckled and took his seat again. "Yes, another time. Now, what's this about murders?" He put on his best poker face.

"I believe your church is involved in the recent murders of vampires." I said. Okay, I was completely sure, but I believed that it was between the Church and HAV. After last night, the scales were tipping in favor of the church.

"Are you sure?" His voice tickled my skin like fingers. Don't they ever get any new tricks?

"No fair trying to get into my head, Archie." Thanks, but no thanks. One vampire at a time, please. I was still trying to battle one for control of my mind. "I'm quite sure that your church is involved."

"You speak what you believe to be true, but you are wrong, Ms. Munroe."

"Am I? Some of your congregation attacked a freak party I infiltrated last night. They would have killed me and others." Just thinking about the night before made my blood boil.

Archie frowned. "We are a non-violent sect. Those parties are a disgrace to the community, but I have always stressed that we should use legal means to stop them. However, I have no control over what some members of my church do."

Yeah, right, and I was Mary, queen of Scots. "Please, spare me. You're a master vampire. No one in this church could stand up to you." Did he really expect me to believe there was nothing he could do.

"You are correct, but I believe in freewill. The members of my church are adults. I am not a judge. Therefore, I don't issue out punishment."

"So, the guy who attacked me on your doorstep earlier is a free man in other words." I spat at him. My temper was beginning to get the best of me. I didn't even know if the guy was a member of the Church. I had to be stepping on some toes though for someone to send an assassin after me.

"You were attacked here? I didn't know. I assure you, Ms. Munroe, it was not a member of my church, and if it was, I will look into it."

How could he not know what took place at his own church? I didn't believe that for one second. I believe he did know, and he may know who attacked me. He might have hired them himself.

"I think you know about these murders, Archie. I think they were done with your approval if you aren't directly involved." I stared him dead in the eye, and for a moment, he seemed a little uneasy.

"Ms. Munroe, I think our meeting is over, now. I think you should leave." He said firmly. I wasn't going to argue with him. I just came here to talk, not get into an altercation with him.

"I'll leave, but you better believe that I'll be back." I said, clutching my gun tightly. He walked past me, opening the door for me. What a gentleman.

"Do you know what it means to be a human servant?" he asked me before I got through the entryway.

"No." I said, and that was the honest to goddess truth. There was no reason to lie about that either. But I knew I needed to get out of this somehow if I could. I didn't want to be anyone's "human servant" – least of all Vega's.

"You'll see…" He smiled coldly at me and laughed. He closed the door in my face. Bastard. I didn't like this.

I walked out the church door. I could hear echoes of the choir singing some hymn. Someone approached me from the shadows. It was Mortimer. The dim light from the streetlights illuminated his face. I could see the distress painted on his face.

"She's got 'im." He said frantically.

"Who's got who?"

"Sakura. She got Jean-Paul, and she's hurtin' 'im. You have to help him, or she'll kill 'im."

Damn, I guess this is what I get for forgetting to stop by and give Jean-Paul flowers.

A/N: Told you I would have an update up sooner rather than later. Only a few more chapters left. Look for the next chapter in a few days. -Tempest