William sighed as he removed the last bullet from Luke's abdomen. "I still don't see how you all managed to make it back alive."
Drake looked up at him as he was cleaning a cut off on his face, "Lucky as hell."
William rolled his eyes and took of his gloves. He then looked over at Michael who was the first to have his bullets removed and was now sitting by Selene who was barely awake. The situation didn't look to good though, another lethal dose of that virus into her blood stream once again. He wasn't sure if she would be able to fight it off.
Luke grabbed his jacket, "Thanks Doc, I think I will go."
"Alright Luke." He answered washing his hands and putting on another pair of latex gloves.
After drawing more blood, he began to run more tests as Selene fell asleep and Michael watched her. Drake was looking around the room not paying much attention but glancing over at Selene and Michael every once in awhile.
Michael looked up as William came back over to him taking the gloves off of his hands. "Well, I think it still may be too early to tell anything yet, but it looks like the virus is moving faster than the first one was. My guess is that they either used a slightly different type or they gave it a lethal dose. Now, I think that it would be safe for you to take her back to your room tonight, no need for observation. She should wake up pretty soon though, I think she fainted because of the more powerful dose she had gotten."
Michael nodded and got up, after picking Selene up carefully he carried her out the door and up to their room, not really believing that it could happen again, and blaming it on himself more than anyone.
William sighed as he watched him leave and glanced over at Drake who had leaned into a corner his eye swolen from being cut with a sword. "What?"
"What part of the fight did you get that nasty cut?"
"Don't remember much, jus' that fanged and ugly got me good as I turned around to face 'im." Drake explained crossing his arms over his chest.
William let out a short laugh as he returned to his desk and took off his gloves. "It looks as if you got lucky then. You had less bullet wounds than anyone besides Selene, and no serious injuries."
"Yeah, I did." He said his voice becoming a little softer, "Uhh.. well, I guess I will go and rest, hopefully this thing," He said motioning to his swollen eye, "will be gone."
"Okay, night Drake." William said as Drake grabbed his coat and walked out of the room leaving William to sulk in his own thoughts as the war raged in the streets above them.
~*~
The boy fell on his back, the shallow, muddy and murky water splashing up around him getting him wet and dirty.
Still the large shadow still towered over him. The boys bright and firey red eyes stared up at the shadow of the monster that chased him. Quickly his hands and feet moving on instinct he backed up in the mudd sliding and falling, but his gaze never leaving.
"I didn't do it!" He yelled, "I did my part!"
The shadow moved closer the monster's face cloaked in the darkness.
"We didn't ask you to kill her." The eerie voice told him, "Only to make her human again."
"Yeah, well, I did do it didn't I? Succeeded, and I shot her twice! More than any of you could have!" The boy stopped moving as he came to a wall and was now at a dead end.
"You are young and foolish boy! She has already fought the virus off once!" The voice of the shadow boomed making ripples in the small puddles that reflected off the moonlight.
"I am not young, or foolish." The boy corrected him his eyes flashing in anger.
"Oh yes, you are very old, but are condemned to live in a child's body.. or is it, this is how old you have always been? Cursed to live forever...mortal." The shadow gave a laugh and stepped out of the shadows that cloaked him. His piercing blue eyes turning black faster than you could count.
The boy stood up, his amulet hanging around his neck swinging with his movements. "I may be mortal, but you remember you cannot kill me."
"I am not here to kill you." Marcus said peering down at the teenage boy who now stood before him. "Just to merely remind you who is in charge of this little stunt."
The boy's head snapped to the side as Marcus punched him in the face. Blood poured from his mouth and the boy titled his head back to face him.
"If Lucian could only see you now." He commented smirking slightly, his words slurred from his broken jaw.
"Ahh..yes, what would your father say? I guess he can't he is dead."
Marcus raised his eyebrows as the boy glared at him from underneath his long bangs, his red eyes glowing in the moonlight.
"Don't you ever speak of my father that way!" He shouted.
Marcus picked him up by his throat now in his hybrid form, "I will talk about him any way I damn well please, I am the power, I am everything now. Not him, or Viktor, or anyone else. I am the only one."
"You mean you wish to be the only one." He let out a growl and shoved the boy into the wall the surrounding bricks breaking on impact, "You're scared... Michael, he is stronger than you and you know it."
Marcus's claws dug into the boy's neck as the anger flowed through him from the boys words, "I am the only one." He repeated slicing the boy's stomach open, "Remember that the next time we meet."
With his last words uttered, Marcus dropped the boy on the ground and changed back into his human and walked back into the shadows.
The boy never spoke a word as rain began to fall on the city as the mortals slept. Silently the boy rose to his feet, anger welling up inside of him, all of his pain running through him as he moved along the alley. The pain was unbearable, but he had learned long ago how to ignore it... the second time he was born.
~*~
Michael watched Selene as she slept. Still like a vampire. He turned his attention to his hand, which at the moment was growing it's skin back. That liquid really did a number on him.
He couldn't help but blame himself for what had happened on the hunt though. He kept repeating the words over and over in is head, "I am going to regret this." That was a few hours ago, and now, he knew why he had said it.
Nothing in his immortal, or mortal life for that matter ment as much to him as Selene did. It was his own stupid decision that she ended up this way, and he would take all the blame for it.
"I'm sorry." He whispered to her leaning forward in the chair and closed his eyes but opened them as he felt the same power he had felt twice now. Each time it had felt strong, as if it was determined to hurt. This time, it was weakend and felt as if it was being destroyed.
He stood up and glanced back at Selene, whatever had done this was the same power he felt, he knew it. Now, he had to stop it.
After slipping on his coat Michael walked out of the room. Quickly he made his way to William's office, "Watch over Selene." He told a startled William.
"I-what?" He said sounding shocked, "What is going on?"
"I have to stop it."
"It, it who?"
"The thing that did this." Michael said starting to leave.
"You don't know what did this Michael..." William said only to himself because Michael was gone.
Michael continued on his way as lycans watched him leaving, Drake ran up to him, "Hey, Boss, where are you going?"
"To find it."
Drake knew exactly what he was talking about and he tilted his head to the side, "Do you know where 'it' is?"
"I can sense.. him."
Drake pulled his coat over him tighter and walked behind Michael, "I'll go with you."
~*~
"Call me crazy, but if thing is a strong as you can sense it, and hell, even I can sense it a bit now. How are you gonna beat it?"
"I don't have to beat him."
"How do you know it is a him?"
"I can sense it."
"So then, you can sense that you can beat it."
"No, he is wounded and weak." Michael said jumping to a ledge of the buidling across from where he and Drake had stood just seconds before.
"You don't have to do this Michael."
"No," Michael said stopping and looking at Drake, "I do."
This answer seemed to calm Drake down as he didn't ask anymore questions for the rest of their little 'outing'.
"It's here." Michael told him stopping onto of the current building they were on, "Below us."
Drake exhaled deeply and looked at Michael, "Shall we?"
"Don't have a choice."
They both changed, Michael to hybrid, and Drake to lycan. Taking a strong leap, they fell through the roof and to the floor below themselves.
Michael was the first one to spot a figure in the shadows, hunched over and barely breathing. Drake gave out a small growl and the figure moved facing them now, his face still hidden in the shadows, but the rest of his body clearly visible. He was tall and his figure lean. An amulet hanging around his neck.
His eyes adjusted to the dark and Michael noticed something that left his mind blank. Red eyes... as if on instinct Michael roared and launched himself at the mysterious man; grabbing him by the throat.
"Not again." The man said.
Drake stopped his pounding footsteps across the room and changed back into his human form. Michael glanced back at him.
"Vincent, Michael, don't!"
Michael was now showing his fangs as he let out a sound between a roar and a hiss.
"Don't," Drake said taking a step forwards, "Please, you can't kill him."
Michael dropped Vincent back on the ground and changed back into his human form, "Why not?"
"I can't tell you, I can just tell you, you can't hurt him."
"Then you give me no real reason."
"A reas-I do have a reason actually. The reason however, I cannot tell you for I was long ago pledged to silence on the issue, and is not something I can go back on."
Michael looked at the man, who seemed no older than seventeen. His bangs were long and hung down in his face, the rest of his hair was short and spikey. Blood covered the bottom of his face as his red eyes peered up towards Michael.
His black shirt was muddy and torn as he began to stand once again.
"He is just a boy." Michael commented.
"No, he is far more than just a boy Michael, he is just a bit younger than me infact."
"Can he be trusted?"
"I don't really know."
"Then why did you stop me from killing him?" Michael asked glaring at Drake over his shoulder.
"Because he can't hurt you either." Drake responded.
About that time Michael heard a click and turned around, A gun was pointed at his chest. He growled and the boy pulled the trigger before Michael had time to react.
The bullet entered Michael's bloodstream, but the metal hull stayed on his skin, like it had attached itself there. Michael pulled it off quickly but soon fell to his knees as a power weakened him and his blood was boiling.
He took a few deep breaths and finally was able to cool off. The pain was leaving and Michael looked at his arms and hands, his skin was crawling but was slowly stopping and he stood back up.
"What in the hell was that?" He yelled.
Drake had long ago taken the gun from Vincent and now looked at it, "The virus weapon." He uttered silently to Michael.
"Why didn't it work?" Vincent asked out loud.
"Maybe because ol' Mike here is a hybrid." Drake responded.
"It still would have eaten through his skin." Vincent argued.
"No, it can't." Drake said smugly, "Lucian's blood runs through Michael's veins. Your virus won't work on him."
The boy tilted his head slightly at Drake's comment before letting his gaze fall to the floor, when he spoke, his voice was full of rage and anger, "All of you, lycans, you killed him. He was your leader and you all betrayed him!"
Michael looked confused while Drake took a step forward, "What in the hell are you talking about? We didn't kill Lucian."
Vincent's breaths were coming in short ragged pants. The amulet he wore hung freely as he used his hands to pop his jaw back into place.
Regaining his strength Michael returned to his hybrid form as Drake watched on, willing his boss not to kill the boy. Instead the boy let out a small sound that sounded like a hiss.
"Shit..." Drake muttered to himself as Vincent showed his fangs.
Michael lunged at the Vincent driving him into the wall as he growled at the boy, and was reminded of his situation almost five days previous when he was fighting with Viktor. His own cold black stare was met with that of Vincent's own firey red stare.
"We don't want to hurt you Vince." Drake called to him still holding the gun in his hands, "But, we didn't kill Lucian, we would never. He was our leader, our King."
Vince snapped his gaze over to Drake before going back to Michael, but no matter how hard he pushed, punched, or kicked, Michael wouldn't budge.
"Get off of me!"
As if the boy's prayers had been answered, a single shot rang through the air as a bullet entered Michael's back. He turned around quickly dropping Vincent as he turned to see who fired the shot, Drake stood their with his arms up, Michael's gaze flickered to the open window as he spied a vampire sitting on the ledge of a near building.
He went to move but felt something grab his arm he spun around and was met with a fist to his face. This wasn't a normal punch though, this one burnt his skin like the liquid virus. It was then he noticed that Vincent had cut his hand and blue liquid now poured from his wound.
He punched Michael again this time in an upward motion from his chin then again on the left side of his face. Drake went to jump in but was met with a silver bullet lodged in his side.
Vincent furrowed his brows together before punching Michael in the chest with all he had sending him flying back into the wall opposite of himself. Michael's skin seemed to sizzle and the smell of burnt flesh was clearly in the air.
"Lies.." Whispered Vincent before jumping out of the open window and taking off running throught the empty streets of the dark and damp city.
Drake shot the vampire using the gun he had took from Vincent, the vampire fell from the ledge and Drake stood up. He looked at Michael and winced.
He could see the bones and muscles that were usually hidden by skin, but now.. there was nothing there. He knelt down beside him as Michael changed back into his human form and attempted to get up, "We have to get him." He said wincing as he spoke.
"Can't, sorry Boss, but your injured and need to heal. We have to get back to the hideout, and there is only one way I know how to get back and get back fast."
Drake helped Michael up and sighed as he realized that their coats were on the roof, "Oh well, needed new ones anyways."
Drake helped Michael down to the sewers as he led Michael through them as quickly as possible, "Almost there." He told him practically dragging Michael along beside him.
Michael remained awake for the whole trip but his skin was burning and the pain made him hurt worse than anything he had felt before. It made him really wonder what were they up against and if he was as powerful as they say he was, why did Vincent beat him without breaking a sweat, and whatever had beat the shit out of him was probably still prowling the streets.
Drake leaned Michael up against one of the walls while he climbed up some stairs and lifted a hatch open. He then jogged back over to him and helped him up the stairs and into William's office.
"I never knew this was here." Michael told him.
"Me neither until a few days ago when I was looking for a book." He said smirking.
They were behind one of the various bookshelves that were placed around the room in William's office. After helping Michael around the bookshelf he layed him down on the bed and was relieved when William walked in Selene following behind him, looking weak, but awake and moving none the less.
Michael smiled a bit as he noticed that she wasn' asleep as long as she was last time, maybe the virus didn't work again. When William saw Drake and Michael in the room he stopped and winced as he noticed Michael's condition.
Selene did almost the same thing, she saw Michael and her breath caught in her throat. Her throat also became dry and hoarse as she took a step towards him, "What happened?" William asked as Selene had her gaze fixed on Michael.
"We found him." Drake replied.
"Who?"
"Err.. him."
William sighed, "Drake.." Drake replied by tossing the gun on the table infront of William.
"Found Mr. Virus."
"Who is it?" William asked examining the gun.
"Vincent." Replied Drake quietly.
"Who is that?"
"Shit, sorry, forgot that I am older than everyone here. I also can't tell anyone who he is, only he can."
"What is this some sort of game?" Selene asked for the first time surprising all the men in the room.
"No, I just made a promise when he was born, and I can't say anything, I swore on my life, my very existence."
"Great." William muttered under his breath as he ejected the rounds to find the bullets that were on Selene.
He dropped the gun back down on the table and walked briskly over to Michael's side, "Well, what happened here?"
"Virus incident."
William looked at him, "Vicent, the boy's blood is the virus."
He turned his attention back to the wounds on Michael as he heard Drake's reply. The flesh was already starting to grow back, slowly, but surely.
"I think he will be fine." William commented grabbing a small bottle and a needle before returning to them, "This should numb the pain though, and when it is all healed you will feel like new."
As William gave the shot to Michael, Selene watched silently and Drake looked at his swollen black eye in the mirror, after letting out a sigh her returned back to watch William.
"I am very eager to find out why the virus just ate your skin instead of infecting your blood stream."
"His blood burned me." Michael responded for the first time and Selene watched him intently.
"Excuse me?" William asked.
"He shot me once, but it wore off. Then I was distracted and he cut his fist, each time he punched me it felt as if my skin was on fire and I was helpless to stop it."
William nodded and took the needle out of his arm, and bandaged up the 'burns', "I will look into it for you, for now though, I suggest you go and get some rest the sun will be rising soon."
Michael nodded and Drake helped him up off the bed. As soon as he was on his feet Selene stood beside him a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite place at the moment for the drug was starting to affect him.
Michael placed his arm over her shoulder and she wrapped her arm around his waist. They didn't remember much of what happened, and neither of them really wanting to think about anything else than the well being of the other they just quietly walked back to their room, Selene helping him up the stairs and to the bed.
As Michael layed in the bed he tilted his head over to Selene she was laying on her back looking up at the ceiling. She was the last thing he remembered seeing before he fell into a sleep from exhaustion.
"Goodnight Michael." She told him quietly, this being the only thing she had said to him from William's office, all the way to their room.
~*~
Drake walked out of the room waving to William as he went and headed towards his room. Seeing Vincent again had really given him a scare, but he knew, whatever was happening had to happen to get the war over with, no matter how much he denied it.
His role in the cure, as he called it, wasn't ready yet. When they needed him though, he couldn't turn them down, and he would do his best for now to lead them to his answer he was trying to tell them, but would never be able to utter to a single one of them.
He whistled to the song he had made up ealier that night and shut his door to his room behind him. After falling flat on his face and onto his bed, he closed his eyes. This was a hell of a way to live. Curse the immortal damn for doing this to him.
"You hear me...this is the last time." He told no one in particular.
~*~
A/N: Wow, fast chapter! I hope all of you review! Tell me what you think. About the friend issue, it's not settled but getting there. So, now that I worked so hard on this chapter...I have to catch up on all the school work I neglected while doing this! ;) So, I hope you enjoyed, and I know you will all have lots..of questions. Oh yeah, and about the last title.. Selene asked herself a series of questions after the disagreement she had with Michael, this questions were asking about how things were different than there were from the rest of her immortal life.
Her life had changed, I think the main question she asked herself, even if I didn't list it, was when did this happen? Or when did my life change? Okie, done with that question and I can't remember the rest of them at the moment, thanks for reviewing anyways! This chapter is for you guys! HEH! Hope you enjoyed and please...review! Gives me something to think about while I try and write the next chapter!
Thanks...Punk-Death-Dealer
Drake looked up at him as he was cleaning a cut off on his face, "Lucky as hell."
William rolled his eyes and took of his gloves. He then looked over at Michael who was the first to have his bullets removed and was now sitting by Selene who was barely awake. The situation didn't look to good though, another lethal dose of that virus into her blood stream once again. He wasn't sure if she would be able to fight it off.
Luke grabbed his jacket, "Thanks Doc, I think I will go."
"Alright Luke." He answered washing his hands and putting on another pair of latex gloves.
After drawing more blood, he began to run more tests as Selene fell asleep and Michael watched her. Drake was looking around the room not paying much attention but glancing over at Selene and Michael every once in awhile.
Michael looked up as William came back over to him taking the gloves off of his hands. "Well, I think it still may be too early to tell anything yet, but it looks like the virus is moving faster than the first one was. My guess is that they either used a slightly different type or they gave it a lethal dose. Now, I think that it would be safe for you to take her back to your room tonight, no need for observation. She should wake up pretty soon though, I think she fainted because of the more powerful dose she had gotten."
Michael nodded and got up, after picking Selene up carefully he carried her out the door and up to their room, not really believing that it could happen again, and blaming it on himself more than anyone.
William sighed as he watched him leave and glanced over at Drake who had leaned into a corner his eye swolen from being cut with a sword. "What?"
"What part of the fight did you get that nasty cut?"
"Don't remember much, jus' that fanged and ugly got me good as I turned around to face 'im." Drake explained crossing his arms over his chest.
William let out a short laugh as he returned to his desk and took off his gloves. "It looks as if you got lucky then. You had less bullet wounds than anyone besides Selene, and no serious injuries."
"Yeah, I did." He said his voice becoming a little softer, "Uhh.. well, I guess I will go and rest, hopefully this thing," He said motioning to his swollen eye, "will be gone."
"Okay, night Drake." William said as Drake grabbed his coat and walked out of the room leaving William to sulk in his own thoughts as the war raged in the streets above them.
~*~
The boy fell on his back, the shallow, muddy and murky water splashing up around him getting him wet and dirty.
Still the large shadow still towered over him. The boys bright and firey red eyes stared up at the shadow of the monster that chased him. Quickly his hands and feet moving on instinct he backed up in the mudd sliding and falling, but his gaze never leaving.
"I didn't do it!" He yelled, "I did my part!"
The shadow moved closer the monster's face cloaked in the darkness.
"We didn't ask you to kill her." The eerie voice told him, "Only to make her human again."
"Yeah, well, I did do it didn't I? Succeeded, and I shot her twice! More than any of you could have!" The boy stopped moving as he came to a wall and was now at a dead end.
"You are young and foolish boy! She has already fought the virus off once!" The voice of the shadow boomed making ripples in the small puddles that reflected off the moonlight.
"I am not young, or foolish." The boy corrected him his eyes flashing in anger.
"Oh yes, you are very old, but are condemned to live in a child's body.. or is it, this is how old you have always been? Cursed to live forever...mortal." The shadow gave a laugh and stepped out of the shadows that cloaked him. His piercing blue eyes turning black faster than you could count.
The boy stood up, his amulet hanging around his neck swinging with his movements. "I may be mortal, but you remember you cannot kill me."
"I am not here to kill you." Marcus said peering down at the teenage boy who now stood before him. "Just to merely remind you who is in charge of this little stunt."
The boy's head snapped to the side as Marcus punched him in the face. Blood poured from his mouth and the boy titled his head back to face him.
"If Lucian could only see you now." He commented smirking slightly, his words slurred from his broken jaw.
"Ahh..yes, what would your father say? I guess he can't he is dead."
Marcus raised his eyebrows as the boy glared at him from underneath his long bangs, his red eyes glowing in the moonlight.
"Don't you ever speak of my father that way!" He shouted.
Marcus picked him up by his throat now in his hybrid form, "I will talk about him any way I damn well please, I am the power, I am everything now. Not him, or Viktor, or anyone else. I am the only one."
"You mean you wish to be the only one." He let out a growl and shoved the boy into the wall the surrounding bricks breaking on impact, "You're scared... Michael, he is stronger than you and you know it."
Marcus's claws dug into the boy's neck as the anger flowed through him from the boys words, "I am the only one." He repeated slicing the boy's stomach open, "Remember that the next time we meet."
With his last words uttered, Marcus dropped the boy on the ground and changed back into his human and walked back into the shadows.
The boy never spoke a word as rain began to fall on the city as the mortals slept. Silently the boy rose to his feet, anger welling up inside of him, all of his pain running through him as he moved along the alley. The pain was unbearable, but he had learned long ago how to ignore it... the second time he was born.
~*~
Michael watched Selene as she slept. Still like a vampire. He turned his attention to his hand, which at the moment was growing it's skin back. That liquid really did a number on him.
He couldn't help but blame himself for what had happened on the hunt though. He kept repeating the words over and over in is head, "I am going to regret this." That was a few hours ago, and now, he knew why he had said it.
Nothing in his immortal, or mortal life for that matter ment as much to him as Selene did. It was his own stupid decision that she ended up this way, and he would take all the blame for it.
"I'm sorry." He whispered to her leaning forward in the chair and closed his eyes but opened them as he felt the same power he had felt twice now. Each time it had felt strong, as if it was determined to hurt. This time, it was weakend and felt as if it was being destroyed.
He stood up and glanced back at Selene, whatever had done this was the same power he felt, he knew it. Now, he had to stop it.
After slipping on his coat Michael walked out of the room. Quickly he made his way to William's office, "Watch over Selene." He told a startled William.
"I-what?" He said sounding shocked, "What is going on?"
"I have to stop it."
"It, it who?"
"The thing that did this." Michael said starting to leave.
"You don't know what did this Michael..." William said only to himself because Michael was gone.
Michael continued on his way as lycans watched him leaving, Drake ran up to him, "Hey, Boss, where are you going?"
"To find it."
Drake knew exactly what he was talking about and he tilted his head to the side, "Do you know where 'it' is?"
"I can sense.. him."
Drake pulled his coat over him tighter and walked behind Michael, "I'll go with you."
~*~
"Call me crazy, but if thing is a strong as you can sense it, and hell, even I can sense it a bit now. How are you gonna beat it?"
"I don't have to beat him."
"How do you know it is a him?"
"I can sense it."
"So then, you can sense that you can beat it."
"No, he is wounded and weak." Michael said jumping to a ledge of the buidling across from where he and Drake had stood just seconds before.
"You don't have to do this Michael."
"No," Michael said stopping and looking at Drake, "I do."
This answer seemed to calm Drake down as he didn't ask anymore questions for the rest of their little 'outing'.
"It's here." Michael told him stopping onto of the current building they were on, "Below us."
Drake exhaled deeply and looked at Michael, "Shall we?"
"Don't have a choice."
They both changed, Michael to hybrid, and Drake to lycan. Taking a strong leap, they fell through the roof and to the floor below themselves.
Michael was the first one to spot a figure in the shadows, hunched over and barely breathing. Drake gave out a small growl and the figure moved facing them now, his face still hidden in the shadows, but the rest of his body clearly visible. He was tall and his figure lean. An amulet hanging around his neck.
His eyes adjusted to the dark and Michael noticed something that left his mind blank. Red eyes... as if on instinct Michael roared and launched himself at the mysterious man; grabbing him by the throat.
"Not again." The man said.
Drake stopped his pounding footsteps across the room and changed back into his human form. Michael glanced back at him.
"Vincent, Michael, don't!"
Michael was now showing his fangs as he let out a sound between a roar and a hiss.
"Don't," Drake said taking a step forwards, "Please, you can't kill him."
Michael dropped Vincent back on the ground and changed back into his human form, "Why not?"
"I can't tell you, I can just tell you, you can't hurt him."
"Then you give me no real reason."
"A reas-I do have a reason actually. The reason however, I cannot tell you for I was long ago pledged to silence on the issue, and is not something I can go back on."
Michael looked at the man, who seemed no older than seventeen. His bangs were long and hung down in his face, the rest of his hair was short and spikey. Blood covered the bottom of his face as his red eyes peered up towards Michael.
His black shirt was muddy and torn as he began to stand once again.
"He is just a boy." Michael commented.
"No, he is far more than just a boy Michael, he is just a bit younger than me infact."
"Can he be trusted?"
"I don't really know."
"Then why did you stop me from killing him?" Michael asked glaring at Drake over his shoulder.
"Because he can't hurt you either." Drake responded.
About that time Michael heard a click and turned around, A gun was pointed at his chest. He growled and the boy pulled the trigger before Michael had time to react.
The bullet entered Michael's bloodstream, but the metal hull stayed on his skin, like it had attached itself there. Michael pulled it off quickly but soon fell to his knees as a power weakened him and his blood was boiling.
He took a few deep breaths and finally was able to cool off. The pain was leaving and Michael looked at his arms and hands, his skin was crawling but was slowly stopping and he stood back up.
"What in the hell was that?" He yelled.
Drake had long ago taken the gun from Vincent and now looked at it, "The virus weapon." He uttered silently to Michael.
"Why didn't it work?" Vincent asked out loud.
"Maybe because ol' Mike here is a hybrid." Drake responded.
"It still would have eaten through his skin." Vincent argued.
"No, it can't." Drake said smugly, "Lucian's blood runs through Michael's veins. Your virus won't work on him."
The boy tilted his head slightly at Drake's comment before letting his gaze fall to the floor, when he spoke, his voice was full of rage and anger, "All of you, lycans, you killed him. He was your leader and you all betrayed him!"
Michael looked confused while Drake took a step forward, "What in the hell are you talking about? We didn't kill Lucian."
Vincent's breaths were coming in short ragged pants. The amulet he wore hung freely as he used his hands to pop his jaw back into place.
Regaining his strength Michael returned to his hybrid form as Drake watched on, willing his boss not to kill the boy. Instead the boy let out a small sound that sounded like a hiss.
"Shit..." Drake muttered to himself as Vincent showed his fangs.
Michael lunged at the Vincent driving him into the wall as he growled at the boy, and was reminded of his situation almost five days previous when he was fighting with Viktor. His own cold black stare was met with that of Vincent's own firey red stare.
"We don't want to hurt you Vince." Drake called to him still holding the gun in his hands, "But, we didn't kill Lucian, we would never. He was our leader, our King."
Vince snapped his gaze over to Drake before going back to Michael, but no matter how hard he pushed, punched, or kicked, Michael wouldn't budge.
"Get off of me!"
As if the boy's prayers had been answered, a single shot rang through the air as a bullet entered Michael's back. He turned around quickly dropping Vincent as he turned to see who fired the shot, Drake stood their with his arms up, Michael's gaze flickered to the open window as he spied a vampire sitting on the ledge of a near building.
He went to move but felt something grab his arm he spun around and was met with a fist to his face. This wasn't a normal punch though, this one burnt his skin like the liquid virus. It was then he noticed that Vincent had cut his hand and blue liquid now poured from his wound.
He punched Michael again this time in an upward motion from his chin then again on the left side of his face. Drake went to jump in but was met with a silver bullet lodged in his side.
Vincent furrowed his brows together before punching Michael in the chest with all he had sending him flying back into the wall opposite of himself. Michael's skin seemed to sizzle and the smell of burnt flesh was clearly in the air.
"Lies.." Whispered Vincent before jumping out of the open window and taking off running throught the empty streets of the dark and damp city.
Drake shot the vampire using the gun he had took from Vincent, the vampire fell from the ledge and Drake stood up. He looked at Michael and winced.
He could see the bones and muscles that were usually hidden by skin, but now.. there was nothing there. He knelt down beside him as Michael changed back into his human form and attempted to get up, "We have to get him." He said wincing as he spoke.
"Can't, sorry Boss, but your injured and need to heal. We have to get back to the hideout, and there is only one way I know how to get back and get back fast."
Drake helped Michael up and sighed as he realized that their coats were on the roof, "Oh well, needed new ones anyways."
Drake helped Michael down to the sewers as he led Michael through them as quickly as possible, "Almost there." He told him practically dragging Michael along beside him.
Michael remained awake for the whole trip but his skin was burning and the pain made him hurt worse than anything he had felt before. It made him really wonder what were they up against and if he was as powerful as they say he was, why did Vincent beat him without breaking a sweat, and whatever had beat the shit out of him was probably still prowling the streets.
Drake leaned Michael up against one of the walls while he climbed up some stairs and lifted a hatch open. He then jogged back over to him and helped him up the stairs and into William's office.
"I never knew this was here." Michael told him.
"Me neither until a few days ago when I was looking for a book." He said smirking.
They were behind one of the various bookshelves that were placed around the room in William's office. After helping Michael around the bookshelf he layed him down on the bed and was relieved when William walked in Selene following behind him, looking weak, but awake and moving none the less.
Michael smiled a bit as he noticed that she wasn' asleep as long as she was last time, maybe the virus didn't work again. When William saw Drake and Michael in the room he stopped and winced as he noticed Michael's condition.
Selene did almost the same thing, she saw Michael and her breath caught in her throat. Her throat also became dry and hoarse as she took a step towards him, "What happened?" William asked as Selene had her gaze fixed on Michael.
"We found him." Drake replied.
"Who?"
"Err.. him."
William sighed, "Drake.." Drake replied by tossing the gun on the table infront of William.
"Found Mr. Virus."
"Who is it?" William asked examining the gun.
"Vincent." Replied Drake quietly.
"Who is that?"
"Shit, sorry, forgot that I am older than everyone here. I also can't tell anyone who he is, only he can."
"What is this some sort of game?" Selene asked for the first time surprising all the men in the room.
"No, I just made a promise when he was born, and I can't say anything, I swore on my life, my very existence."
"Great." William muttered under his breath as he ejected the rounds to find the bullets that were on Selene.
He dropped the gun back down on the table and walked briskly over to Michael's side, "Well, what happened here?"
"Virus incident."
William looked at him, "Vicent, the boy's blood is the virus."
He turned his attention back to the wounds on Michael as he heard Drake's reply. The flesh was already starting to grow back, slowly, but surely.
"I think he will be fine." William commented grabbing a small bottle and a needle before returning to them, "This should numb the pain though, and when it is all healed you will feel like new."
As William gave the shot to Michael, Selene watched silently and Drake looked at his swollen black eye in the mirror, after letting out a sigh her returned back to watch William.
"I am very eager to find out why the virus just ate your skin instead of infecting your blood stream."
"His blood burned me." Michael responded for the first time and Selene watched him intently.
"Excuse me?" William asked.
"He shot me once, but it wore off. Then I was distracted and he cut his fist, each time he punched me it felt as if my skin was on fire and I was helpless to stop it."
William nodded and took the needle out of his arm, and bandaged up the 'burns', "I will look into it for you, for now though, I suggest you go and get some rest the sun will be rising soon."
Michael nodded and Drake helped him up off the bed. As soon as he was on his feet Selene stood beside him a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite place at the moment for the drug was starting to affect him.
Michael placed his arm over her shoulder and she wrapped her arm around his waist. They didn't remember much of what happened, and neither of them really wanting to think about anything else than the well being of the other they just quietly walked back to their room, Selene helping him up the stairs and to the bed.
As Michael layed in the bed he tilted his head over to Selene she was laying on her back looking up at the ceiling. She was the last thing he remembered seeing before he fell into a sleep from exhaustion.
"Goodnight Michael." She told him quietly, this being the only thing she had said to him from William's office, all the way to their room.
~*~
Drake walked out of the room waving to William as he went and headed towards his room. Seeing Vincent again had really given him a scare, but he knew, whatever was happening had to happen to get the war over with, no matter how much he denied it.
His role in the cure, as he called it, wasn't ready yet. When they needed him though, he couldn't turn them down, and he would do his best for now to lead them to his answer he was trying to tell them, but would never be able to utter to a single one of them.
He whistled to the song he had made up ealier that night and shut his door to his room behind him. After falling flat on his face and onto his bed, he closed his eyes. This was a hell of a way to live. Curse the immortal damn for doing this to him.
"You hear me...this is the last time." He told no one in particular.
~*~
A/N: Wow, fast chapter! I hope all of you review! Tell me what you think. About the friend issue, it's not settled but getting there. So, now that I worked so hard on this chapter...I have to catch up on all the school work I neglected while doing this! ;) So, I hope you enjoyed, and I know you will all have lots..of questions. Oh yeah, and about the last title.. Selene asked herself a series of questions after the disagreement she had with Michael, this questions were asking about how things were different than there were from the rest of her immortal life.
Her life had changed, I think the main question she asked herself, even if I didn't list it, was when did this happen? Or when did my life change? Okie, done with that question and I can't remember the rest of them at the moment, thanks for reviewing anyways! This chapter is for you guys! HEH! Hope you enjoyed and please...review! Gives me something to think about while I try and write the next chapter!
Thanks...Punk-Death-Dealer