Disclaimer: See previous chapters
AN: Sorry for taking so long with this. I lost my focus for a while there.
Chap. XXV
The tension was enormous, yet no one dared to make a move. Lycan, vampire and hybrid, all frozen in their spots waiting to see who would make the next move or what that move would be. One thing was for certain now. There would be much death here. Marcus saw that, yet he was powerless to stop it as he was now in the midst of the conflict and he dared not to utter a word, lest it be the spark to ignite this fire. In a few minutes, someone or something will crack and the fighting would go on to its finish. Lycans would be shot, vampires slain, and even the hybrids would not escape unscathed, if at all. They were locked in time and there wasn't anything anyone could do about it.
Except perhaps one…
In the tunnel somewhere away, Ethan heard the charging of his brethren as well. At first, the thought of slaying Kraven had nearly blocked it out. But the charging was too loud for him to ignore.
'What the…is that the whole pack?'
At first, he was glad that they had arrived, against his order for them to leave. But then the sounds stopped and there was silence. Beneath his canine exterior, Ethan became confused as to why. He expected to hear gunfire and loud cries. But the silence itself…that was far worse. Turning his head to the side, he sniffed the air. The lycans were all there alright as well as the vampires. They were indeed all together. But then, why the silence? A feeling in his gut told him that something was wrong. Very wrong. He had to get there and find out. Sounds of scrambling caught his attention and he looked back to see Kraven scrambling away. In a rush, Ethan moved over to the vampire and stepped down on him, clawing him down and preventing his escape. He had to kill him. But his feeling was becoming too strong to ignore, even in his primal state. He had to go…now!
But…Kraven is his…
He just…had to kill him now. But he knew what would happen if he did so now. He would be so enraptured by the kill that he will ignore everything else just to see the vampire torn to pieces. And that wasn't time he could waste. They needed him. He knew that. But Kraven could escape. He knew that too. He had to choose.
Revenge or his people…
Vindication or salvation…
Death or life…
The vampires and the lycans were all posed still. No one moved, no one even seemed to breathe. The Death Dealers were all ready, keeping their eyes focused on the lycans overhead. Yet, they couldn't help but feel a small degree of fear within themselves. Remarkably, the lycans felt it to, although they hid it beneath their ferocious exterior. They were all anxious, simply waiting for something, anything to start this battle. But only the hybrids knew that this battle would only end up in death and suffering…of everyone.
Then it came…In times of warfare concerning two sides, there is always a spark, a sound that comes up out of nowhere. A falling stone, a click of the heel, maybe even a careless soldier making a slip-up and shooting by accident. In this case, it was a brick that had fallen from one of the coves the lycans stood at. It wasn't much, but it was enough. Time seemed to slow down. The lycans jumped at the sound and where ready to pounce. The Death Dealers that saw their sudden movement took aim. Selene and Michael whipped around to address the guns aimed on them. Marcus began to move Erika behind his back to protect her while the Change began to overcome him. The battle was about to begin…
HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The ear-deafening howl froze everyone in their intended tracks and caused them, lycan and vampire alike, to turn to the source. It came from a single dark tunnel that was unoccupied before. Until now… A pair of gleaming eyes emerged from the darkness and a large form stalked out.
It was Ethan…
Marcus's gaze shifted stayed dead on the lycan. He didn't know if this made things worse or what. But it was more than obvious to everyone that he was in command here. The silvery lycan stepped out into the open and raised his head, letting out several snaps and howls. At this, the lycan looked over at each other and then backed away, disappearing where they came from. Only one lycan remained and Ethan could tell that it was Sisera. He released another growl and Sisera, though seeming reluctant, back away into the darkness. Ethan then looked back at the vampire in the center. Many of them were too surprised by his act to even think of aiming their guns at him. They were stunned further when Ethan began changing back into his human form right before them. By doing so, they could kill him easily. All three hybrids saw that he was taking a major risk.
"I have told them to back off." Ethan announced once he got the full use of his voice back. "But they are still there. They will not fight unless provoked now." His tone became dangerous, "Please, do not provoke them."
"Who are you to be making demands, lycan?" Lucas demanded after shaking off the shock of the lycan's approach.
"Someone trying to keep you and everyone else here alive. And I wasn't talking to you." True to those words, Ethan's gaze was focused straight on the Elder. "You are Marcus, are you not?"
"I am."
The naked man took a step toward him, "Our battles…this war has taken its toll on all of us. I'm well aware that Viktor was the prime force in the war. I hope you are more reasonable after seeing where this has all led us."
Marcus took a step toward him as well, "What do you want?"
"To stop all of this. To end the war. We have both suffered greatly in this conflict and it must end." Though neither of them was aware of it, both their thoughts centered in on the loves that they had lost. Continuing, "Our two species can live in peace together. We have in ages before hence and it can be so again."
Marcus narrowed his eyes, trying to study Ethan while seeing if he would back away from his intimidating glare. To his satisfaction, Ethan held his gaze, showing no signs of intimidation or fear despite the odds against him.
"You took a great risk in doing what you're doing now. I respect that." Marcus then turned his attention to the vampires around him. "Hear me, my brethren. We will destroy each other if we fight each other. It was never meant to be this way." His eyes surveyed the vampires, seeing if he had their attention and he saw a couple focused on his words. "For us to survive, the war must end, here and now. If we don't, we will all die and exist only as fairytales for mortals."
The Death Dealers looked among each other in afterthought. Many of them were looked uncertain, while few were simply contemplated his words. So much has happened to them in a short span of time. People they thought were allies and friends turned out to be enemies and villains while those they hunted were the one that seemed to show something different than they were aware of. Selene understood it all. She had been the first. She had hunted the lycans thinking they were a threat to her species. But it turned out that it wasn't that at all. The one she trusted the most turned out to be the cause of her pain and the one she was to destroy turned to be the only one she loved. It was a difficult path, one that wasn't over for her yet. There were still questions, thoughts and afterthoughts. But she chose her place. Now they would have to do the same. After a period of silence, one of the vampires lowered his gun. A second and then a third and soon the majority of the Death Dealers stood down.
"No!" Lucas cried as he saw what was happening. "I will not allow this!" He raised his rifle at Ethan. "Die lycan!"
Lucas lifted his rifle and with an angered cry, he shot at the lycan. The bullets flew out and soared at the lycan. However, before they could hit him, a body flew through the air, taking the shots and hitting the water. Ethan blinked in surprise as he realized who had taken the shots that could have killed him.
Victor…
Ethan moved over to the fallen vampire and held his head up. Victor's eyes rolled around slightly before he focused them up on Ethan, who was looking down at him with confusion.
"Why?"
The vampire groaned a bit before answering, "Seemed like a good idea. Uhhhh." The bullet wounds were bad, but survivable. If he was a lycan, he would have been finished off due to the silver poisoning. Lucas gasped at this and stared at the wounded Death Dealer.
"What? You too, a traitor?" Victor had been his student. He personally taught him everything he knew about fighting and trained him as a Death Dealer. To see him defend a lycan against him was irreprehensible and he trembled with flaring rage. "Damn it. Damn it!!! This is all your fault, abomination!!!!!!"
The rifle swiftly redirected at Michael and he was about to pull the trigger when a flash of blue came up before him and slapped the weapon away. Enraged, Selene had literally swooped over to the vampire, knocked the gun away, grabbed Lucas's throat and held him high in the air, readying to snap him in two.
"Selene, don't." came the half-snarl plea from Michael. Selene simply stared up at Lucas, her black eyes seeking to devour him. But Michael's words held her back enough and she lazily tossed him over to the side. She had just now realized that Michael could have evaded the bullets as easily and as quickly as she had reached him. Her new senses and powers were flooding through her, sending above all, her emotions skyrocketing. She had spent so many years suppressing them, but now, she felt so…liberated. But she gave in to Michael's plea and dropped Lucas on the watery ground. Meanwhile, Ethan began to lift up the wounded vampire when he found himself in the shadow of Marcus. The two now leaders stared at each other for a long while before Marcus looked over his side. Taking the hint, a few Death Dealers ushered over to his side and lifted Victor up away from Ethan while a few others lifted the unconscious Lucas. Ethan looked at them for a moment and then back at Marcus.
"We have much to discuss." He muttered.
Marcus nodded in agreement, "We do indeed. Come with us back to Ordoghaz."
Ethan stood up fully and prepared to go with the Elder when another voice called out from behind.
"Surely you do not think you are going alone?"
The shadows came up from behind them and three figures strode out. Sisera was in the lead, barely clothed in torn clothes, but she didn't let it hinder her, nor did the determination on her face waver. From behind, two lycans, equally clothed, stood on opposite sides of her defensively. Ethan turned to her.
"Yes, I do. Stay here with the others."
"Is that an order?" she smiled, although her request was hardly humorous.
Ethan sighed, "It's a request."
"That's kind of you, but I'm coming." She then added forcefully, "I insist."
Ethan frowned, not wanting to endanger, least of all, her. But he saw no way out of this argument and would have no choice but to coincide with her demand. At this point, Marcus broke into the conversation. "You may all come if you wish."
Sisera nodded to him and then Erika decided to say something. "I hope you are not planning on entering the mansion, much less out in the open, like that." She gave a grin and he had remembered that he was still naked. He flushed with embarrassment.
"Heh, I didn't even realize…" He began to remember how he lost it in the first place and like a jolt, it hit him.
"Kraven!"
In a near panic, he moved to the tunnel that he had exited from, trying to sense if the vampire was still there. But as he feared, Kraven's scent had turned cold.
"He's gone…" His eyes shut with disappointment. "Again."
"He will be dealt with in due time for his treachery." Marcus called out to him. Ethan slowly turned his head as Marcus continued to speak.
"But for now, we must attend to this."
Etha's head remained lowered, but he nodded solemnly. "Yes." Looking back into the tunnel, he whispered a promise.
"Another time."
Sisera moved up beside him and handed him a pair of pants and a coat. After he fitted these on, he strode over to Marcus and moved for the tunnel, but not before Marcus looked over at him.
"I didn't get your name."
"Ethan."
The Death Dealers had already begun moving out of the underground and the Marcus, Erika and the lycan's soon followed. But as they reached the entrance, Ethan realized that Michael and Selene were not with them. The two were behind them, staring at each other longingly with their bodies close. Marcus soon noticed as well and Ethan turned to him and whispered, grinning all the while.
"Give them a few minutes. They'll catch up."
Marcus gave a small smile in return and they exited out, leaving the two hybrids alone. Michael was still amazement at Selene's new hybrid form.He never thought he could find her any more beautiful than before, but apprently he was wrong. He was so transfixed on her appearancethat he almost didn't notice her clawed hand moving up to his cheek. But when it touched, Michael blinked. She was warm. It seemed foreign to him from Selene, but it was by no means unpleasant. Selene too, felt the warmth of his cheek and reveled in it. Still seeing her hand on his cheek, Michael lifted his own him to hers. She seemed to have been waiting for that because when he did, she nudged her cheek in his palm and closed her eyes. There was so much that had happened to them since they met. So much change… Yet, feeling each other, touching each other right now, they knew one thing for certain.
They would love each other…
Selene's eyes opened slowly, revealing her amber-brown eyes once again. Yet, her mind began to fill with worries, mainly about the future. What was to happen to them, the consequences of their actions as well as the decision made by them and others? But those questions ceased when Michael's eyes opened as well, his own that had reverted to their original color. It didn't matter. He was the only thing mattered. Whatever became of them, whatever the future held, good or bad, he would be there with her. That was undeniable. And she would be content with that for as long as she lived.
"Come on, Michael. We have to go."
Her hand drifted down as did his and they met in a tentative lock. Selene moved first, leading him as always and as always, Michael followed willingly.
It was time to leave the Underworld…