It's been an extremely long while since I've updated, but hopefully I'll get back into the mood of it. For anyone still interested this one is complete...hopefully. ;)

Chapter 8

Lara had laid out her guns on the living room coffee table and was quickly wiping them down with a white cloth, a habit she often did when she was bored, tired, or nervous.

She was interrupted as Kurtis walked into the room and settled on the sofa adjacent to the one in which she sat. Her thoughts of him returned as she uncomfortably watched the man from across the small room. He didn't speak, but calmly twirled his prototype pistol around his index finger, as if it were a simple toy.

The silence was unbearable. She wanted to ask him about their destination, but didn't want to sound pushy.

"Couldn't sleep?" She simply asked.

Kurtis nodded his head, and the silence returned.

Lara could feel herself shaking with aggravated anticipation. She forcefully shoved the 9mm clip back into the gun.

"This map," she finally spoke out, actually more uncomfortable than before. "You're sure you know where it is?"

He tiredly looked up at her with agitated eyes. "Pretty much, yeah." he answered. "It's written that the map to the vial is found where Sir Augustine himself, 'bore his people's will.'"

Lara' eyes ran back and forth across the floor, still unconvinced about the map. She wanted to be sure of things before running out and screwing everything up. Kurtis apparently saw her concern and continued trying to gain her trust.

"The oldest Lux Veritatis stronghold is found in Annaba." he went on. "It was abandoned after Sir Augustine died. I'm almost certain that's where he ruled." He paused, wondering about her weariness. "Why?" he asked "Are you concerned?"

"No." Lara answered, as calmly as she could. " But hopefully this little escapade will go by as smooth and quickly as possible. I don't want any-" she paused "-unnecessary interaction between the two of us."

Kurtis was slightly taken aback by her remark about the two of them. "So you're concerned about us?"

He saw Lara suddenly look at him with annoyance, and he could see that her statement had accidentally slipped out. He slightly grinned as she looked away, and continued speaking as to end her discomfort.

"Well I know where the map is," he stated "but I have no idea where the Vial itself is located."

"That's what maps are for." Lara quickly returned. She tried to hold back her sarcasm, but the habit was hard to break. "But Sir Augustine," she began again, "I thought he eventually gave up on the Christian faith."

"He did." Kurtis simply said. He slightly tucked his head. "And so did I."

"So why go back now?" she curiously asked. "Just because your ass is in trouble."

"I think that's the main reason." he said with a smile which quickly faded. "Among other things," he paused "revenge sounds good."

"It always does." she agreed before a sudden silence fell between them.

Kurtis deeply stared at her, almost in regret of not telling her the whole truth of the matter.

"The sooner the better." Lara quickly said breaking the silence and Kurtis's longing stare. "Once you find this Vial, you can drink it, or whatever you do with the stuff, and the world will be safe once again."

"Yeah." Kurtis half answered. He eagerly looked at her, thinking.

"What is it?" Lara asked him. He suddenly seemed different, nervous.

Kurtis thought with urgency. He needed to tell her now, he wanted to.

Lara neared him. Something was wrong. He was hesitant toward her, as if he didn't want her to see something.

Kurtis was anxious to see her response, and scared.

Lara stood, unwanted curiosity and wonder in her motions. "What are you keeping from me?"

He knew the longer he waited, the harder it would be to gain her trust. He had to tell her.

"Alright." he finally gave in to himself. "I haven't been completely honest with you."

Lara looked at him without shock, "What a surprise." she sarcastically stated. She had come to expect these things. What had he been lying about know?

He glared at her for a long moment before beginning his explanation. "The vial," he slowly started, "isn't the last step in this process." he paused and then started again, more agitated, as if rambling to himself. "After I find it, it will be at least four years before the thing will even give me the power to make someone a Lux Veritatis."

Lara was suddenly confused and scared. "Four years?" she thought "What is he talking about?" she studied him. "Go on." she simply stated.

"The Vial won't give me the ability to pass on my powers." He stopped, and stared at her for a moment which seemed an eternity. A never seen uneasiness entered his eyes as he looked at Lara, ready to pour out the plot of his true destiny. He sat up tall in that movement and deeply breathed. "It will give it to my child."

Lara felt her jaw bone drop as she heard the words. "Your child?" she asked, confused. "You don't have a child." A knot entered her stomach as she comprehended his words. "Right?"

"Exactly." Kurtis spoke out. And she began to understand everything.

Lara quickly looked at him and started to back away in discomfort. She stared at his eyes with worry and disarray as she realized what he was saying.

"The Vial," Kurtis continued, standing, "will allow me to give the Veritatis gene to-" he paused "-a woman." He could sense Lara's uneasiness. "An elder can only be created when one of its parents is a pureborn descendant of a Nephilim. That's what the Vial of Kindred Shadows is, the actual blood of Sir Augustine himself, of a Nephilim." He stared at Lara as she shook her head in disbelief, it was finally out. "I'm not the chosen savior of this world." he paused. "My child is."

Lara was in shock. "His child?" she thought. The words brought a picture into her mind. She remembered Mr. Lynch at the Lancaster Museum. He had warned her about having a child, and that it would be a Nephilim if she did. Was Kurtis trying to re-breed the Nephilim race? Maybe Karel hadn't died. Maybe he was just disguised as a hansom man that needed her help. This was to awkward to be a coincidence.

Lara shook her head. Why did she care anyway? It wasn't like she would actually carry Kurtis's child, even if he asked her to. Lara, now reassured, looked back to him. "You're not asking me to do," she paused, "what I think you are, are you?"

"No." Kurtis quickly and sternly answered. He then looked at her and half smiled. "Not necessarily."

At this, Lara again became hesitant toward him.

"Your skill in archeology and danger," he explained, "made you the perfect person to help me find this thing. What you do afterwards is completely up to you."

Lara, though still in surprise, thought for a moment until looking back to him, her mind making a decision. "I said I'd help you," she told him, "and I will." she paused. "But only with finding the map, that's it."

Kurtis glanced at her with worry as she spoke.

"It's not my place to be hunting for something that I want no part in." she explained.

Kurtis quickly confronted her. "But you're the only person tha-"

"No." Lara spoke forcefully. "This is your burden, not mine. I'll help you find the map." she told him "But as for this Vial," she began to back away, "you're on your own."

Kurtis watched as Lara snatched her backpack off of the sofa, and quickly started down the hall, entering her room without looking back at him.

"Dammit."

(-)

Lara flung herself onto the bed and tried to relax. She felt so tired, and Kurtis's news had made things even worse, if that was possible. She closed her eyes, trying her best to fall asleep.

Kurtis kicked over a nearby chair, and flung himself onto the mattress he'd left only minutes before, now regretting his decision to leave it the first time. He was so pissed at himself that he couldn't think, or sleep. He stretched himself out and stared at the ceiling trying to forget his misfortune.

(-)

The shadow itself quickly moved across the street and met its companions. Its eyes glared red as it silently spotted a small outcropped building in front of its position. The creature seemed to smile as it sniffed the air, sensing its prey.

The wraiths crept passed the nearly destroyed mailbox by the home's drive and lurked to its only entrance, the door engraved with the numbers 10452.

(-)

After a short rest, Lara had been woken by a strange noise in the hall, which turned out to be nothing more than a dust-covered clock announcing the time. It was 3:00am and she had been woken several hours before. She uncomfortably tossed back and forth through her bed sheets, finally halting her movements in a desperate attempt to relax, though she still felt uneasy. She calmed her senses and forced herself to think about Kurtis. She couldn't believe what he had told her earlier. The world was in danger, not only until he found the Vial, but until he actually had a kid. Why hadn't he told her earlier? It was like he was saving it for later. Maybe he had been scared of the reaction she would have, as well he should've been. But was she overreacting? After all, helping him find the thing didn't mean that she would actually have to use it. Leaving now would be like condemning the world. There was no way Kurtis could do this alone.

"No" she interrupted herself. This was not her place. She didn't want to get mixed up in all this ancient Veritatis clan mess. Besides, she needed to get away from him. The more she stayed around him the more she liked-

Her thoughts were interrupted as a dark shadow suddenly moved outside, passing by the window. She instantly sat up, and grabbed the 9mm from under her pillow. She could hear herself breathe as she slowly neared the window pane. She flattened herself against the wall, and silently peered through a crease between the window curtain and the glass. She anxiously watched. The silence was agonizing.

Lara slowly lifted her gun as she saw a black shape move near the bushes outside. She curiously watched as the strange ghost-like creature peered at the side of the house, searching for something, that something no doubt being Kurtis.

Lara cursed as the object suddenly turned and darted away as though it had seen her.

She quickly ran to the bedroom door, opened it, and hurriedly started for Kurtis' room. Her movement instantly stalled as she heard a slight ruffled noise above her.

Lara slowly lifted her gun, and prepared herself. A eerie feeling entered her mind as the sense of nothing was all around her. She knew something was there, but it seemed so distant. She cautiously continued, weary of everything around her. She was almost at his door, it was right in front of her, less than fifteen feet. She had to warn him.

Her body suddenly halted as she felt another presence beside her. It was coming closer.

A dead silence filled the air and her lungs as her breathing stopped out of fear. She instantly jumped backward as a shadow-like figure fell from the ceiling, landing heavily where she had just been standing. She pointed her weapon forward as the creature growled at her, and flashed it's glowing red eyes. She pulled the trigger.

The figure let out a short scream and quickly fled. She continued shooting until she heard a second snarl behind her. She instantly fell the floor, and looked up to see the creature that was sneaking up behind her, pass overhead. She quickly fired once again and jumped to her feet, preparing to meet the shadowy beast once again.

She sighed with disbelief as she saw four more of the dark figures enter the hallway. Lara heard a scream cry out from Kurtis's room. She quickly rushed for the door, but one of the shadowed creatures quickly blocked her path. She breathed deeply, and reloaded her pistol as the beasts began toward her.

(-)

Kurtis had been awake the entire night. He regretted not telling Lara the truth from the beginning. The fact that he hadn't made his situation even more complicated. He knew that she would probably never trust him again, if she ever had before. He banged his head against his pillow and closed his eyes.

Kurtis sighed as he felt a strange sensation suddenly flow throughout his shoulder. He scratched at it, wondering what had caused-

His movements stopped as confusion occurred, his eyes meeting a faint brightness that hovered around the tattoo at his shoulder. Kurtis sat up with surprise and examined it further. It seemed like the symbol itself was actually glowing.

Kurtis jumped out of risen fear as he saw a shadow suddenly dash across the room, then disappear into a darkened corner. He grabbed his Boran X from the night-stand beside him, and quickly stood to his feet. He slowly brought himself closer to the dark niche, preparing himself.

He could see nothing, the shadow of night surrounding him. He leveled his gun, ready to kill whatever it was that had found its way into his home.

He stood, heart beating anxiously, waiting, watching the corner with readiness.

BAM!

Kurtis spun toward his bedroom door as he heard a gunshot suddenly fire in the hallway. "Lara." he shouted lowly to himself. He lowered his gun, and quickly began for the door, knowing that she was in trouble.

A sudden shriek of pain left his lungs and he was forced to the floor. His pistol flew from his grasp, and halted uselessly at the base of the door. He could feel the demon wraith pressed against his back, taking advantage of his interrupted mind. It's sharp claws extended, ready to kill him and finish its life's goal.

(-)

They surrounded her. The flaring of their red eyes showing brightly against the ghostly darkness of their bodies. Lara knew the situation was impossible. These demonic things apparently didn't have the ability to be killed since the previous two she had brought down with her 9mm had gotten back up, and now joined the other four. They seemed to move closer now, ready to strike her down and posses her body. Lara lowered her head as she heard another scream come from Kurtis's room. The creatures had him; he was gone. She took a deep breath, knowing this was the end.

The evil figures rushed toward her and growled.

(-)

Kurtis fought to reach the door as the creature behind him ripped into his flesh. He reached out his arm for the Boran X merely inches away. His fingertips touched it, it was nearly in his grasps.

He let out another scream as the demon tore into him even farther than before. He had to reach the gun, he had to reach Lara. In desperation and rage he forced his arm forward to the point that he felt his muscles tearing apart. His hand continued toward the weapon; he ignored the pain, pushing it aside with desperation.. He finally had it! Kurtis quickly gripped the gun, lifted it from the floor, and slung it over his shoulder.

The wraith shrieked as the bullet entered its ghastly body. The demon left Kurtis's back for a mere second, trying to escape the pain. Kurtis quickly forced himself around to meet the creature face to face, knowing that the shot had only stunned it.

The creature slightly stumbled backward, then rushed its attack once again. Kurtis was struck down as the wraith grappled his chest, ripping away his shirt, and part his pale skin.

Kurtis felt a burning fire in his upper arm and his body instantly went numb. He grabbed at the source-

and cried out in pain as the heat of the mysterious fire in his shoulder instantly burnt his hand. He quickly ripped it away, a dim light beginning to flow from where the strange pain had originated.

He breathed hard, feeling as though his lungs would collapse at any moment. He didn't understand what was happening, but he wasn't the only one being effected. The wraith had stopped its advance and was slowly stepping away as though it were afraid.

(-)

Lara saw the strange creatures suddenly back away as a bright light glowed through the outer edges of Kurtis's bedroom door. The creatures looked to one another as if in fear of something unknown to her. They instantly faced Lara again, more urgent to finish her than before. The demonic figures were saving her for something. Maybe their leader was with Kurtis and they were waiting for "it" to kill her. Lara was scared, more for Kurtis than herself. She wanted nothing more than to run to his room and save him from his horrible fate. She new that whatever was happening to him, that she would soon be next.

(-)

The light burst into an amazing fire that filled the entire room. Kurtis voice rang out in a solid scream as the pain became unbearable. The wraith flung itself away in an attempt to escape, but its pace instantly slowed and it fell to the floor. The demon yelled out in an unimaginable shrieking noise that grew louder and forced Kurtis to cover his ears. He watched as the wraith began to violently spasm around the room. The demon, in a fit of rage and desperation suddenly forced itself upward, ridding itself of the strange light that harmed it, and quickly darted back toward him. Kurtis just stared as the creature fell again, and instantly spasmed upon the floor, the light slowly consuming its body until all that remained were blackened ashes.

The pain returned to Kurtis's shoulder as the light began to recede leaving the room, rushing back inside of him.

Kurtis's body then fell. He could feel the ice cold floor against his bloodshot face. Pain seared through every inch of his body, and he couldn't move, his body too weak. He had no idea what was going on or what had just happened to him, where the strange light had come from or how it had destroyed the demonic wraith, a creature he had thought impossible to destroy. But at this moment, he didn't care, all he wanted was to sleep, sleep and dream of better times, times with-

A sudden memory filled his mind with fear, and his body lurched with urgency. He remembered Lara. She was in trouble. He had to get to the hallway, he had to help her.

Though weaker than ever before, Kurtis forced himself to stand as he ran as fast as he could toward the door.

He shoved his weight upon it.