Author's Note: This one gets a little more action to it than we've had so far, so I hope you enjoy the nice change in pace. A little violent here a there… but I'm sure you'll get over it smiles::

Marcus Lazarus: Glad you find it interesting. Thanks for the review. If it wasn't so early in the morning, the acknowledgement might be longer oO

Mrs. Mina Harker: Cute couple? Heh, you're the first one to say that.

LotRseer3350 Intensity is good. And evil is fun.

BloodMoonLycan: Glad I can keep you interested. Eeep, Falx seems to have taken a disliking to you oO.

funyun I suppose you could call the Quattuor childish in a fashion. They're spoilt… in that they spoil themselves. Glad you like Woods. And no, Mina's not an underling, but you'll see as it goes along.

Drakena: Glad you liked Mina's remembrance. And… Falx is supposed to be that way oO She's an alpha female werewolf. It's kinda her job to whore on her lover… you don't like the character? Oo And about Jason Flemyng… um… sorry?

Sethoz: Thanks for the comments, 'Thoz. Exuro… I have too much fun, heh. XD

Thanks for the reviews, guys. Here's the update of Eternal Midnight…

Simon Pender considered his hand, glanced over his cards to his fellow gamblers, and then grinned slyly behind the concealment, as crude as it was. His hazel eyes flickered curiously to his companions again, seeing their pensive expressions, and then his young face slipped into nonchalance… the perfect poker face, he had always thought. Neat black hair – or thereabouts – sat atop his head, combed forward, with the slightest flick at the front, shadowing his brow. He wore somewhat tidy clothing. A dark denim jacket and jeans, a white shirt with black sleeveless tee below it, and boots… which had last been polished about ten months ago. On his left wrist was a silver watch, and on his right middle finger was a gold band.

He was confident… almost to the point of boredom, actually. He knew he was damn good at his game, and nothing could ruin his mood… even the two brooding so-and-sos at the pool table. He had seen them come in, silently – at least outside of themselves – and dejectedly, moodily and ominously. One had black hair, curled and youthful, the other with blonde, shorter and with a less obvious curl to it. He hadn't got close enough to see their eyes, but both had had a darkness… like their clothes. What was with these brooding types and black anyway? Were they trying to prove something?

Rolling his eyes, he saw his fellow players lay down their cards in turn, and when it came to his time, the others were almost pained as they waited… and Simon put them out of their misery, grinning as he reached forward to collect his winnings. "Thanks for the game, gentlemen. I'll be on my way."

His fellow players growled and grumbled, but let him leave nevertheless. Thankfully, they weren't in the mood for argument. Simon had just about cleaned out their pockets and their spirits for the night, and for that, he was thankful.

With little debt and a somewhat rude song in his mind, he made for the bathroom. He stayed inside for only a few minutes, and then headed for the back door, so much more favourable than the front. The front housed innumerable whores and floozies who would only try and divert his attention, and after having a couple of beers, Simon wasn't quite in the right mind to refuse, he was certain. His girlfriend would certainly not agree with that little… accident, as he would call it.

Smiling a little with a light laugh, he sighed, and pocketed his hands, looking up to the midnight sky, eyeing the stars as they twinkled down a little. The half moon waned slowly and majestically, and it was almost peaceful…

At least until a hand grabbed around his face, over his mouth, silencing him, and he reached up to struggle, but the fingers latched on so tightly, he thought he felt them draw blood. He yelped behind the hand, and tried to wriggle free, mind swelling and coursing with fear and confusion. Stupid back entrance…

From before him, an eerie figure melted out of the shadows, two silver narrowed slits glinting oddly for a moment, before the form became solid, and he recognised them as the blonde young man from inside the bar. There was almost no expression on their face, and he held no weapon. His black duster fluttered around his booted ankles for a moment, and he turned his head to look at Simon almost curiously… before he felt the blinding, numbing agony in his back, and tried to scream out for help, moments before feeling the subsequent jerk on the dagger that had plunged in near his spine. There was a crack and a squelch… and everything fell still.

Simon Pender went limp in Lacertus' arms, and slowly, the lycanthrope let the man fall to the ground, pulling out his dagger and regarding the bloodied blade. The spine had been severed savagely with just one twist, and the brown eyes regarded Exuro, who cocked his head.

"Well," Exuro deadpanned, sighing as he looked to Lacertus, "that was boring."

Mina walked in front, her heels clicking quietly on the street below her, and the park was not far from where they were at present. It would take them only a couple of minutes more before they arrived. She had let the other two – the werewolves – in on the rendezvous as much as possible, trusting them enough to let them hear what she planned to do with this alliance, as it were.

Just as she had suspected, the park came into sight… and the scent hit her like a wave. She hadn't realised how much she would remember it, and the memories it stirred were so vivid, she almost reeled. The two behind her either didn't notice, or didn't comment, but when she turned her head to look at them, she noticed their combined furrowing of the brow, almost as if they had caught scent of something themselves. Surely they couldn't smell him as clearly as she could? Or… wait, was there something else?

That was when she heard him, and saw the flutter of the leaves in the tall tree ahead, as a form leapt out of it, rolling once in mid-air, and landing in a perfect, almost feline crouch. The head was lowered for a moment, one hand down on the ground, and she saw the gorgeous sword strapped to his back, glinting silver and ornate in the moonlight. His head lifted then, his brown, wild, feral and spiked hair out in all directions, not too different from what she remembered. His vibrant blue eyes regarded her, and she could just make out the very tips of his vampiric fangs at his thin lips, curved just slightly into a curious smile. Slowly, he rose to his full height of around six feet, if not a few inches more, and she took in his athletic, discreetly muscular frame, with his long arms, his agile legs, and his powerful torso. He wore an almost silken shirt, dark blue in shade, with wisps of silvery grey breaking the surface. Black trousers covered his legs, flaring ever so gracefully over thick, hardy boots. On one – his left – hand, he wore two rings, on his index and ring fingers, and on the other, just the thumb… all silver. Around his neck hung a beautiful pendant that she remembered so vividly, almost as if she had first studied it only yesterday. It was silver, adorned with two rubies, each one representing an eye for the great bat whose wings spread up his chest slightly. Its mouth was open, showing wicked teeth, but there was a weakness about it she had never been able to place… just like with him.

"Hello, Mina," he greeted smoothly, his voice like a bitter wine almost, American, slightly gruff… and stirring memories once again. They flashed through her, even as she smiled subtly in response.

"Ezekiel," she returned calmly, reaching out to shake his hand. "I knew you would come."

He shook her hand back in return. "Did I really have a choice?"

Somewhat quietly, she returned firmly, "You always had a choice." They looked into each other's blue eyes for a long time, lost there, but with little to no expression on their faces.

"I'm not alone… not that I suppose you thought I would be, right?" he said to her suddenly, stepping back, and arching a lean brow, the shadow they cast over his eyes enchanting in its own, almost sinister way.

Mina nodded, and Anise and Dmitri came up beside her, staying a little ways behind, just in case.

From the very same tree came another figure, and they twisted spryly around the thick branch on which they had been perched, dropping down and bending their knees slightly with the landing. Their long, thin legs supported their equally lean frame easily, with discreet prowess in the form and limbs, leading up to a beautiful face, housing dark, inquisitive – even suspicious – eyes, black hair falling around the face, almost foreign in its skin tone. The hair itself shone almost copper under the wan light provided by the occasional lamp, and the moon, and it fell in locks, smooth and silky around her face as she tilted it slightly in consideration. Her clothing consisted of sleeveless vest, pale grey in colour, with dark jeans, and slightly heeled boots. A simple chain and locket hung about her neck, shining golden in the moonlight, and a single silver band was sat around her left ring finger. Mina arched a brow.

A third figure prowled stealthily out from behind the tree, and he moved so silently and carefully that not even the dry leaves under his boots dare whisper a sound. Brown eyes regarded the three strangers with intrigue and care, the gaze almost piercing. He had dirty blonde hair that fell in almost limp layers down around his broad jaw, past his brow and eyes, and down to where his neck met his cheekbones and chin. He moved with an otherworldly grace and precaution, and Mina immediately jumped to conclusions as to what he was. This was who Anise and Dmitri had smelt, she knew. He wore a leather jacket, cut to his calves, and under that he wore a white short-sleeved shirt. His dark jeans were somewhat baggy, allowing for give, only serving to further her suspicions.

"So, Mina," Ezekiel began, tilting his head the other way. "Gonna introduce me to your friends?" It wasn't a polite request. Ezekiel had always been somewhat forward with his requests.

Mina arched her own brow, still intrigued by this new woman, but obeyed anyway, "This is Anise Delacroix, and Dmitri. They are my friends, and my team mates… and yours?"

The man to Ezekiel's right lifted his chin slightly, brown eyes narrowing a little in pensive regard of Mina and her two companions.

"Illyria," Ezekiel introduced, the woman to his left bowing her head only slightly in acknowledgement, "and John Zariel. Colleagues."

"And more," Mina stated simply. Ezekiel grinned, and Illyria's right hand snaked up his arm slowly. Mina pulled in a breath, and nodded, confirming her mind's thoughts on the woman's identity… especially with that ring. Ezekiel nodded.

"Yes, she's my lover… any more questions?" He didn't let her respond, something that had always driven her crazy in their past. "If I may ask one of my own… they are…?"

Mina rolled her eyes. "Lycanthropes."

"Aha," he murmured, his voice almost fluidic for a moment. "Illyria is like us, and Zariel… would settle in well with your two companions, I should imagine… so long as they don't mind a little brooding." Ezekiel chuckled to himself, and Zariel managed a slight smile. "Now… next question… what's all this about?"

They had been on the move only about five minutes, and not a word had passed between them since meeting with Granger's people to see that the body of the gambler wasn't left in that alley. The black and silver Lotus drove steadily, but not slowly, down the street, weaving carefully and in a controlled manner in and out of the other traffic.

Suddenly, with a wild screech of tires, a black unmarked SUV tore onto the street behind their car, and the two of them swore in unison, the first of them yanking hard on the wheel, and ducking down a side alley, only just wide enough for the pursuing car to fit down. It even scraped off a wing-mirror in the process of the chase, and the lycanthropes' vehicle sped forward with a roar of the engine. Its black paintwork gleamed as they tore under the streetlights overhead, and burst out onto the street on the other side, the driver giving a vicious snarl of irritation. Why the hell were they being chased?

This made no sense. Of course, nothing as of late, since that night in the club upon getting reacquainted with Mina Harker… nothing made any goddamn sense. It was starting to seriously grate on his few remaining nerves.

Exuro turned his head to Lacertus in the passenger seat, whose eyes flashed a dangerous shade of yellow, even as the first werewolf snapped out, "Pop the roof."

Lacertus did so, and the detachable top to the car rocketed backwards, torn with the wind that was being ripped over the speeding vehicle, and sending it careering backwards, slamming forcefully into the large car behind them, which tried to swerve. The force of the collision sent them reeling with a wailing screech, and for a moment, they lost their pursuit…

Before another such vehicle skidded into the road ahead of Exuro and Lacertus. The two braced themselves, before Exuro gave a vicious tug on the wheel, succeeding in avoiding the collision, but making them spin around in a half-circle, until they were facing back the way they had come.

"What the hell do these guys want? They're starting to–"

"Piss you off?" Lacertus offered with a swift nod, and a growl. "Yeah. I second that."

With that, even as Exuro slammed his boot down on the gas once again, Lacertus tore one of his black polished Colt pistols from its leather holster at his waist, twisted himself agilely in his seat, and let off three shots in swift succession. The glass at the front of the second pursuit vehicle shattered inward with the pinpointed shots, and blood sprayed around the interior. Lacertus grinned wickedly, throwing a mocking wink at the stunned driver, before shoving himself back down in his seat, yelling, "Okay, go! I think I repaid a bit of the debt." He laughed, as did Exuro, the two mischievously amused by the payback. The car's wheels spun madly on the road for a while before the car sped forward again, and Exuro slammed it into gear subconsciously, seriously pushing the car to its limits, even as a mental flash took him back to the narrow streets of Venice. Growling irritably, he shoved the none-too-welcome memory aside, and swerved around the first SUV. The driver of the larger black vehicle watched them avoid them with a yell of frustration, before turning the SUV around, and giving a fresh course of pursuit.

Exuro cursed inwardly, glancing over his shoulder, along with Lacertus, at the chasing men. A horn in front of them made their eyes dart forward, and Exuro bit out a rather audible curse instead. "Shit!"

A third SUV had ploughed onto the scene, nearly taking out half the traffic already on the road as it did so. The lack of plates on the cars only served to anger Exuro further, as he considered their options.

The night had started so simply, with a routine hit for the two of them, which had been over in a matter of an hour. After that, they had planned to head back to their place, with their payment, and simply watch the world go by.

So much for that plan, Exuro thought, and narrowly avoided slamming a truck. "Piece of crap." Exuro threw a silver glare in the direction of the startled driver, simply not caring as to whether the man saw or not… which he probably didn't in his daze, and pushed the vehicle on again, knowing he would have to take care of these guys sooner rather than later. Two of them were coming up quickly behind him now. The beginner with the nasty dent, and the third arrival. The under-manned vehicle was hanging back a little, perhaps in case the two tried doubling back again.

"Think you're smart, huh?" Exuro smirked, and Lacertus seemed to click as to what was going on, having returned his gun to its holster. "Ready?" he asked needlessly of his companion, who gave a single, gruff nod, which succeeded in tossing the black curls about his head slightly.

"Okay, guys… here we go." With that, he yanked on the handbrake, subsequently causing the rear tires to slam into position, throwing up steam and smoke as he did so, the wheels burning slightly with the friction on the road beneath. The two SUVs careened forward in surprise, only able to watch as the sports car sailed back behind them. Exuro barked out a laugh, and took off the handbrake with a flick of the wrist, piling on the speed once again with great vehemence. "Get ready, Lac'."

"I was born ready."

"Don't cliché me," Exuro told him with a grin, and the two laughed, even as Exuro hopped up, propping himself on his seat, and pushing his hands into his duster, perfectly balanced. When his hands came back out, they were each holding a mock-silver-plated Colt pistol, and he aimed one out on either side of him, waiting until Lacertus had – with his foot reached over the partition in the centre of the car – levelled them with the windows of the SUVs.

Smiling downward, and giving a mock sigh of disappointment, Exuro pulled on the triggers, continuously, until there were screams of agony or shock from inside his enemy's vehicles. Blood could be seen spilt inside each SUV, and before long, one spun to one side as the driver slumped dead against the wheel, causing it to ram into parked cars against one side of the street, subsequently flipping upward and over.

Lacertus laughed loudly with glee at the carnage, and threw back his head for a moment, even as the other SUV slammed to a halt. Exuro guessed he had winged the driver, and killed the passenger. As a parting gift, he twisted – using his agility and almost feline grace to do so – and let off his last shot into one of the tires of the same vehicle. The wheel burst with the impact, lowering one side of the car. Exuro flashed a cheeky grin at the still-living driver, and sunk back down into his seat, blonde hair flowing wildly about his head and face as he said, "That's a bit better. Just one sucker left, right?"

"Right." Lacertus had cast a glance behind him, even as another vehicle appeared. "Oh for… two, Ex'."

"God dammit!" Exuro slammed his palm against the top of the wheel, and drove around the traffic, knowing they were heading out towards the more deserted part of the road system… the highway. Not many people around there at this time of night. "Why can't they just… piss off? Who are these guys anyway?"

"Who knows? Vengeful maybe?" Lacertus wasn't even bothering to raise his voice. The heightened senses made short work of the noise for them, and they could hear each other perfectly as the entrance to the highway pulled into view. Exuro aimed straight for it.

He scoffed quietly. "Not likely. They have to know who we are. I doubt they'd try it if they weren't working for that bastard Woods."

Lacertus' growl was more than feral, and his eyes waned yellow again, only for a moment, as they pulled onto the highway. The two SUVs were right on their tail – even the one with a punctured tire – but Exuro pushed the sports car on faster, hoping the thing wouldn't pack out on him when he needed its speed. "Come on, baby," he told it quietly, insistently. It roared, almost in response, and practically launched forward with the application of pressure on the gas, and one of the SUVs nearly lost control as it tried to overtake a pickup.

"Care to get rid of the straggler?" Exuro offered Lacertus, who nodded, and using one arm, hoisted himself over his own backrest, into the back seat. He pulled out his gun from his belt again, and levelled the barrel, aiming right at the head of the lone driver. After a few moments of adjusting with the movement of the vehicles, he squeezed the trigger. A sharp bang followed, and then a screech of skidding tires, before the pickup had to swerve to avoid the careening SUV, which subsequently flipped against the partition and landed roughly and messily on the other side of the highway, amidst a few passing cars.

Lacertus hopped back into the front seat, slotting the pistol away. "Got a plan for the last one?"

"Sure do. As soon as I move–"

"Take the wheel? Gotcha."

"Good boy," Exuro offered playfully, and readied himself, pressing the gas pedal flat to the floor. He needed distance for this… and plenty of it. A miscalculation would either cost him his life or something he would definitely miss. He overtook a lonely car on the highway, which soon decided that stopping and pulling over altogether might be smart given the commotion behind it, even as the SUV came tearing up in the background, firing wildly at them, bullets flying everywhere, and a few even ripping into the vehicle they were chasing.

Here goes nothin', Exuro told himself, and pulled in a deep breath. He knew he would not have to say anything to his fellow lycanthrope, even as he arched himself in his seat, snapping new magazine clips into the bottoms of his weapons, before launching himself off the back of the car. He landed in a roll on the highway, and pointed the barrels forward, letting off eight shots alternatively from each gun, before the hood of the SUV just got too close.

Okay, really not good! Exuro's mind snapped into focus, and he quickly pushed himself to his feet, bracing himself and jumping forward and up, onto the bonnet, and slamming against the windshield. It cracked horribly with the werewolf's impact, and Exuro gave a yell, both of pain and fury, as he was thrown upward into the air, off the windshield. Through the pain, he forced himself to turn, else he land on something that would suffer from crashing into the concrete, and as he did so, he focused on what he would have to do now.

As he turned in the air, everything seemed to slow, his duster tearing around him with the wind and the force of the rapid movement… before everything was thrown back into real time, and his feet hit the ground, one knee slightly unbalanced. He compensated automatically, subconsciously, and clicked out the empty magazines from his guns, reloading instantly with clips attached to his leather belt. The SUV wasn't too far from him, and was even about to turn, the driver pulling on the wheel to try and take down the lone lycanthrope.

"Just try it, asshole," Exuro grumbled, blood running down the right side of his face from an already healing gash across the forehead near his hairline, as he snapped the guns out in front of him in the blink of an eye, scowling at the two men in the SUV before savagely pulling on the triggers in turn. Rapid fire burst out of the business ends, and rocketed with painful force into the SUV's body, ripping holes the size of golf balls in the shell, before a few of the projectiles hit something important, and there was a crack… and a dull boom.

The SUV was still for a moment, before with a blinding flash of bright flame; it was shot upwards with the force of the rupturing explosion from inside the hood of the large vehicle. The men inside were no doubt killed instantly, and Exuro lowered the pistols, even as a secondary chain explosion sent a tire off separately to the side, landing some twenty feet behind the thoroughly angered werewolf. He was hurt, he was pissed, and he was not in the mood for anything other than a stiff drink and smashing something apart. Though the explosion was rather relaxing to him all of a sudden.

Giving a half-hearted snarl as the messy and charred shell of the destroyed SUV came back down to land, Exuro painfully put his Colts away in his body holster, groaning loudly as he did so, even as the somewhat wrecked sports car came back in his direction. He refused to fall to one knee, and limped towards Lacertus, who stood up in his seat.

"You all right, Ex'?"

"I'm just peachy," Exuro grumbled, trying to force the limp from the weakened knee to recede, knowing with a sense of mild relief that it would be gone in a little over a day. He touched a hand to the side of his head, seeing the coating of blood that came with it, and sighing loudly. He glanced with contempt at the burning SUV shell, and narrowed his eyes, rolling one rather battered shoulder back, hearing a crack. Dislocated… well, not anymore. He snarled, and climbed back into the car, on the passenger side. He sat heavily in the seat, and snapped at Lacertus, "Let's get back."