Order 18: Talon
Vatican Kitchen. 7:00 P.M.
Skey sat at one of the island counters in the itchen munching on some fruit. The book she looked at in Anderson's room gave her more ideas. If Malakai was to posess such powers, how in the world could any of Iscariot or even Hellsing, beat that thing? All she had been taught was the vampires ability to walk through walls, to 'blend in' with an enviorment, the ability of harnessing God-like strength and the invincibility of pain and succumbing to human weapons like guns. But the witchery she saw in that book, she had no doubt Malakai knew of it since he was an Ancient one. The fight could be more harder than she originally expected. Skey took the last bite from the apple and sat back in the chair. She hadn't turned the light on so it was dark. A small light shone in from the open door, but nothing besides. There was one thing Skey worried about though she felt that it wouldn't happen...what if Malakai decided to come and infiltrate the Vatican?
Maxwell's Office. 7:00 P.M.
Anderson had come in to get his assignments. Maxwell had said no words to him, but handed him the papers and that was it. It caught Anderson as peculiar for Maxwell to have nothing to say for once. Instead of pushing him to, Anderson took the papers and shoved them into his coat pocket then proceeded to walk out. Then he spoke.
" I had a meeting with Skey."
Anderson froze at the door and could only imagine the horrid and mean things he could have said to Skey to hurt her.
" Ye dinna...yell at her like ye ayeways dae...didnae ye?"
"...Yes. But I had something else to say besides that. I yelled at her for her stupidity of not telling us about that vampire, and even you know that that was a stupid move for her to make. I told her how much of a brat she acted, and how she always acted like we were wrong to treat her like we did. She was, and still is, irrisponsible. But before you get mad at me and start telling me I shouldn't be so hard on her...I did tell her something else. I told her that she was trained well and a fierce, determined fighter. But to prove me wrong about my assumptions of her being a simple brat, that she would have to start learning rules. Is that light enough for you, Father Anderson?"
Maxwell's last remark was one of sarcasm but Anderson didn't mind it. In fact he smiled and opened the door to go.
" Aye. Thon will dae. Thank ye, Father Maxwell."
Vatican Kitchen 7:00 P.M.
Skey slumped on the counter after eating her fill of fruit. The bowl was filled with such things as seeds, stems and leaves. And now a hot cup of Chamomile tea sat in front of her. She stirred it boredly as she thought many miscellaneous thoughts. Despite Anderson's somewhat comforting words, Skey still felt out of place in the Vatican. But what his words did inspire was for her to continue and not give up. And even what Maxwell said. Oh, how deeply she desired to prove that senile old fart how wrong he was. Skey promised to herself to maybe tame down, but still maintain her own unique personality. It wouldn't be easy, but she knew she had to prevail. The thick line of light from the cracked kitchen doorway disappeared and Skey was emerged into darkness. It caught her attention and her head snapped up to see who was intruding. When the lights switched on and Anderson took a step in, her heart stopped racing and she gave a grin. And he did too. Skey knew Anderson's grin far too well. It was time to hunt!
Backroad Not Too Far Out of the Vatican Limits. 7:45 P.M.
An unsettling fog had set down the streets. It was uncanny considering it hasn't rain for the past few days. It was dark down the backroad behind some tall apartment buildings. Dumpsters were filled up to the brim. Anderson had gone down a different way to check it out while she had taken the precise backroad pointed out by the assignment's description. Both swords had been unsheathed and captured the reflecting light of a dim overhead street light at the end of the short backroad. A cat screeched loudly when she approached and only startled Skey for a mere second. Rats scurried here and there but besides that, there were no vampires running around. The smell of this road was downright ungodly! Skey's nose scunched up and she let out a loud "Ugh!" as she passed by an open and overflowing dumpster. Of all the places a vampire had to be spotted. Skey walked with a more calmer exterior while she looked around. Anderson came around the right corner of the backroad and shrugged his large shoulders.
" It's gone. It mae hae ran aff ae wee bit. We'll hae tae split up and go oot in ae larger area lay oot."
She nodded and both started down the backroad and split up again but this time father apart.
Talon watched from atop a building, watching the two split up further and further. He remembered his master's plans. He was to keep Skey busy until Malakai dealt with the priest. Skey has disappeared under a large tree and now Talon saw this as a perfect chance to get her now. He jumped off the ledge of the building, flying through the darkness of shadows within seconds. He landed without a sound on the hard cement and ran to her. Hunred feet, eighty feet, fifty feet...he was close now and she still continued walking, unknown to his presence! Or so he thought. Just as he was atop of her Skey turned around quickly and whipped the katana blade through the air in a melodic sound of air metal slashing the wind. Talon had jumped back in time and stood. Both now stood defiantly to one another. Their eyes locked into one another's a dead silence between them. Leaves rustled above them. One leaf detached itself from the tree and started falling to the ground. The golden color was slow and once it touched the cold pavement...they moved. Talon jumped in, skey sidestepping and bringing her sword around to slash him. Talon disappeared into thin air. Skey stood where she was, her teeth bared as she let rage infiltrate her. Behind her Talon appeared and struck her down. Her knees buckled and she fell, but as she did she swung her sword out wildly from the direction the attack came from. The sword didn't hit anything. Skey leapt up and found the vampire to be gone again! This cat and mouse game was tiring her and working her last nerves. She had already been through a lot within the past week and this was near to the last straw.
" Show your face, coward!"
He did, showing himself leaning against the tree, not too far from her sword's reach. His arms was crossed over his chest, the short, spiky strands of silver hair falling about his face. The handsome, young face of his was faulted by a scowl and a firm mouth. He spoke in such a harsh tone.
" I do not understand why Master Malakai would ever love a whore like you. I envy you so much...for being able to hold Master's heart captive. Three hundred years he had never loved another. That ancient man has never oved another one for so long, fearing the love of his life may find out what he was and flee. Only a hundred years ago did he come across me and change me into a vampire like himself. Since then, since the first time I stared into his eyes so erotically shaped to woo any man or woman he cast a glance at, I had been in love with him. I was his little apprentice...and servan to anything else he needed. He'd tease me with such melting caresses with those smooth hands...and he'd kiss me whenever he felt I deserved it. Then you come along...and steal his heart like nothing. He met you as a whore and in many of his journal entries, he'd write about the conversations he'd simply pay to have. About your sad life and despite your youth, how much you struggled through. He had said once to me that, " I feel sorry for her. I wish she would love me and in turn, I would pay her the most highest respects and love I could ever offer such a beautiful goddess." The only emotions he ever exhibited to me was lust and anger. I was to bear such things for him but God, I lived for it. As long as he thought of me during those moments, it was good enough. You should consider yourself lucky to be TRULY loved by such a vampire as he."
Both stood where they were. Skey couldn't believe what the silver haired vampire said to her.
" He will control this humanity...he'll raise humans like cattle...breeding them, raising them. But they'll be food to us vampires. and on top of the throne, he wants you there as his Queen, his Empress. The Goddess of perfection he deems you as at his side. You're a fool to not take up on such an offer."
Skey didn't wait any longer. She stepped in and slashed at him but only managed to put a slash in the bark as he disappeared within a second of the wind. Any time he appeared near her, she's slash at him in blind fury. finally she regained her sanity and stood fully, seeing him leaning against the brick wall of a building in front of them. Skey closed her eyes and sheathed her swords, something rather uncanny for any kind of vampire hunter to do. She held put her hands out in front of her, and stuck her hands into the ends of the opposite coat sleeves, sort of how a Japanese elder would do in etiquette. Talon was offset by her ridiculous, not to mention stupid choice of action. Did she mean to simply stand there? It wore at Talon's patience. He approached her cautiously and yet she did not stir. Was she in a sort of meditation trance? Even her breathing didn't sound. It was like she became a living statue of some sort. Talon circled her. Skey knew he was curious about her simply standing there in the appearance of being defenseless. She wasn't. Within her coat arms she always had four hidden daggers holy blessed by the Pope himself.All she was waiting for was for the opportune moment in which she could strike him with the throwing daggers, then fight him with the swords. Her heart would jump at what seemed like the right moment, but she calmed her heart and would say no. Finally, the moment came.
" You stupid woman! What are you doing? Praying to God? It's not like he cares for humans anymore!"
Talon had stepped in for an attack and right then, Skey's eyes flew open in full knowledgement, the daggers ripped out from her coat sleeves and thrown into him. Three had hit into his arms, and three into his torso. Talon staggered back, hissing like some sort of snake. Talon took out the daggers and went in to attack. As he did, Skey's blade came out of the scabbard, ringing with the metallic friction. Talon dodged it by leaping up and landed in front of her, pushing her to the ground. skey attacked with the second sword just as he leaned in to attack. The ripping of skin deafened the air, Talon's eyes of a rare, gorgeous red flying open in fright. Skey grinned as blood leaked down the blade in a thick, slow ooze. He choked, gagged and started coughing blood up. Talon stepped back, but remained standing, growling demonically at her. Skey got back up her sword ready to slash his head off. Despite the state Talon was in, he chuckled. The cackling sounded so weird with the mix of the blood coming up.
" I must tell you something...human minds like yours are like open books. I saw you had a dream a day ago or something, right? A recent dream...You're surrounded by fire in the arms of a man. He wears a coat or cloak of some sort and he is holding you tightly against his chest. Then after you two surveyed, you both looked into each others' eyes and kissed. And it was such a lovely kiss, wasn't it? Both of you in complete bliss of love. Yet you were never able to see whom it was. It was all dark. I'll tell you who it is...That person you are in the arms of, kissing with your whole heart, is the person you will love forever and who will love you forever. You won't know who it is until it happens. And it will. (gags and clutches his throat) Be happy...for what you have now...about what you can have. You bitch..."
Skey took the sword and with every muscle fiber in her arm flexed, brought it down upon his neck in a quick, almost ungodly speed and force. The body turned to sand and collapsed. Skey closed her eyes and didn't know what to think. She took out a phone and proclaimed that a target had been killed. she hung up and walked out from under the tree's darkness and down the way Anderson headed. Then further down the street, she saw him fighting. The figure was clad in all black, and his feet moved like a dance. She ran down the paved, empty street and stopped not far away to see Anderson dueling Malakai!
