Disclaimer: Didn't make it, don't own the rights to it (ie GOLDEN SUN) alright?

Chapter 8: Vampyres

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"What I don't understand," Ivan continued angrily, "Is why anyone would want to…err…harm…Jenna! They already tried Hammet, and now Jenna!"

"Isaac…" Mia said, "…everyone…What are going to do about this…situation…"

"Just…s…say it…" Jenna sobbed, "Someone tried to kill me…"

Jenna's rage had now subsided, leaving only a leaden depressed feeling as the events hit her like a sandbag. Her feminine side had finally gotten control and she cried bitterly and sought a secure place. To no one's great surprise, this turned out to be in Mitch's arms, which she couldn't help noticing she fit perfectly into. Mitch had the panicked look of a young man faced with a crying infant and held Jenna carefully, almost expecting her to break, or at least explode. His arms might have been made to hold Jenna, he admitted, but he had no idea how to proceed and settled for sitting very still and whispering "It's alright Jenna…I'm here…Shhh…"

"Damnit!" Isaac shouted as Jenna tucked back in, "I feel so helpless…" He brought his fist down hard on the table. Lighting the lighthouses had put the final swell and polish on Isaac's muscles and that resulted in a spidery crack down the length of the solid oak table.

"Isaac…" Mia cooed, "…calm down Isaac…Everyone's had a hard day, a good night's sleep is what we need,"

"Mia," Isaac said sternly, hitting the table again, "We don't have time to sleep. That's when…when…whoever-they-are strike!" He punched a hole through the table and Mia grabbed his fist before he could do it again.

Mia's expression hardened, "Well, do you honestly think we can do much good trying to fight half-asleep?"

"No…" Isaac sank back into his seat, "No…we can't do a damn thing…the only one who could fight was Mitch," He nodded thankfully at Mitch, "But we can't keep relying on him…" Jenna's head jerked up.

"Why not?" Jenna asked defensively.

"Not that way," Isaac sighed, "I mean he's only human,"

Jenna looked at Isaac in a way that suggested that she thought Mitch was a god.

"I'm sorry…" Mitch said, "I'll try my best, I'm sorry I'm not stronger…"

"Just do what you can Mitch," Mia said kindly, "That's all we can ask for…"

Everyone exchanged grim expressions. Something was happening, sure enough. They never had to worry about assassins before because they tried not to be anyone's enemy and their enemies where too proud to stoop so low as hiring, basically, a highly-paid arrogant thug with shiny knives anyway so that was covered as well.

"Why did someone want to kill Jenna or Hammet?" Garet asked, breaking the silence, "Who! Why!"

"Nobody knows,"

The entire group swiveled over to see Hammet march angrily towards them. Mia's treatments where working, and he walked quite well now with only the aid of a stick.

"I understand that some odd men tried to take your life last night," Hammet said, addressing Jenna, "That is unacceptable! I will not stand for it!"

"But Father…" Ivan said, "They tried to…"

"I know that Ivan," Hammet interrupted, "I'm an old man. This is different; I will not allow a seventeen-year old young woman to die because of my inaction! We'll call every single guard and watchman! They'll find out who is doing this! Captain!"

"Yessir?" said a senior watchman, stepping forward.

"I want every watchman on patrol tonight!" Hammet roared in self-righteous fury, "Every single one! Tell them they're getting a pay raise of 50 gold an hour! Hop to it!"

"Yessir!" The watchmen bounded off. Hammet nodded slightly.

"Good men," he sighed, "Reliable and loyal to a fault…What do we do know?"

"Get some sleep," Mia said sternly, "Rest is what we all need if we are going to get that food back to New Vale tomorrow,"

"Yes," Hammet agreed, "Mia is very wise. If it is alright with you, I will have the caravan ready by noon tomorrow. Now everyone, you can all sleep in here and I'll have the windows guarded and barred. Men! Get some beds down here for our guests!"

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In an Undisclosed Location

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"So your men failed us…" said the evil voice, "…I cannot pay for…shoddy worksmanship…"

"It wasn't shoddy!" said the overly arrogant head of the local Assassins guild, "Robert said it wasn't a man but a demon!"

A female voice spoke up with, "A demon, eh…He could be useful…He sounds interesting…hmm…"

"Calm down Karst," another male voice said, "Our friends here will capture him as well as the others…"

"I thought your orders where to…" Lord Lockridge of the Assassins guild interrupted. He shut up as he felt all five of the glares rest on him and felt them drill through him.

"I have changed my mind," said the first voice, "All of them alive. Isaac has the power I desire and the others will serve well as slaves…and Jenna…"

"Ooo…" Karst interrupted. Nobody was sure of her age but it probably fell somewhere between fifteen and twenty-three. Since she had been focusing the majority of herself on revenge, and had grown tired of it, the full force of adolescence hit her all at once. "I call dibs on the Mitch character!"

"You're twisted Karst," Menardi sighed, "Would mother like it?"

Karst growled at Menardi, who smirked back. When they had both reunited, in their blood was a chemical scientifically named Siblinghatredietheykilleachotherregularlyese, which exists in all siblings and makes them want to kill each other regularly, hence the name. Being sisters, Karst and Menardi, although now not quite totally human, where still vulnerable to the hormone, and thus periodically they had to pulled apart from each other in order to stop the carpet from being messed up.

"This Mitch is different than the others," Saturos said thoughtfully, "He's very…cautious…I think catching him will be quite difficult…"

"He really upset Mister Hollinger!"

"How so Mister Lockridge?"

"He wanted to have children!"

Karst chuckled.

"Whoever he is," Lord Lockridge continued, "He's very good; the best I've seen really…"

"Tell us more Mister Lockridge,"

"Well…he fights without rules. He's invisible at night, and he protects that Jenna girl with his life," Lockridge bantered on, "The rumors at the guildhouse say that he's her guardian angel! And…"

"Does he look good?" Karst asked, throwing Lockridge off.

"Err…the rumors say so…Actually…"

"Yes Mister Lockridge?"

"Err…the female members of the guild are acting a bit…"

"Yes?"

Lockridge sighed, "They're volunteering a lot…err…He's a Ranger…"

Karst's eyes bugged out, "Really! Ooooo!"

Everyone glanced curiously at her. "What's so special about a ranger anyway?" Saturos asked.

Karst thought for a moment. "'Cause he's a Ranger!" she repeated, as if the phrase was self-explanatory.

"But what makes Rangers different than say…lumberjacks?"

Karst looked dumbfounded. "Hmm…I think it's an element to mystery. Lumberjacks aren't very mysterious."

"So? Why is a Druid - "

"Ranger…" Karst said hotly, "They're nicer and better than Druids,"

The main figure waved them into silence. The voice held an icy cold tone of plain evil, of a hatred that hasn't been resolved, but the wronged had no objections to waiting a long time to see his enemies suffer.

"Mister Lockridge," Alex said as he leaned forward, "I believe we have reached and understanding? I want all of them alive, every single one…" - Karst opened her moth to interrupt but was hushed quickly – "…and wrap up the Ranger nice and pretty for Karst,"

"My lord…" Lord Lockridge began, "Surely you don't mean to enslave -"

Alex stood up violently, "I will do with them as I please!" he snarled.

Lockridge stepped forward in rage, "Aren't these young men and women we are speaking of! I cannot allow you to enslave the children!"

"What! You won't let me do as I wish but you'll gladly kill them for money!"

Lockridge was taken aback. "Well…We are the Assassins Guild! We take lives! Not freedom!"

"But isn't killing them taking away the freedom of life?" Menardi asked.

Alex waved her into silence, regaining his glacial calmness. "Mister Lockridge, I'm sure we can…THUD"

Everyone looked in horror as the rain of crossbow bolts penetrated Alex's stomach and chest, and he slumped back into his chair. Mister Lockridge lowered his hand and his fellow Assassins returned the weapons to their places in their flowing black robes. They watched in even more horror as Alex stood back up, grinning as he watched his own blood flow from the wounds. He pulled the bolts out…

"Killing without being paid to do so is considered poor sportsmanship Mister Lockridge…" Alex held one bolt by the tip. His arm blurred, and Mister Lockridge felt a sharp pain as the bolt took a tiny piece of his ear as it whistled past, hitting an assassin in the chest and pinned him to the wall.

Before Mister Lockridge could respond, Alex jumped from his seat with startling speed and grabbed him by the neck, lifting him an inch off the ground.

"You…you're a…vampire!" Mister Lockridge croaked softly. He was thrown back onto the floor and weakly got to his feet.

A glint of light flashed on Alex's teeth, showing an elongated canine.

"No! I'm a VAMPYRE!" Alex exclaimed, gesturing to his new teeth, "I'm something better than human and a vampire now!" He kneeled down and pulled Mister Lockridge's face towards his. "Understood?"

Mister Lockridge's eyes had nearly rolled back into their sockets.

"All of them alive…" he whispered weakly, "…slavery…Alright, I'll do it…"

"Good," Alex replied, letting go, "And I'm not going to be unreasonable about this…"

A bag was shoved into Mister Lockridge's hands, heavy with gold.

"Ten-thousand up front," Alex said, "And fifteen-thousand for each of them you bring to me. Bodies are worth nothing, do you understand?"

Mister Lockridge nodded.

"We don't want to kill them,"

Mister Lockridge nodded.

"Or else I'll kill you,"

Mister Lockridge nodded, paused, and shook his head wildly.

"Ah," Alex said, sounding pleased with himself, "So you do understand…"

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The Next Morning

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"Jenna?" Mitch whispered softly while shaking her gently, "Jenna? It's time to get up…" Jenna opened her eyes slowly.

"Good morning Jenna," Mitch said cheerfully. Jenna yawned delicately and smiled.

"Good morning," she replied, swinging her legs off the bed, "Time to go?"

"Um-hmm," Mitch responded. He glanced at the wall.

Jenna noticed the look. "Do you think we'll run into any more assassins on the trial?"

"I don't know Jenna," Mitch replied, "But I'll do my best to protect you and your friends, okay?"

Jenna giggled, "I know you will," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder for a little bit longer than necessary. As she stood and walked in front of him, her hand migrated to his neck and then to his chin, where she gently adjusted his head up and she stared directly into his eyes.

"My guardian angel…" she whispered flirtatiously. With one last caress of a cheek, she winked and walked away.

Mitch stood quietly for a moment.

"What was that about?" he asked.

There was a tiny rustling in his hair.

"I have no idea," a small voice responded…

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Doughnutmaster: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY LATELY AND…

Jenna (Holding whip): WRITE AUTHOR BOY! Snaps fingers>

Mitch: Ready to fire…

Doughnutmaster: Yes ma'am!

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