A/N: Thanks for all the love, ya'll. This is a long overdue update, I know, but late is better than never, right?

Chapter 18

Tamsin woke with a start, a sharp gasp escaping her lungs as she sat up. Her breathing settled into long, deep breaths as she took in her surroundings. In mere seconds, she realized two rather terrifying things:

One, she was sitting in the middle of the road in a city she had never been to.

Two, she was alone.

"Where the hell am I?" Tamsin breathed out in a quiet voice.

::::

Dyson sat on the edge of the roof, eyes scanning the clustered buildings for any sign of danger. As usual, he volunteered to do first watch. Nobody had any idea their group had ventured to this area except trusted individuals, and yet he couldn't shake the feeling that there was something wrong. Despite everything (and everyone, aka April and Edgar politely sending disapproving looks at his suggestion of keeping watch) telling him that they were in no danger, he insisted on it.

The wolf took a deep breath through his nose, rolling the tension out of his neck and shoulders. On the tail end of his inhalation, he caught a whiff of smoke. He shifted a bit, his eyes a menacing yellow. Again, he breathed in, concentrating on the smell. There it is. Again, smoke.

Suddenly, he was standing, looking harder for any sign of activity. Far away, on the other side of the town, he spotted a thin column of smoke. It was a dark charcoal, reaching high up into the sky to consume the stars. They wouldn't build a fire, would they? It's too risky out here... And if they did, the smoke wouldn't reach that high. It's as if they want attention... Like a—

"Signal fire!" Dyson's eyes widened, and he rushed over to wake the two sleeping forms on the other side of the roof.

::::

"Are ya'll from the north? Is that why ya'll keep chasin' me?" The bull chimera yelled, jumping over a fallen tree. His knee was in awful shape despite being a rapid healer. It was an endless cycle of healing and breaking. He'd lift his leg, it'd heal a little bit. He stepped down, it'd break. On and on, it went. Eventually, exhaustion would overtake him, and he'd simply fall over unconscious.

"Oh my gosh, how does he know that?" Kenzi gasped. "Were you a fortune teller before you became all bull shit crazy? Get it? Bull shit crazy? Y'know, instead of bat shit crazy? Anyways, are you even a credible fortune teller? My aunt—"

"Okay, Kenz! I love you, but this is not the time," Bo huffed out. The two women were marginally closer to the chimera, but not close enough to try anything. "We just want answers!"

"I GAVE YOU ANSWERS," he growled, snorting through his nose. His eyes brightened in their redness for a second.

"Those were the most bullshit answers!" Bo yelled back.

"YEAH. BECAUSE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOU CURIOUS ENOUGH TO COME BACK WITH ME."

"WELL, I'M NOT GOING WITH YOU."

"THEN WHAT THE FLYING DEVIL ARE YOU DOIN' RIGHT NOW? AT THIS RATE, WE'LL BE THERE IN NO TIME."

Bo opened her mouth to speak, but realized the man was right. She was falling right into Abaddon's hands.

"You know, he has a really good point," Kenzi commented. "Also, can we speed this up because mama is gettin' tired here." She made a rolling motion with her hand.

The sounds of a rushing, bloated river greeted their ears, and Bo finally thought they had the chimera cornered. What they didn't expect, however, was for him to dive headfirst into the river before cutting across it with long, powerful strokes.

Kenzi stared after him in awe. "What the hell, man. Do you think the Olympics are made up of chimera dudes too? He could definitely smash Phelps."

"I'm goin' in," Bo announced.

"What?!" Kenzi reached out, a fraction of a moment too late before her best friend went plunging into the river. "Bo, no!"

::::

"Yikes, looks like you just woke up."

Tamsin's head jerked in the direction of the voice. "What the hell? I killed you."

Adrian squinted his eyes as he scrunched his nose. "Not quite, love."

"No, I'm sure as hell. I slit your throat and watched you die," Tamsin argued as she got back up on her feet. She lunged at him and was met with air; she passed right through him.

"Yeah, but let's recall what happened before all that. Who punctured you like a juice pouch?" The chimera teased her, unfazed by the valkyrie's attack.

Tamsin reached up to touch her neck, finding a smooth expanse of skin. She got back up again, turning to stare at his spiritual form. "You poisoned me.."

"Mmhm. Right about now, your beloved succubus and the skinny human are following my companion. More than likely, they'll both die. After all, Tanner is a bull chimera, and he could easily snap their rib cages."

Tamsin clenched her teeth. "How do I get out of here? How do I wake up?"

Adrian continued, ignoring her questions. "Ever think about how much pain you'd be in if your ribs snapped and stabbed your insides? Must be awful, eh? All that internal bleeding, and oof, don't even get me started on punctured lungs. It's like trying to inflate a plastic bag but there's a gaping hole in it yet you keep trying and trying. And whatever you've managed to inflate just fills with blood instead of air..."

"Just shut up and tell me how to leave!" Tamsin all but growled.

"You can't save her, love. Nobody can. And why should I tell you? In fact, the more we talk, the better my future looks."

"What are you talking about?" She furrowed her brows.

"See, my poison's special. There's a reason no one survives. It's not just poison, y'see... It's a part of me. When people like you get poisoned, their heart rate slows... they fall unconscious... and then it begins: the takeover."

"Takeover?" Tamsin's heart rate quickened in panic. She had to find a way out of here.

"Oh yeah, the takeover." Adrian smiled like a gleeful child, pacing back and forth in front of the blonde. "When that little part of me invades someone, and they get stuck in this fevered dream, I can usually kill them off immediately when I appear next to them just like I did with you. But you and that damned adarna..." He trailed off. Suddenly, he disappeared and reappeared so very, very close to Tamsin, causing her to flinch.

"You two bested me. Killed my body off. Left me as this poor existence inside your mind," he hissed. "But," he continued happily, checking his nails, "Lucky for me, you're trapped here which means after a certain amount of time, I'll start to take over your body. And you, my dear exiled valkyrie, will be gone. Forever. No rebirth. No more succubus. You have and will be nothing."

::::

April was exhausted. Between keeping the fire going and checking on the valkyrie, she could barely stand on her feet. Jesus christ, I am definitely not made for this much physical activity, she thought wearily as she jogged over to Tamsin to check on her.

Stunned, her feet refused to carry her the few steps to the valkyrie's side. Slowly, she approached before kneeling down and lifting up the blonde's arm. There, April found dull green scales lining the entirety of the taller woman's hand and wrist.

"Oh no. Oh no, no, no." April frantically yanked Tamsin's pant legs up to her knees, revealing the same pattern of reptilian scales. Next, she yanked up the blonde's shirt to reveal untouched skin. The adarna shakily released a sigh of relief. "We've got a little bit of time before—"

April inclined her head to one side, listening. She swore she heard—

A piercing howl reached her ears, and immediately, she knew who it was. Dyson's on his way. He can track Bo down.

She glanced back down, and she watched with a horrified expression as the scales extended up Tamsin's arm another inch. But he needs to hurry.

::::

After a couple of minutes of hectic packing, the trio shot down the stairs of the abandoned building. Sure as rain, their steps led them outside, and they sprinted towards the other side of town. However, being distracted by the idea that Bo might be hurt, Dyson wasn't aware of a pair of claws swiping across his chest.

In the blink of an eye, his shirt was torn apart and three long lacerations decorated his chest. Blood poured, painting the rest of his chest and tainting the air with a tinge of iron. He growled loudly, fury sweeping through his veins.

May quickly went to work, her arms hovering over the wound as she quietly murmured her song. With an eerie glow, bit by bit, the wounds closed up. She grasped the wolf's bicep, forcing him to look at her and giving him a look as if to say calm down.

Then, two women slinked out of the shadows, blocking their path. One of them took their time, sucking the blood from each of her fingertips.

"Hello, big boy," she purred with a heavy Spanish accent, wiggling her bloody fingers in a small wave now.

Another low growl ripped its way out of Dyson's throat, and he pulled away from May's hold. "Who the hell are you two?"

"Such a shame," the non-bloodied one commented, "he doesn't remember us." She sighed, running a well-manicured hand through loose curls of sandy-blonde hair. Her voice was marked by a French accent and sounded like the type of voice that would send your heart fluttering if was whispering in your ear. Her eyes, however, told another story. They were a cold blue, sharp and analytical. They contradicted what her voice implied. They were steel while her voice was silk.

"Mmm, but we can remind him, can't we, baby?" came the voice of the other woman who seemed mildly obsessed with the blood that was now drying on her. With warm, brown eyes, and long, straight dark brown hair, she seemed the picture of shy and innocent. The three of them watched as she rubbed what little blood that hadn't dried onto her tanned face, closing her eyes as she savored it.

Edgar openly frowned, disgusted.

Ever-composed, May averted her eyes to the blonde woman.

"One last time, tell us who you are," Dyson demanded.

"Must be one hell of a spell if he can't remember us, huh?" The blonde remarked with no intention of answering the question.

Dyson clenched his fists, leaning in towards May and Edgar. "I'll take the weird one. You two take the other one."

Edgar paused. "You sure? She seems rather crazy..."

"She ruined my favorite shirt," the wolf attempted to joke, gesturing to the tattered fabric.

May and Edgar shared a look before nodding. "Okay," May said for the both of them, "but shout if you need help."

"Of course," Dyson replied.

"Looks like play time is over," the tan woman observed. In unison, the two women's hands extended into menacing, borderline feline claws.

Edgar nudged May. "I'll back you up. You have more speed than I do, and if they caught Dyson off-guard.. No way in hell do I have a chance."

May nodded, switching into battle mode as she slipped her brass knuckles on. She had to focus. She breathed out, dropping any expression from her face. She launched forward, quickly meeting toe to toe with the blonde. Her fists sent a few testing strikes, gauging the other woman's speed and skills. She kept light on her feet, keeping her breathing even and steady.

The adarna blinked, and upon opening her eyes, the feline woman appeared in front of her, one arm reaching out to swipe at her. Barely reacting to the sudden intrusion, May threw up her arm, smacking at against the forearm of the other woman in a block. At the same time, she brought her right fist up, bringing it down on the blonde's hand. She felt a bone crack under the force of her punch.

The blonde jumped back, cradling her hurt hand. She hissed in pain, cracking the bones back into place. "Oh, you want a fist fight, do you?" May and Edgar watched as she morphed, her body growing and resembling that of a lion/human hybrid. In a distorted voice, she continued, "Letting you simply bleed out would be a mercy, wouldn't it? I'm going to batter your bodies until every bone is broken."

Nearby, Dyson and the brunette danced around each other, claws out with the occasional growl. Dyson was waiting for the right moment to lunge in to deliver a fatal strike. After all, time was of the essence; he had to get to that signal fire.

"Ooh, look at that," the brunette cut into his thoughts, "the little adarna got Anaïs to get serious. Impressive. She's definitely learned to defend herself after all this time..."

Dyson gave her a questioning look.

"Ah, you see," she clarified, "Anaïs and I murdered her parents in front of her and her sister. Though, baby girl probably doesn't remember. She and her sister were so small. Quivering in their little nightgowns. Helpless little things. I couldn't bring myself to kill either of them."

Dyson watched her lick her lips, a hungry look in her eyes.

"I'm glad I didn't, though. The feistier they are, the more fun they are to kill."

Dyson darted in, slashing at the woman who barely dodged it. He nicked her waist, and blood seeped out of the wound.

"Oh dear," she commented lazily, dragging her finger through the wound. She licked her bloody finger. "It seems I should give you my full attention, hmm? Anaïs should be fine. Let's go somewhere private."

With that, she took off sprinting.

Dyson took off after her without a second thought, following her down alleyways and streets.

Anaïs watched her partner leave, turning her head back to the troublesome pair in front of her. She figured out quite quickly what they specialized in, and she realized with her strength in her chimera state, she could easily use brute force to make them submit.

Edgar braced himself as the hybrid woman lunged at him, leaving open a variety of weak spots. He watched fist (paw, really) jab at him, creating a pocket of air to cushion the blow. It was a futile attempt, and the fist made contact with his forearm, and ever so slightly, he felt the bone crack and shift.

Taking opportunity of the moment, May darted into the fray, bringing her brass knuckles down harshly on any openings. It seemed to be in vain as her fists glanced off of the hardened muscles of their opponent.

Anaïs grinned wildly, her canines glistening in the moonlight. She shoved the air elemental away and to the ground. Quickly, she grabbed May, but instead of hitting her with a fist, she slapped her hard across the face, sending her tumbling across the concrete and into the side of a building.

Edgar looked at May for any signs of movement.

He found none.

The second he averted his attention, Anaïs was there, wildly swinging her fists. Instinctively, the air elemental threw up his arms in protection, and each hit blocked resulted in a fracture. Unsuccessfully, he tried to push her away with air, but the small space between the two didn't allow such a thing.

Hit after hit came, and one particular hit broke apart his defensive stance, and suddenly, powerful hits rained on his stomach and ribs. If this kept up, he'd be a bloody pulp in no time. In the heat of the moment, he angrily cried out, swinging his right fist with as much force as he could muster. In the second he decided to throw a punch, Anaïs's left fist was drawn back, leaving an opening.

Edgar's fist collided with her chest, against the spot where just underneath, her heart lay.

Abruptly, Anaïs's fists dropped, her eyes widened, and she clutched her chest.

Confused and breathing heavily, Edgar looked on. "What the hell...?"

Before he could ponder it further, a familiar wolf jumped into the fight, jaws clamping shut around the woman's throat in a death grip.

Edgar looked away, hobbling towards May's limp body. He didn't have any desire to see Dyson rip apart someone's throat. Carefully, he kneeled down beside the adarna, rolling her onto her back. He winced; May's left eye was swollen shut. He lightly shook her, patting her cheek. "You alright, Springtime?"

May furrowed her eyebrows, slowly opening her eyes. Well, she managed one eye. The other eye was a lost cause at the moment. "What happened?" she asked in a groggy voice.

"We got our asses handed to us is what happened," the air elemental replied matter-of-factly.

Sitting up was a process for May, and when she finally managed it, she was exhausted. "Oh yes, it definitely feels like it. Where is she now?"

"Uh, Dyson got to her."

"Oh."

"So she must be everywhere now."

"... Did you just make a joke?"

"I can be funny sometimes too."

"Unlikely. Can you stand?" Edgar stood back up, trying his best not to move his arms too much. He didn't even want to think about how many fractures there were.

Shakily, May stood up, clutching an arm that was bent an awkward direction. "Oh geez, she really did a number on us, huh?"

Just then, Dyson came jogging up to them in only a pair of jeans. He was covered in scratches, and blood caked around his mouth. "You two alright?"

The two looked at him disbelief.

"Okay, that's probably not the smartest question to ask."

"Did you take care of that other chick?" Edgar asked, changing topics.

Dyson's jaw clenched. "She ran away. Said something about 'another time' and that if I didn't check on you two, I'd regret it. So I made a choice. Looks like the right one."

"Learn anything new?" May asked.

The wolf's eyes darted to her before darting away once more. "A couple things, but we really need to go." There would be another time he would share that the other woman (Maria, he learned) murdered the twins' parents.

"We should let them know we see their fire and that we're on our way now," May suggested.

"Shit outta luck on that one," Edgar interjected. "We didn't pack an flare guns, only flare sticks."

"I got something better," Dyson smiled. "Cover your ears though."

Again, disbelief crossed the air elemental's and adarna's faces. Though, they managed to cover their ears, considering neither of them had full use of both of their arms. What came next made them happy they went through the struggle of plugging their ears.

Dyson shifted into his wolf slightly, throwing his head back as he let out a blood-curdling, window-shattering howl into the night sky.

A/N #2: A wee bit of action. A wee bit of background info on some characters. A lot of urgency.

Reviews are welcomed.

P.S. Excuse any typos.