A/N: Hey there, thank you for your reviews again and to all the people who added this story as their favourite. Of course I wouldn't mind hearing from you lots as well *hint hint*. So we're definitely close to the end of the story, only two more (including this one). Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 16

Speed turned away from the small hill and walked back to the other men. They had found the warehouse Sophia had been talking about quite easily. His cell phone search had been unsuccessful. Gabriel must have shut down the device completely and so it had been impossible to track him down. Eric's search had been a little bit more successful, he had at least found out that Gabriel must have ambushed her on the way to her front door. Eric had, after all, found her car in her drive way. Thankfully, Horatio had found out about his hiding spot, because otherwise, they would have had empty hands.

They'd been observing the warehouse for some time now, but there hadn't been any movement. Something, which surprised Speed not at all, the sun was shining brightly and if Horatio's explanation about the so-called bad ones was true, Gabriel wouldn't come out until night. "So what is he doing now? Sleeping or something?" he asked no one in particular, when he hopped onto the Hummer's hood.

"He isn't asleep," Horatio stated and ran a hand through his hair. "He knows that I'm coming."

"How do you know?" Eric asked intrigued.

"Because that's what he wants. He wants me, I'm not sure why though. But this is the reason why he captured Calleigh. She isn't his usual type of victim."

"She's blond," Speed pointed out.

"Yes, but she was neither in this club, nor is she as young as the others."

"Don't let her hear that H," Eric couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing the two looks he received, he sighed. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't a funny situation."

"You could have fooled me," Speed said dryly and then looked at his boss again. "So what's the plan? Wait until dark? So we can capture him when he comes outside?"

Horatio shook his head. "No, we need to move before it's getting dark. First, we're going to find Calleigh and then you two will get her out."

"We can't leave you alone with him, H."

He gave Eric a small smile. "I appreciate your concern, but our priority is Calleigh. Once she's outside in the sun, he can't go after her."

"That's why we shouldn't wait until darkness," Speed made the connection.

"Exactly. I'm going to distract him, so you won't get harmed."

"And what…what are we going to do if he…you know…if he turned her? Won't that mean that we can't let her into the sun?" Eric asked timidly. He really didn't want to think about this possibility, but it was better to clear this up.

"This is our worst case scenario and I have to admit that I'm not sure of what to do then. I doubt that he turned her though. But if he did, we need to get her away from his influence."

"Do you have something with you? I mean…this...ring or something?"

"No," Horatio shook his head. "Only an elder can give it to her. I was lucky back then, because Sophia is one of them. The moment I see her, I'll know if he turned her or not. If he did, we need to keep her away from the sun. This," he gave them both an intense stare, "is your main assignment. Keep her safe."

"But if she's a vampire, she'll be stronger than the two of us," Speed pointed out. He had learned first hand how strong a vampire was and he didn't feel very confident about fighting with another one.

"She won't," Horatio smiled. "She's a baby and weak. Don't worry about it; I wouldn't ask you two for this, if I had any doubt about the outcome," he tried to reassure them. "And now let's go. I'm in for some trespassing and housebreaking."

"Don't let the Chief hear that," Eric smiled and followed his boss with Speed in tow.

Shooting him a smile over his shoulder, he winked at him. "A little adventure now and then makes life interesting in the first place."

"Says the one who's already dead," Speed snorted and stopped at the edge of the hill. It was too high to just jump down without risking breaking a few bones here and there. "Okay, how do we get down here, Mr. Adventure?"

Smirking at his comment, Horatio took another step forward. "I don't know about you, but I'll just," he took another step, "jump." And that he did.

"Horatio!" both men looked over the edge and took a deep breath when they saw him standing on the ground a few meters downwards like nothing had happened.

"Now that was.."

"..weird," Speed finished the sentence.

"Yes," Eric nodded.

Horatio just brushed away the dust from his pants and waved at them. Taking in his surroundings, he noticed a small path a few meters away, hidden behind some trees. He pointed into the direction and gave them a sign that he would wait for them. He didn't want to shout, because Gabriel would hear them then and he wanted to use the moment of surprise.

Speed and Eric followed his directions and soon enough they found the path. It was a bit tricky to follow, but better then jumping down the hill at least. When they reached the end, they quickly made their way to Horatio. "Okay H," Speed whispered. "What's our plan?"

"Since he has barricaded all the windows, I'm afraid we have to use the front door, so to say," he nodded at the door.

Looking at the massive looking thing, Eric pulled a face. "Let's hope that luck is on our side and that it's open."

"It actually would surprise me if it isn't," Horatio replied and walked to the door. Before he opened it though, there was one more thing to say. "In case he attacks you, use your guns. Aim at his head; this will give you enough time to get out. You understand?"

Both men nodded and made sure that they had their guns with them.

"Good. Let's get inside." He carefully opened the door and flinched when it creaked. Giving the boys one last look, he opened the door fully and made his way into the warehouse.

Inside it was completely dark, except of the small area that was now illuminated due to the open door. It took him a moment to adjust his eyesight, but once he did, he thought he saw some movement, not far away from them. "Calleigh?" he whispered softly, but didn't get a reply. Horatio gave the boys the 'follow me' sign and they all wandered quietly to the semi-dark spot. Their senses were on full alert and just because Horatio couldn't sense Gabriel at the moment, didn't mean that he wasn't there.

"Calleigh?" he asked again and heard a very light moan in response. "Calleigh!"

As fast as they could they hurried to the small figure and kneeled down next to her.

"Cal, Sweetheart," Horatio took her face in his. "We're here to get you out." He ran a soothing hand over her cheeks and let it travel down her neck. That's when he realized that she was bleeding and therefore it was her blood that he'd smelled when he'd entered the building. "Damn it," he growled.

Reaching for his flashlight, Speed tried to give them more light. "Shit," he hissed when he saw the blood running down Calleigh's neck. "Is she...is she..?"

"No, she isn't," Horatio shook his head. "But she's weak. Here, free her from the rope," he handed Eric his pocket knife.

"You got it, H;" the other man started his work.

"Come on, Sweetheart, open those beautiful eyes for me," he patted her cheek. "You need to stay awake, so we can help you."

"Horatio?" came the hoarse reply, and Horatio had never heard something sweeter.

"Yes, I'm here. Open those eyes for me and let me help you," he encouraged her and gave a soft smile when she finally opened her eyes.

"It hurts," she whispered and shed some tears.

"I know Honey, I know. Eric is getting rid of the rope, so you can move again."

"Mhm…," she just mumbled and closed her eyes again, not for long though, because Eric had freed one of her hands. "Ah!"

"I'm sorry Cal," Eric immediately apologized. "This is going to hurt a bit." After sitting there for so many hours without being able to move, it would actually hurt more than just 'a bit'.

"Calleigh, you're weak. He bid you."

"I know," she sobbed. "I asked him to stop, but..but.."

"Shh, I know you tried to stop him," Horatio tried to sooth her, but inside, his rage was boiling. "Cal you need to drink some of my blood, so the boys can get you outside, okay?"

"Noo…noo," she shook her head and tried to get away from him, which in result caused her even more pain when her sore flesh came in contact with the rough rope again.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have any other choice, it will stop the bleeding and gives you some strength," Horatio didn't back down, even though it broke his heart to see his girlfriend so distraught.

"Horatio knows what's best for you, Cal," Speed whispered. Funny how only a few months could change his opinion about this whole 'drink the blood stuff'. When Horatio had tried to rescue Alexx, he'd been in his face. Now he was actually encouraging it.

"Give Eric more light," Horatio ordered him and turned away a bit, when he bid his wrist. He still didn't like it when the others were watching him doing such things. "Okay Sweetheart and now open your mouth," he directed her lips to the small wound. "Don't think, just do."

Speed breathed out in relief when Calleigh started to drink after some struggling. "How is it going Delko?"

"Almost done, almost done," Eric mumbled and yelped in delight when the rope gave in. "Perfect," he grinned, but lost his smile when the ceiling lights came to life suddenly.

"Mhm, I seem to have missed the memo about this come together apparently."

Against his better judgement, Speed turned around and gulped. Weeks ago he and mostly Eric had been kind of curious about how a bad vampire would look like, now he wished he would have never seen it. This Gabriel was pale, but in a very unhealthy way. His skin was ashen in a way, the eyes were lifeless and the face looked more like a grimace than a human face. The long black hair and the rather scrawny build did their rest to underline the creepy appearance. "Horatio," he mumbled. "I think...we have a problem here."

Horatio gave Calleigh a small kiss on the lips and pressed his small wound together, so it would heal quickly. "Sorry to tell you, Gabriel," he stood up and faced the one who'd turned him. "But I think you aren't invited."

"Aww, that's hard on me," Gabriel drawled and stepped a bit closer, always aware that he wouldn't come too close to the open door and the sunlight.

"I know and that's why we take our leave now," he nodded at the boys, who reached for Calleigh's arms and legs so they could carry her outside.

"Oh really? I'm not sure if I can let you do that though," Gabriel took another step closer.

Horatio brought himself between his friends and their enemy. "I actually don't care what you think, Gabriel," he said and turned around to go.

"Well you could at least leave the blonde behind," Gabriel grinned. "She tastes so sweet, I could barely get enough of her."

Horatio just growled, but didn't turn around. "Go," he ordered the boys, so they would be safe outside.

"Ahh, no reply my childe? Does that mean that you haven't tasted her yet? And I was her first one?" He laughed boastfully. "How fitting. You've always been pathetic, I'm surprised that you're still around actually. You little softy. I know why I left you behind. Being together with such low lives," he spat. "You even crawled back to that sl*t you called your little wife."

This did it. If someone was speaking ill of him, he could care less. But if someone was speaking bad of his friends and most of all his family, he was going to pay. "Get her to the Hummer and give her something to drink. Don't come back, stay there and keep her safe," he growled at the boys and then turned around again.

"Horatio let's just leave," Eric called. "He's not worth it."

"Yes, leave you little wimp, just like you always do," Gabriel taunted him.

"Leave," he hissed at the boys and shut the door into their faces. Then he faced Gabriel again and put his hands on his hips. "This is going to end today."

Gabriel just smiled at the young vampire. They both knew that he was stronger and that Horatio wouldn't stand a chance against him. He hadn't 160 years ago, he wouldn't now. "Oh it will end today," he agreed with Horatio and lunged out. "It will end."

Horatio quickly side stepped and moved away from Gabriel. "Why did you kidnap her?" he questioned, while they were circling each other. "It's not your style to keep them alive."

"I wanted to know how she tasted," Gabriel lunged out again, but Horatio ducked away again. "And I knew that you would come to find her."

"It was never about her, was it? It was about me."

"Do you really think that you're that special?" Gabriel laughed.

"You turned me, so you better answer the question," Horatio pointed out and started an attack.

"Smart a**," Gabriel growled lowly and parried Horatio's strike.

Outside the warehouse, Speed and Eric had made it to the Hummer. Calleigh was doing a bit better, but she was nowhere close to her normal self. Reaching for some water bottles, Eric sighed. "We need to help him."

"He told us to wait here, Delko. Believe me, I want to help him as well, but what can we do?" he opened the bottle for Calleigh and helped her drink. "Not so quickly Cal, or your stomach will protest," he guided the weak woman. At least the bleeding had stopped completely. But until her body would compensate the blood loss, it'd take some time.

"But still," Eric sighed and sat down next to Calleigh.

"You're getting old, Gabriel," Horatio took off his jacket and let it drop to the floor. "I thought you wanted to kill me? Finish the job?"

Gabriel just glared at him. "I don't care about you, but I want something you have. And I will get it," he jumped forward and pushed Horatio against the door.

Grunting, Horatio did his best to get away from him. "You already took my life, what else would you want?"

"This," he grabbed Horatio's arm and scratched him exactly where the small scar was.

"This belongs to me."

Horatio just hissed in pain and pushed him away with all his strength. "No way you're going to get it," he shouted at him and started his own attack. He'd rather die than give Gabriel the opportunity to live in the sun.

"What if Gabriel kills him?" Eric pointed out and stood up. "He needs our help."

"You're just going to distract him, Delko. Stay here," Speed argued back.

"No! I'm not going to wait here while he's risking his life."

"Eric please," Calleigh sighed. "Horatio knows what he's doing." Of course she wanted to help him, who didn't? But this wasn't a normal situation.

"Yes, he's going to die. He doesn't stand a chance against him. How could he?"

"I'm sure Horatio has a plan, he always does," Speed tried to reason him.

"I'm going to see what's going on," Eric replied stubbornly and walked away.

"This won't work," Speed said quietly.

The two vampires were circling each other again. "You got stronger," Gabriel said. "But you still have one great weakness."

"And that would be?" Horatio challenged and turned around when the door opened and he heard Eric's call.

"Horatio?"

"Definitely that," Gabriel lunged out and tackled Horatio down.

Horatio just groaned when his back hit the cold floor.

"Now I'm going to get what belongs to me," Gabriel growled and sat down on his victim.

"H!" Eric called out in horror and ran towards the fighting men.

"ERIC!" Horatio shouted. "Get the weapon, get the weapon," he struggled to free his arms in order to keep Gabriel away from his neck.

"Weapon…weapon..," Eric mumbled feverishly, but had no idea what Horatio was talking about.

"My jacket, the gun," Horatio shouted again.

Eric just stumbled towards the jacket and kneeled down next to it. When he felt something metal, he just pulled it out. "I got it, H! I got it!"

"Shoot the leg...the leg..," Horatio groaned when he felt Gabriel's teeth graze his skin. He had lived through this nightmare once; he didn't want to relive it again.

The leg? Why the leg? "But H you said.."

"THE LEG," Horatio screamed, when Gabriel sank his teeth into his neck.

Eric just worked on auto pilot when he aimed for Gabriel's leg and fired.

Immediately Gabriel let go of Horatio and hissed out in pain.

Horatio rammed his elbow into his face and rolled away. "The gun", he shouted at Eric when he hurried to his feet and held out his hand.

Feeling like in a bad movie, Eric hoped that all his baseball training in High School would be enough. "Here," he shouted and threw it over.

Gracefully, Horatio caught the item and fired two more bullets at Gabriel; one into the second leg, the other into his shoulder. Pressing his hand against his neck, he tried to calm down. This had been very close, too close for his liking actually. Knowing that Gabriel wasn't capable of another attack, he walked to his jacket.

"H..I..," Eric stuttered and tried to ignore the cries of pain from the other vampire. Whatever Horatio had done, it must hurt like hell.

"I told you to leave me alone," Horatio rebuked him.

"I know but I.."

"I don't want to hear any excuses coming from you," he hissed at his friend and kneeled down to get the other item, which Sophia had given him at her house.

Snapping his mouth shut, Eric just nodded. His eyes became wide when he realized what Horatio was going to do. "Horatio-"

Horatio's eyes became crystal clear again. "Leave," he growled lowly at him.

Knowing that he was playing with fire here, Eric did the smartest thing to do: he made a quick getaway.

"Do you really think that a gun shot can stop me?" Gabriel asked. "Didn't your wonderful mentor teach you that it won't stop a vampire?"

Smiling, Horatio approached him. "In a normal case, I'd agree with you Gabriel. But you see those are quite…special bullets. Special... like in…silver ones."

"I hate you Horatio Caine!" Gabriel spat at him. The silver in his body was burning and he needed to get it out immediately.

"I know." Showing Gabriel the wooden stake in his hand, he grinned devilishly at him. "Any last wishes my maker?" he taunted him. "No? Interesting, normally you're so full of words."

"You're going to hell for that!"

"I know I will, but not today my dear friend," Horatio said softly, before his eyes became hard again. "You took my life Gabriel, now I'm going to return the favour."

tbc