Chapter 43 A nightmare for Blackfire
I said I would be back, AND I AM! For some reason ananymous reviews were disabled, they are now enabled.
Kali lay in bed, Blackfire atop of her. She held her daughter closer than most nights, if at all possible. This new menace could kill them all at any moment. Under this roof Kali had three daughters, each of which she loved. She was ready to die in theire defense, at any moment. In all likeliness Slade would kill them all, but she was determined not to let one of her daughters go before her. He would have to kill her before the first hand was laid on any one of them again. She would die growling like an animal, doing whatever she could to put herself between Slade and her daughters. Kali unfolded her cape enough to see Blackfires face. She laid a hand on her daughters cheek, it was cold. Blackfires body always grew so cold when she was sleeping.
It had been nearly two weeks, and no sign of Slade. Kali could feel him, deep underground. He had gone down into the rocky earth to sleep, for whatever reason she couldnt guess. He was hibernating. He was waiting for something. It couldnt be said that he was biding his time, or plotting, this was no plan. The morning after they all encountered him though Kali sensed him, a great and powerfull burst of energy resonated from deep within the earth. She could tell it was him. Then she felt him falling through the earth, going deeper and deeper. He stopped nearly five miles below the city, in the tremendous heat. There she sensed him make a caccoon in the hot rocks, and go to sleep. The others had sensed it as well. But that power, she could still sense it.
"If he awakes, I'll give you to another Blackfire. I promise." She said. If she sensed Slade awaken she planned to give Blackfire to one of her older siblings. They would take good care of her. It would almost be funny, Kali, who takes in the children others made giving the only child she herself made to someone else. They could laugh over her grave over it for all she cared, just so long as Blackfire survived. Kali had had a disturbing vision, it was the reason she was still awake. She tried not to think about it, but it replayed in her mind again.
A cold wind was blowing through London. The rain had let up, and was replaced by fog. As hard as the rain blew the fog never seemed to go anywhere. She could see Blackfire, hungry and alone darting through the back alleys. Her cape was buttoned around her like a sleeveless cloak, her hair drifting behind her. Her shoes made no sounds on the coblestone streets. Blackfire came to her destination, a cemetary. The first time she had the vision Kali had been shocked to discover it was the cemetary her daughter was in. Yes, even seven hundred years later her daughter was still there. That one particular familly crypt was the last of its age. All others had been plowed down, dug up, re-used. Not this one though, Amadeo was alive somewhere and had greased the proper wheels to make sure this sight was never touched. Blackfire took to the air now, as if afraid her footsteps might disturb the slumber of those below her. She hovered to the grave she desired and knelt down before it.
It was a large stone, it read:
Mother Kali
Born 1304
Died 2005
That was all that was said on the stone. Any passerby that read it would assume 1304 was a mistake, and that a 99 year old woman lay below. No one who didnt know of the immortals would guess that a seven hundred year old was actually burried here. The earth on this plot was freshly turned, loose. Blackfire set down at the foot of Kalis resting place, and looked up at the stone. Her kape opened and folded behind her back, freeing her arms. She walked around the mound to the stone. She pushed it aside, revealing a secret cavity underneath it. In an empty area the size of a shoebox were some trinkets Blackfire thought her mother would like. Little knick knacks, a few pictures. A couple of newspaper clippings of events in history Kali had a hand in. There were also several necklaces made of teeth. Blackfire took one from her pocket and dropped it in the hole.
"I dont let them speak poorly of you mother, not even now." She said in a shaky voice. She replaced the stone, and went back to the foot of the grave to kneel. "I miss you so much. Why did you send me away? I could have helped." Blackfire was silent for a few minutes. Tears flowed down her face, her lips pursed and like a lost child she cried out for her mother. She put her hands in the dirt and squeezed it between her fingertips. "You didnt have to protect me like that. You tried to protect me, but now im alone! They call me your greatest mistake, and say such horrible things of you. I make them pay for it." Kali had watched as her daughters tears soaked into the dirt on her grave. The salty tears soaked into the soil quickly. The ground here would probably be too salty for the grass to grow for some time, Kali thought. Kali shed a few tears as the vision replayed in her mind. She watched Blackfire leave a rose on her grave. "I'll be back again soon Mother." Blackfire promised. She turned to go, and looked back over her shoulder. "I love you, Mother. I only wish you hadnt done it. I'd rather be with you right now."
It was a chilling vision to Kali. When it was done all she could think about were her daughters tears soaking the ground above her. She wondered, how many would her other daughters shed? She knew they would all mourn her, the sobs and tears to comfort her in her rest. She looked at Blackfire. She didnt want her daughters to cry like that. She didnt want her and her sisters to be sad. She wondered, would Raven cry? No, not much. She imagined Raven would be more likely to kiss her headstone.
Kali quelshed this line of thought. It was too morbid. It wasnt set in stone that it would happen either. Visions could be either to tell the future or to warn of it, so perhaps it was avoidable. "Whatever happens, its alright as long as you make it." Kali carressed Blackfires face again. Whatever happened, she had to protect her children. Kali turned her attention back to the power eminating from deep within the earth. It was still there, always there. She could feel it, like a tiny vibration or hum in the back of her mind.
Morning came and went, giving way to the noon. Starfire was in the tower gym, working herself into a sweat. She had black elastic braces on her joints, which were still not right since Slade had shattered them. She was training now to restore her strength. The med lab computer told her her kneecap and ligaments in her legs were eighty-four percent restored, her elbows were ninety. It should only be another week until she was back on top of her game. Starfire dropped the hundred pound weights she had been carrying in each hand and unstrapped the weight boots from her feet. She had been doing her punch and kick routines for some time and her joints were aching badly.
"Ooooh, this does hurt much." She said to herself as she walked weakly to a bench. She folded her arms across her chest and each hand massaged the opposite elbow. It was better than it had been, just days before she had been left in tears by a much shorter workout, so she was improving fast. She peeled the braces off her limbs and set them down on the bench. They were not hers, just barrowed from some of Robins workout gear. He was always straining this and that, she was positive he had a brace for just about every body part. Starfire wiped the thick sheen of sweat from her forehead and decided to take a quick dunk. She was just heading into the locker room as thunder and lightening came into the gym. They grabbed up her workout gear and began trying to do like she had been doing. She smiled, they looked so funny with those weights. Funny mostly because they actually had the strength to move them, even at six, seven years old.
"Play carefully." She warned them. Ligthening gave her a dismissive gesture with one of his hands holding the weight. It slipped from his grip and imbedded itself in the wall next to Starfire. She sighed. She had warned them at least.
The hot watter was refreshing, washing away her workout, and the heat seeped into her sore joints. Yes, this was her favorite part of physical therapy. Afterwards, when it didnt hurt so bad. When your whole body felt so nice and loose. Starfire finished her shower and cleaned up, putting on new clothes.
Beast Boy was doing well for his condition. His hearing had returned, a little fuzzy in the left ear but it was there. The right was ok. He was completely blind now because the occular implant had caused a small infection. So now he made his way about the tower with a cane, or using his sense of smell. Beast Boy and Robin were sitting in the living room. Beast Boy enjoyed listening to the cartoons, and as a courtesy Robin would explain what was happeing on the screen to him.
Robin watched him listen, the black cloth around his eyes. He was shocked to see his friend alive two weeks ago, let alone doing this well. The circumstances of his survival and trip to earth were still blurry, so Robin chose this moment to ask. It was a commercial break anyway. "Beast Boy." He said. His friend nodded his head, showing he was awake. It was hard to tell. "Tell me again what it was all like, in space." Beast Boy smiled, eager to share his tale again.
"Robin it was freaky, I shoulda been dead man! I almost was. I opened my eyes, and there were these things watching me all around! They looked like giant dolphins."
"How did they travel?"
"I dont know. But I turned into one, and then they were talking to me in my head!" Beast Boy smiled. "They knew I was hurt, and spent time with me, they just took me in like I was one of them. I was still close to death, and they came together as a group and channeled theire own energies into me to keep me alive until I was well enough to travel with them." Beast Boys tone changed. "And as soon as I was better they wanted to play with me, just like dolphins. It took a few days, but I had to convince them to bring me to earth. They surrounded me, and I was blind but I saw it in theire eyes for a brief instant. They came together and used some kind of energy to tow me through space to where I needed to be."
"They towed you?"
Beast Boy nodded his head. "Yes. It took alot of energy from them all but they towed me, when one got tired another took over. All around us this blue energy shone, electrical. They showed it to me with theire minds. They cared so much, it was amazing. They got me to earth, and we orbitted for a day or two. I had to convince them to send me planetside. It wasnt easy. They were afraid I would die."
"From the crash?"
"No, they can survive that. Easilly. Its bacterea they can't survive. They bounced into me though, sent me through the atmosphere. It burned me badly, but I hit the ground, made a crater and took human form again. I guess thats when-"
"I found you." Interupted Heavens Plight from the table. He had been listening the whole time. Robin sent him a glare but Beast Boy just nodded his head and smiled.
"Yeah. I miss those things though, there the first animals I've met that have real intelligence, that arent just driven by instinct." He turned his head in Robins direction. "Compassion, mercy, I havent seen those in animals before." Beast Boy lowered his head a little. "Sometimes we dont even see it in people."
"I resent that." It was plight again. He had taken up residence here, already in the super hero bracket and all. He and Robin actually made a good sparring team, sparring for hours with Robins collapsable sword. He had some bad habbits though, he liked bringing his meals back to the tower, liking to impress them. He would find a nice girl, bring her to the tower, do the macho 'im a titan, check out this place thing', bring them home and feed. It was a terrible habbit. 'Fish gotta drink, birds gotta fly, and I gotta do both those things!' He would say when confronted with this. It was actually pretty funny in a morbid way.
Cyborg came up behind Beast Boy and brushed a hand through his hair before joining his friends on the couch. "Cyborg." Beast Boy said, knowing him from the heavy cold metal hand. "Whats up man?"
Cyborg yawned. "Just rolling out of bed man." Cyborg was beaming, still just happy to have his friend back. "Robin tell you we got a blues mobile?" Beast Boy let out a big laugh.
"Yeah, smeared some neo-natzis I heard. Right on." They all laughed. "I cant wait to see it. Guys gonna let me drive?" He was answered only by silence. "Oh... " Robin and Cyborg laughed at him.
"Nah little guy, I cant see letting you drive it. Youre too dangerous. I gotcha covered though. I put together a little something I think you'll find pretty fun." Cyborg thumbed behind him for Robins sake. Robin looked and saw a moped sitting nearby. It was obviously made with Cyborgs blue-light tech. "Not exactly the vespa you wanted, but I'm sure you'll get along fine." He led Beast Boy to it and put his hands on the handle bars. The whooping and shouting that came from Beast Boy after this was heard by some on the shore, several hundred yards away.
Deep underground in his nest of hot rock Slade awoke. His mind was in an animal state. He stretched his senses out, looking for something. It wasnt there yet, the time wasnt right. He had come down here when he had felt his power ebbing. He had begun to get weak. It had scared him into hiding. He had lost alot of power. He still wasnt back up to full strength. He imagined his power was intertwined with the moon cycle. While he was awake he figured he might as well have a smoke. He reached above himself and grabbed his pack and lighter off a ledge. He lit one and puffed, the small red dot the only light in his nest. He liked it here, it was so hot. It warmed him to the core, giving his dead flesh warmth was hard, and these rocks did it well. Slade stubbed out his ciggarette on a fingertip. It made a pleasant hissing sound. Tomorrow night was the full moon, and he planned on making trouble for Kali.
The garage looked pretty full, Jinx thought as she walked through it. There was Cyborgs car, Robins Dodge Monaco, Robins motorcycle, and now there was a burly looking moped down here too. The Mustang had gone into the drink a few weeks before, and been recovered. Robin had had to send it away to be repaired, and get the saltwatter worked out of it. She had been there when it was fished out of the bay, and what a wreck it had been. The front end was trashed, but frame stuff she knew was easier than fixing salt water damage. The car wasnt even dry yet before a black helicopter had touched down. It had been pulled inside and was gone just as quick as it came. It was pretty obvious that Robin knew someone with alot of money who liked his secrecy. The car was supposed to come back yesterday, but weather had interfered with the flight, as if they couldnt just drive the big red beast into town.
'Du du du, welcome to wal-mart, would you like a smiley sticker?' She thought to herself. How in the seven hells does an electrical storm interfere with delivering a car? Seriously! Oh well. It was scheduled to be delivered in a few minutes. She was just surprised Robin was the only other one out here to see it back. She watched Robin check the time.
"There." He said and pointed at the skyline. Sure enough the same black helicopter that had picked the car up was back, and weighed down by something. Its movement was sluggish as always, and it made noise like it might crash at any minute. The pilot must have had the stick all the way back. A smug grin took up residence on Robins face; yeah, that was his car doing that. Yup. His car was special. Who else had to use space shuttle tires on theire every day vehicle?
Jinx knew Robins car used a special tech that had just recently begun to be used in the open market. It was used in an electrical vehicle that recharged when you used the brakes. It was still just in its fledgling stages compared to the stuff his mustang used. The chopper landed on the island and its bay door opened. The big mustang rolled down the ramp and planted itself into the soft dirt of the island, its tires sinking a few inches with its weight. The door closed, and the chopper was gone. It moved back out over the city, moving much faster and higher than it had come. Robin and Jinx watched the big metal beast settle in the dirt a little more.
For some reason or another seeing the car reminded Jinx of the terrible night Slade had been ressurected. She and Robin had meddled in things they did not understand and had caused the old foe to be reborn. All she could think about though was that long walk home from the bridge, before the hallucinigenic poison had been removed from them. On the walk home on the beach they both knew it was only a trick of the mind, but that didnt stop it from hurting them. Gods above they had been frightened, and hurt. A few times they had collapsed with each other, huddling together on the abondoned beach with theire eyes clenched shut to block the hallucinations out.
Robin saw Jinx turn pale. It was obvious she was thinking about it too. The things they had seen on the beach had been terrifying. "Your thinking about it." Robin stated. "Why worry about that now?" He asked her. "We have the real thing to worry about now, not some hallucination." Jinx nodded her head. Robin put his repaired car in the garage. Jinx leaned her head in the open passenger window when he parked.
"Why do you think he's sleeping?" She asked. "Supposedly he has the power to do whatever he wants, so why isnt he?" Robin took a small cloth out of his pocket and began dusting the dash board.
"I dont know." Jinx walked around the other side of the car. She was no motorhead, but she liked garages, cars, tools. There was room for another car on this island; she toyed with the idea of being the one to take up the last spot in the large garage. She was a hero now wasnt she? She'd eventually need a whatever-mobile. She turned her focus back to Slade.
"I think he can be beaten." She said. "I think he's gone underground to sleep because he has some kind of big weakness." Outside the children ran past with Lance. The twins were growing now, looking eight years old. The great kodiak bear was running from them. Jinx leaned against the garage door frame and watched them play for a few minutes while robin ran some systems tests on the mustang. "I just refuse to believe that theres nothing to be done." She said. Behind her Robin looked up.
"Neither do I. We just have to wait untill he shows himself."
Blackfire had gone out to lunch with Kali. Kali had offered to let her watch her feed. She wanted to at least teach Blackfire to hunt for herself, should her vision come true. They prowled downtown, and Kali quickly found her mark. "There." She said, pointing at a young man getting off a bus stop. "See him?" She asked. Blackfire looked into the crowd and found him. He was young, slight of build. He looked to be five foot five, a hundred and sixty pounds- all muscle. He had a suitcase with him. Blackfire noticed his clothes were dishevled, as if he had worn them just a few hours too long. His hair caught her eye, a great thick mane of chestnut colored hair stuck out behind him. It reached down to the small of his back. He had dark circles under his eyes, but other than that his face was pleasing.
"Why him?" Blackfire asked.
"Look. He has a suitcase, his clothes are dirty. He just got off a bus and is extremely tired. I'm picking him because I'm feeding in mid-day, and he's about to find a motel and go to sleep." Blackfire took all this in. Her mother was right, this man was heading for a nearby hotel. Picking a tired traveler, that really was a good idea for a mid day meal. Kali and Blackfire watched him go in. They sat down outside on a bench, having decided to give the weary traveler some time to get cleaned up and settled in. "You must take in all these sorts of things when hunting. I have a long checklist for when choosing my prey."
Inside the man named Lance Lanterro washed up in the shower. He was on his way home, and almost there. The only problem was his bus ticket had a layover in jump city for a day and a half. This at least gave him a chance to sleep in a real bed. He had been traveling for three days already. He got out of the shower and didnt even bother to dry off. His hair weighed alot more when wet but he was used to it. He slipped on a pair of boxer shorts and laid down on one of the rooms two beds. He rolled around on the cover, wrapping himself in it a few differant ways and getting it wet. He stretched back out, now much dryer and jumped into the other bed. He chuckled a little, too lazy to use a towel. He pulled a sheet over himself and curled up into a ball. It wasnt long before he was asleep, and his stalkers outside sensed this.
"He's asleep." Blackfire said. She had noticed it a few minutes ago, but Kali had not moved.
"Its best to let them get into a deep sleep, at least when you are young. This way your sleep spells have a greater effect, and there is absolutely no chance for them to wake up, unless you have been weakened by something." Kali got up and Blackfire followed her into an alley. The window to theire victims room was open, on the third floor. "Come." Kali said, and was gone. Blackfire rocketed up into the open window to see Kali was already by the bed, with her hand on the travelers forehead. "He won't wake up now." She explained.
Blackfire watched him sleep. He had no idea what was going on. Blackfire watched Kali pick him up and sit on the edge of the bed with him laying across her lap. She ran her hands through his moist hair a few times, and over his face. Kali picked him up and leaned him back against her. The back of his head was resting against her shoulder. She brushed his hair from his neck and lowered her head. Blackfire watched still, for some unkown reason feeling scared. She felt anxiety, thats what humans called it right? When that heavy weight is resting in your stomach, making your heart beat fast, and you dont know why its doing that? Yeah, thats the one, she thought. If it wasnt, well, she couldnt think of anything else to call it. She was beginning to feel dizzy even, as she watched Kali feed. It was such a morbid sight, and it made the anxiety feeling even worse. She could feel Kali's heart fall into sync with the mans. It made such terrible noise in her ears. It was loud like some terrible drum. Kali looked up from her meal without breaking contact and locked eyes with Blackfire. IT made her think of the time her sister had watched her as she fed, but this was differant! Kali was just letting Starfire feed from her, just like Blackfire did now, but this man wasnt willing in anything! Kali laid him back down, and wiped her lips of any lingering blood. She tucked him back in just the way she had found him, and approached Blackfire. Blackfire felt feint, god what an awefull thing this was. She fell backwards but Kali caught her and laid her down. Kali laid atop of her, playing with her hair an speaking to her in a soothing voice. "Oh god Kali, what are we?" She asked. What she had just seen was so morbid, she was not ready for this yet. She gazed into Kali's eyes, just inches from her own and waited for an answer.
"Monsters." Was all Kali said, and planted soothing little kisses on Blackfires lips and face.
Blackfire was high from this, watching her mother take prey. She quickly came down and regained her composure. She managed to get up and approached the bed. The young man continued to sleep, as if nothing had ever happened to him. Blackfire had been awake when Kali had fed off of her, it had been violent and painfull. It was hard to believe though that this man would just wake up and go on his way. He would never know. Blackfire turned around and faced Kali, a steely look of determination in her eyes.
"I want to hunt." She said. Kali shook her head no.
"Not yet. Not for some time." Blackfire made a dissapointed sound and cast a lingering glance at the man on the bed. Kali waited for Blackfire to exit the room before turning away and following her daughter. She still had a good six weeks to maturity. Kali only hoped she would be there to see them all. Kali set down gracefully in the alley next to Blackfire. Blackfire showed no interest in leaving the alley, she leaned against one of the dumpsters and watched the people mill by a few feet away, completely unaware that she and Kali were there.
"What are you doing?" Kali asked suspiciously. Blackfire remained silent. Kali watched her, the way her eyes shifted from one person to another, like she was looking for something. She was trying to select prey, looking for just the right mortal that would catch her fancy. Kali fumed slightly and stood between Blackfire and the unwitting mortals. "I told you no." She said sternly.
"I know. I'm just practicing." She said defensively. "We're here for me to learn, right?" She asked. Kali nodded her head and stood aside.
"Alright, go ahead and choose one. I'll let you stalk one." She said. She waited and allowed Blackfire to watch the crowds.
"There!" Blackfire whispered and moved out of the alley like a shadow, Kali close behind. Kali tried to focus and figure out who Blackfire was following. Blackfire was moving well after her prey. The girl was constantly moving, so fast she was only a blur as she zipped from shaddow to shaddow. Kali quickly realised who she was after. It was a good mark. And oh, how Blackfire wanted him, and Kali could see why. He was a boy, no more than 18, but he was a living, breathing weapon.
She had seen this before, when someone absorbed so many differant fighting styles of the martial arts. They just became living weapons, capable of metering out death at a moments notice. He didnt breath like normal people either, he breathed with his whole body. He used more of his mind than most people. In battle he was probably just slightly better trained than Robin, but only because he commanded so many death-strokes. Kali fell back a few feet. His senses were trained well, and he would probably know soon that he was being stalked, watched.
She proved to be right. The boy crossed the street away from she and Blackfire and looked back, searching through the crowd. He was on high alert, and Blackfire waved to him. "Oh christ." Kali said, knowing what this was turning into. Blackfire and the boy stared each other down again, and Blackfire let loose a deep predatory growl. The pitch was low, but the boy across the street heard it, she was sure. They both took off running down opposite sides of the street. Kali followed close behind Blackfire. "Watch what your doing." She warned Blackfire. "This could easilly get out of hand!"
"I've got it." Was all Blackfire said. She was getting a feel for this guy. Just the way he moved screamed to her that he would make a good meal. She could sense the power he had, and everything about him she wanted. He was mortal perfection, hers for the taking. She wanted him, to taste him, to grind her hips against his own. She switched sides of the street and chased him down a dead end alley. He stood in a fighting stance with his back to the wall. Blackfire walked towards him slowly, zig- zagging in the narrow alley.
"Who are you?" He demanded. Another one like her appeared next to his stalker, and he grew more nervous. These beings, his senses told him they were not natural. They frightened him, as few things could.
"Blackfire stop." Kali warned. Blackfire didnt listen. He was hers. She had to dominate him. She wanted to fight him, make him struggle against her and sink her teeth into his flesh as he struggled. Oh gods above, she wanted to rape him, to draw his life out into herself. Kali stood back, letting her daughter do as she would. She could jump in at any minute to stop her daughter if she had to.
"Who am I?" Blackfire asked herself. She tapped into her energy and moved with great speed. She came up behind him, so close he could feel her hot breath on his ear. "Dangerous." She whispered. He spun on her and delivered a fluttering dragon blow to her lower ribs. She hissed in pain, but the blow should have killed her! He jumped back, only to have Blackfire catch him. She held him in her arms and squeezed. He was almost strong enough to break free, but not quite. Blackfire slammed against the brick wall, squishing him between herself and it. He let out a painfull cry, but it heightened her pleasure. The way he struggled was arrousing.
"Let me go!" He demanded through clenched teeth. Even now his heart rate had not risen, his breath was steady. Blackfire swooned, and let her heart fall into step with his. She took in the scent on his skin, and forced him to kiss her. It was everything she wanted. He ground against her involuntarilly.
"Blackfire!" Kali warned, but she wasnt listening. She had found the perfect prey, perfect. Waves of pheramones came off of the two, and Kali knew she had to stop this. The human body in its most absolute state of perfection produced the best fruit, much like a well tended grape vine. Blackfire had allowed herself to get caught up in this. Kali seperated the two, and Blackfire struggled to get back at him as he now struggled against the much older vampire. Her hand clamped tightly around his neck, and she hit him against the wall, twice. He went lax, and so did Blackfire.
"Kali I-" Blackfire was cut off by her mother. She sighed heavilly and set the boy down gently.
"Its alright. You just lost control, thats why you don't feed on your own yet." Blackfire chuckled and made a care- free gesture. "Don't be so relaxed." Kali warned. "He was more than strong enough to do some great damage to you." To prove her point Kali pointed to where he had struck her. A deep, ugly purple bruise was developing. For the first time Blackfire noticed it still hurt, and let out a small hiss. "He's strong." Kali told her. "He moves more like us than them. If you were to fight him, he would have a fair chance of beating you." Kali turned and faced her daughter.
"I want him." Blackfire said. She thought it was good that he would have a fair chance of beating her. All the better, right? She wanted to chase him down, hunt him like an animal and rape him of his blood. She wasnt sure if she could classify it as lust or sport, and thought about it for a moment.
"Its a bit of both."
"He's the one I want. When I'm ready to feed on my own-" Blackfire knelt by him and brushed the brown strands of hair out of his eyes "- I will find this one."
"You cant have what you want with him Blackfire. We can't allow them to know what we are." Blackfire huffed. "You'll do what you want, but I've warned you." Kali removed his wallet from him, as she did with her own victims. Let him think he had just been mugged. Blackfire held her hand out.
"Can I have it?" She asked. Kali looked at her skeptically. "As a souvenier." She assured her mother. Kali shrugged and dropped it in her hands. She turned and walked out of the alley, Blackfire followed close behind, rooting through the wallet. Ah, just what she was looking for. His drivers license- complete with an address. She'd have to wait a while, but the best things in un-life were worth waiting for.
Jinx held Beast Boys hand and lead him to where he wanted to be. He was good at this, whenever anyone led him he walked with great confidence, complete trust. It was almost like holding starfires hand and walking with her. It was like he wasnt blind at all. Jinx led him up the stairs, which was another thing entirely. Stairs he had alot of trouble with. "Last step." She warned. With that they emerged out onto the roof. She led him to one of the benches and he sat down.
"Thanks." He said. He heard Jinx take a seat in one of the lawn chairs.
"ITs alright." Jinx assured him. Beast Boy put his hands in his lap and just sat. He did this alot. Jinx wasnt sure if he was meditating, sleeping, or just listening to the world around him. It might have been a mix of all three. Jinx took a soda from a mini fridge kept on the roof and handed it to him. Without opening it he set it to his side. Jinx cleared her throat. "How have you been getting along?" She asked.
"Good." Beast Boys communicator went off and he began to stand, but remembered he was on inactive duty. He sat back down on the bench. After a few seconds the sound of the T-Car and mustang could be heard below. Jinx watched both cars go speeding off into the city. "Some things are hard to get used to." He added, listening to the roar of the mustang.
"I never thanked you for what you did." Jinx said. It was true. In all this time she had never managed to just get him alone and find the words she needed. There were a few times she came close, and he seemed to understand what she was saying, but they had always been interupted, or she had lost her train of thought.
Beast Boy smiled. "I dont mean to sound rude Jinx, but when I did it I was doing it for Starfire."
Jinx wasnt offended, just curious. "What do you mean?"
"I knew one of us had to go. I knew how important you were to her, and I realized something. I realized we would both die if I didnt let go, I didnt want Starfire to live with that. I figured I was dead no matter what I did, so no use taking you with me." Beast Boy turned his head, looking out over the ocean through his blind eyes. "And I just knew, I knew it would have killed her." He let out a heavy sigh.
"We burried you." Jinx said. "There was a funeral and everything." A few tears slipped down Jinxs face. She sat next to Beast Boy and hugged him. He returned the embrace. Whether he survived or not was not the issue, Jinx was alive today because of a sacrifice he made, and it meant the world to her. "Thank-you." She whispered. She fully intended to help him however she could. He was only blind because of what he did for her. She'd help him in whatever he needed. Jinx had never had a friend like this, save for Starfire, but that was differant.
It was supposed to be the typical bank robbery. The simple kind. It was supposed to be the kind that made Robin sit back and wonder if the low enforcement relied on the titans too much. It was supposed to be, but that went out the window the instant the titans surrounded the bank. There were no super villains here- it was worse. It was just some thugs with automatic weapons. This often proved to be worse than the attacks of the troika, Mumbo, Plasmus. Super villains, save for the worst of the worst, normally didnt kill anyone. Street punks with automatic weapons did- and had here. Just some punks, with ak's. They had stormed the bank and shot the security guard, and an off duty cop dead. Robin was determined to make them pay. He crawled through the ductwork of the bank, not making a noise. He had gone in alone, which was dangerous, but there were only two of them. He could do this.
He had known that cop, damnit. He was one of the many men Robin himself had recommended to join the force after the corrupt elements had been weeded out some years back. Robin stopped and placed a small device against the side of the shaft. He continued untill he came to a vent near the hostage takers. They were both wearing ski masks and carrying weapons. Robin loosened the vent without making a noise.
Below the super hero the man named Derick waved his machine gun around. It made the crowd on the floor squirm with fear. Not as much as it did ten minutes ago, but they still squirmed. He figured he and his budy were good as dead, seeing as they had murdered two, so why not do another? He thought. Didnt make no differance to him.
"Would you stop that?" His partner in crime barked. Derick growled at him.
"Dont ruin my fun." He told him. Maybe, just maybe if he shot his buddy he could come out of this the hero. His buddy was technically the one who shot the two guys, maybe if he shot him down and just said he was going along with it he could get out of this. He would never find out if this would work or not, because at this moment the vent in the wall next to him exploded outwards and out popped a green gloved hand.
Dericks friend, Charlie, screamed as Derick was lifted up by the one arm in the vent and dragged back in. In the vent Robin pressed the retract button to his grapple, which was rooted on the AC unit on the roof. It began to reel in at incredible speed. Robin was dragged along through the vents at a high rate of speed, so fast he didnt touch the sides of the vents. Derick however wasnt nearly so fortunate. Robin saw to it that he was hit hard by every last curve and bend in the ducts. They exploded together out onto the roof, Derick still screaming. Robin threw himself on him and delivered a variety of vicious blows. He disloged teeth and joints, and no sooner did Derick stand up than he fell back down in a heap of bruises and broken bones. Robin tossed his weapon over the side of the roof and dove back into the ducts with his Grapple in tow again.
"One down one to go."
Outside Starfire, along with the rest of the titans were worried. Raven wasnt. She knew he would be fine. He was taking this on to a personal level. He would be upset with them for interfering. "You all worry too much." She told her fellow titans. "Robin has this under control.
Inside the bank Charlie cautiously approached the vent. He couldnt see in it, and he didnt have a flashlight with him, so he fired some rounds down into the shaft. "What the fuck was that?" He asked himself. All he had seen was a hand bust through the vent and grab his friend.
"You cant hit me." Said a voice from another vent. It was one of the many speakers Robin had laid through the system. He fired at this vent, only to have the voice come from the one behind him. "They're going to strap you in the chair and put you to death, you worthless dog.!" Robin growled. Charlie fired rounds into this vent. "Missed again." Said the voice, this time from a heat duct at ankle height. He backed into the center of the room, away from any vents.
"What the fuck is this?" He screamed.
"Your worst nightmare." Said all the vents. Charlie had to get away, and fast! He did the first thing that came to mind and locked himself in the safe just as Robin burst through the vent right above where he had been standing. Robin reached the door just as it shut. "Damnit!" He yelled. "Raven!" He yelled into his com. "He's locked himself inside the vault. You and Starfire take him out!"
"Understood." Robin stood back and waited. Raven would teleport in and together they would disarm him. Robin waited a few more seconds, and then from inside the safe he heard the eruption of gunfire and screaming.
Charlie had seen a small black dot form in the middle of the room and turned towards it just as two girls stepped out. He swerved towards the one with red hair, and unleashed ten rounds from his clip, firing from the waist. The girl was thrust back and large red holes opened up in her midsection. He screamed his victory and turned his weapon on the cloaked figure, who had rushed to the others aid. "Die bitch!" He yelled, but then something went horribly, horribly wrong. His weapon clicked dry. The familiar metal on metal contact sound echoed through the vault, and Charlie only found two words to express himself. "Oh shit." At this point the dead girl, bleeding profusely jumped up off of the ground. She staggered back and forth for a second before her eyes came to rest on him. The other stood back, against the wall. Charlie threw the weapon at starfires head. A small trickle of blood leaked from her nose when it made contact, but she only smiled and began to walk foward to him. She moved like a puppet on a string, with a sickly smile plastered on her face. "Oh god get away! Stay back!" He yelled, but to no use. He tried to turn and run towards the door but the girl beat him there. She grabbed him by the throat and spun, putting his back against the vault door. The smile on her face became murderous, and Charlie wet himself. She put a hand on his face, and another on his chest. She knocked his head back into the door as she sank her fangs into his neck. He continued to scream, untill another savage bash silenced him.
Starfire took her fill from him, and then some. His blood was so dark, so disgusting. It was riddled with impurities, chemicals. It made her feel dirty to drink it, but oh god how she loved it. The blood lust in her subsided and she stepped back, allowing her victim to slide to the floor. She was dizzy now, her injuries healing but causing her much pain. "Raven." She said and reached out for her friend, who caught her. She was breathing heavilly. Ravens hands ignited in the familiar blue aura, and she waved them around her midsection to hurry her friends healing.
"I'm here Starfire. I'll make it better."
"It hurts. Raven I'm cold." Raven turned Starfire over, to see her back. Damn. Those were 7.62 rounds. They made much bigger holes on the way out than in. Starfires back was more or less one large crater made up of several exit wounds. Raven turned her healing powers to Starfires backside, and repositioned herself over her friend.
"Its okay Starfire, drink." Starfire didnt need to be told twice. Her cold lips clamped on Ravens neck and her teeth did likewise. Raven bit back a small yelp- the pain miniscule compared to Starfires. Raven poured more energy into her healing abilities. She felt Starfire relax and stop drinking, she had fallen asleep. Outside Robin cut a triangle shape out of the vault with his scythe and came in. Raven looked back at all of Starfires blood, vampyric blood! It had to be destroyed, no one could be allowed to collect it and put it under a microscope! It could be the end of theire kind. Robin saw it too, saw Raven had Starfire taken care of. He was thinking the same thing as she. "Scorch it." Raven told him. "Every last drop must be destroyed." Robin quickly went to work destroying the blood with his scythe. It burned it to ashes instantly. Raven moved herself, Starfire, and the criminal out of the vault for Robin to better do his job. The vault quickly became full of smoke, and the walls began to melt. Robin made sure to do a thorough Job, and when he was sure he stepped back out and took a breath of fresh air. Raven was already gone, with Starfire. Robin threw freeze disks into the vault, instantly cooling it and further destroying any cells with the instant hot-to-cold transition.
THERE! I AM BACK! HOOOAH! I promised you all I would be back, and I am a man of my word. This chap wasnt all it could have been, but I am rusty so please stay tuned. Things are about to get nightmarish. AND PLEASE REVIEW! I missed you all, only hope you missed me.