NINE

Nyte bit her lower lip, stifling a moan. Damion, outclassing both her and their captor in size, was putting up more of a fight. Nyte, however barely reaching a height of 4'8" was a much more manageable captive. Their captor was a middle-aged man, a bit on the portly side. By himself, he could not be much of a threat but infused with vampire blood, he was able to overpower both Damion and Marcellus. She was growing weaker. Both her arms and legs were covered in bruises from the needles. There was no offer of sustenance in sight. She was one of three being kept. Nyte did not recognize the other but then again she did not know most vampires by name either. His will was broken. Nyte knew he would not have long. Unlike Damion and herself, he had accepted his fate. Nyte's independent streak kept her going but soon that would fade.
She was roughly tossed back into the cell. Nyte managed to weakly lift her head and snarl at the man. Damion pulled her into his lap, gently brushing her hair back in effort to calm and support her. Nyte was the brains and intimidation of the relationship. He was the brawn. She was not much of a threat physically but in top form, she could and would do a number on you mentally. He would get her out of her.

Axel stared at the map set out before him. He concentrated his search outside the city limits. The police were searching for the missing persons in the city, so he would cover the outskirts.

He looked up at a shadow fell over him. Vicki wordlessly handed him some coffee as she sat across from him, peering at the map. "No luck?" she asked.

Axel eyed her suspiciously. He did not trust many people to start with and now that his wife was missing, he was not in the mood for idle chat.

"Henry has this thing…a mirror…" Vicki started.

Axel cut her off. "I'm familiar with it. Demon remember…" His gaze shifted to the marks on her wrist.

Vicki shifted self-consciously, "Asteroth."

Axel simply nodded but did not elaborate. "It links you to him."

Vicki changed the subject, "Axel doesn't seem like a name for a demon…."

"If you know a demon's true name, it's earlier to control them." Axel sighed and folded the map. "This Henry thinks he can locate Marie?"

Vicki nodded, "He's used it once before. This guy, real looser, was trying to raise Asteroth for his own gain. We found him….and put a stop to it." She waited for Axel to reply, to comment but he did not. "Where'd you meet her?" Vicki changed the subject once again to one that he maybe would speak of.

Axel leaned back, caught up in the memory for a moment. "Nevada I think. Maybe California. My brother, the bane of Nyte's existence, asked me to watch over a mutual friend. Nyte was there."

"Love at first sight?"

Axel chuckled. "Not quite. She shoved a knife in my face and threatened to emasculate me. Wasn't until Dresden till she started to warm up. She threw a hairbrush that time. We've been married 'bout 5 years now."

Vicki laughed a bit. "Alright. Henry should be awake soon. You're driving."

Axel looked around the apartment. Richly decorated, something Nyte would like but too much for him. He was a simple man.

"Ready," Henry said, finishing his preparation. He hated using Dark Magic, but Vicki felt it was necessary.

Nyte's image shimmered in the mirror. She was still, her eyes closed, head resting on Damion's lap. Damion was speaking to her. He looked a great deal worst than Nyte.

Henry concentrated on studying the environment. It had cinderblock walls and a metal door. A cell of some type. Very utilitarian, yet strangely familiar.

"Military installation?" Axel asked. It pained him to see Nyte that pale.

Vicki thought about any places in the metro Toronto area that may resemble that. "No…Whiteman airport. Closed about ten years ago but the buildings still remain."

Axel pulled out his map. "Show us."

The man grabbed Nyte off the gurney and roughly threw her to the floor of the cell. He was getting less blood from her now and more resistance from her companion. Her usefulness had ended.