Hello hello my awesome followers! I have been on a role with postings lately. ^.^ Joy of joys! Reviews make me happy! Keep leaving them! :D Now…*Lights dim and things get eerie* prepare yourself for the demon of blood lusting and a side of Alera none of you have ever seen…

Altaïr- WOO! KICK ASS! LETS KILL SOMEBODY!

Me- *total Facepalm* Altaïr! You just ruined my scary dramatic feeling I was trying to give! Man…

Altaïr- You know you love me. *smirk*

Me- *rolls eyes* yes… its kinda hard not to when you look at me like that.

Altaïr- Yes! Told ya so. I win. *still smirking*

Chapter 19

Blood of a Slaver

I woke up to the sound of an argument. Not necessarily the best way to wake up but at least I knew Altaïr hadn't left with out me. I rose up and checked my leg. No bleeding, no throbbing, no burning, no signs of infection…Hell, yes. Talal is going down. I smiled and rose up out of bed. I put my brown boots on and tucked my black pants into them. I put my assassin charm back behind my clothes and pulled my robe on.

I put my red sash on next and strapped myself up with my bracers, fingerless gloves, hidden blade, throwing knives, short sword and long sword. Everything hugged my body and showed off my figure as it always did, but I didn't care. I wanted Talal to know that a woman ended his life. The woman he has been trying to catch, but failed in doing so. All of my weapons were still sharp and my hidden blade was ready to go. I was ready.

I threw open the door and confidently walked out into the open. Altaïr and Malik stared at me. I put my hands on my hips and smiled at them.

"Morning guys." Altaïr and Malik exchanged a glance.

"Good Morning Alera. Your looking-"

"Back to my old self again?" I interrupted Malik. He nodded with a smile. "Good. Lets hope it stays that way. I don't want to get another injury. I miss killing too much. My leg feels fine and my blade is itching to seek flesh. Lets kill us a slaver." I walked over to the desk and stood beside Altaïr. Malik put a white rose petal out for me, and an eagle feather for Altaïr. I placed the petal in my pouch.

"So you still want to kill Talal?" Asked Altaïr. I turned to him with a smirk.

"Yes, I do. I feel as if I could take on an army of Templars right now." Altaïr smiled at me.

"I'm glad your feeling better, Alera." I winked at him.

"Still, let's try to avoid the army of Templars." Said Malik. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh lighten up Malik. It was just a turn of phrase. We'll be back before you know it." I turned back to Altaïr and motioned to the roof. "Let's go."

"Be careful." Said Malik. I nodded to him.

"We will." I walked out into the entrance area. The morning sun shown through the vines crawling around the open roof and cast shadows on the wall. The fountain was trickling softly and everything seemed peaceful. I almost didn't want to leave. The cushions and blankets on the floor looked inviting, but I shook the thought away and smiled.

Alario called out to me from outside. He was circling around the bureau. I shot a smile back at Altaïr as I pulled my hood up. I quickly ran up the wall and grabbed the ledge and pulled myself up. Altaïr came right behind me. I looked up into the sky and it was slightly cloudy, although the sun was peeking out. Alario flew down and landed on my shoulder.

"Good morning Alario." I stroked his feathers and he nibbled at my fingers. Altaïr ran his fingers over him too, and Alario leaned into his touch. "Well now, would you look at that? Last time you touched him he bit you."

"Maybe he sees that I'm not a threat since we spend so much time together." Alario nipped his finger a little. "But then the jealousy comes back." He added. I gave Altaïr a mischievous smile.

"Lead the way. I'm ready when you are." Alario took off from my shoulder and Altaïr flashed a smirk at me before turning and bolting, but I was ready. I ran right beside him, matching my pace with his. We jumped over roofs and dodged the archers. There were a couple of really long jumps that sort of had me nervous.

"Don't worry. I'll be there to catch you." Said Altaïr.

"If you can catch me." I said with a laugh. He ran and jumped. I thought he wasn't going to make it, but he grabbed onto a ledge and climbed the rest of the way up. I took a deep breath and then ran and jumped. I grabbed the ledge, but my thigh banged against the wall. I let out a groan of pain and frustration.

"What is that person doing up there?" said a woman's voice. I glanced down and realized I was starting to draw attention.

"Shit." I mumbled. I crawled up the side of the building and Altaïr grabbed my forearms and hauled me up.

"Now I think I've seen everything." Said a man's voice. I stood up and rubbed my leg.

"Are you alright?" said Altaïr with some concern in his voice.

"Damn people and their bloody curiosity…" Altaïr raised an eyebrow at me and smiled.

"Bloody?"

"Sorry. That was my English mother coming out of me." I smiled at the thought and he flashed one back.

"Come on. We're almost there." We took off running again and stayed on the roofs that were closest to the wall of the Barbican. He then jumped off course and over two buildings. He stopped and motioned for me to follow. I did with slight confusion, but hopefully he knew what he was doing. I tucked and rolled when I landed and then stood up next to him. He was staring straight ahead, looking at the only entrance into the barbican.

"What is it?" I said quietly.

"Eagle vision." He answered back.

"Alright." I closed my eyes for about three seconds and then opened them again.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" he asked. About six, glowing red guards lined the entrance to the Barbican. They all had their swords drawn.

"Greaaat." I groaned. "Any particular reason why they have their swords drawn, because usually they don't." I looked at Altaïr with my eyebrows raised and a smirk on my face. My eagle vision accentuated him. His robes shown an eerie, beautiful white and the red sash about his waist was vibrant. He had a faint blue glow around him. He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I might have caused that…but at least I saved somebody. It was a scholar too." he nodded towards the group of four white robed scholars that were waiting a little ways away from the guards.

"Oh good! Never mind then. I take back my complaint." I gave him a smile and then closed my eyes for three seconds, then opened them again.

"Good. I'd rather avoid you complaining to me. It gets annoying." he laughed. My eyes widened and I turned towards him. I punched him in the arm.

"I do not complain! And when I do it is very little. Besides, there is a difference between complaining and bitching. I bitch." I crossed my arms and leaned on my hip. He looked me up and down.

"So what's the difference…If there is one." He said in an amused tone.

"When people complain, they complain about every little thing. Whether it be the sun, or their belt's too tight, or the grass is too green and little things like that. When people bitch, they usually have a good cause to back them up. Usually people bitch about something when they think someone is doing something the wrong way and they think they can do so much better. Kind of like bossiness… or superiority. That's what I do. I bitch."

"And you only bitch to me." he smirked and crossed his arms I took a few steps closer to him.

"Of course I do. Its fun to get on your nerves." *As Alera came closer, Altaïr saw that little mischievous glint in her eyes and that smirk along with it.*

"Well, I regret to inform you that you don't get on my nerves. I think it's cute when you 'bitch' and act like you know what your doing. Its quite amusing." His smile never left. I dropped my arms.

"Damn. Then maybe I should try harder." Sarcasm, just one of the many services I offer and love.

"Try all you want, sweetheart. It won't get to me." Altaïr flashed a wink from under his hood, then turned around and jumped down. I smiled to myself and shook my head and followed. We were in the rich district of Jerusalem, so it was slightly crowded. I knew the people couldn't see my face from the shadow of my hood, but I tried to tuck my long blonde hair into my hood and slump my shoulders so my chest wouldn't be seen so easily. Turns out, its easier to hide my chest when I'm sitting on Àlkimos, because my back is already slumped over. My blonde hair kept falling back in place and wouldn't stay in the hood for long.

Yes, my attempt was futile, but I stayed behind Altaïr and nobody really looked at me. We weaved through the crowd. I heard merchants shouting out to people.

"You! Yes you! Come, come! See my wares! You won't find better!" shouts like that echoed out through the streets. Altaïr turned around and grabbed my hand and started walking faster.

"What's wrong?" I whispered to him.

"A guard is walking toward us. We are almost to the scholars. When we get there, stay behind me at all times. I don't want anybody to take you." Damn, that sounded possessive, and not the bad possessive, the 'your mine and nobody else can have you' kind of possessive. My heart slightly fluttered at the thought and I smiled to myself.

"Ah, there you are young man. Come, we have been waiting for you-" the scholar stopped in mid-sentence and eyed me. Altaïr still had my hand.

"She's with me." he said quietly. The scholar nodded and motioned for him to follow, so we did. I stayed close behind him and bowed my head and laced my fingers together. My eyes stayed on their feet as Altaïr and the scholars started to move. I dared not look up as I saw the stairs to the entrance meet our feet. I heard the shuffle of armor and the guards moved out of our way.

We cleared the stairs and I saw solid ground come under our feet, and I saw Altaïr leisurely walk away to the right and I followed him. I glanced up to see him run up the wall of a building and I followed. I pulled myself up just in time to see Altaïr tackle an archer from behind. His hidden blade shot out and sank into the neck of the guard with out a moment's hesitancy. He rose up and withdrew his blade from the neck. Blood slowly and menacingly rolled off his blade and dripped onto the ground.

The scene that I saw before me had 'badass' written all over it. He looked too damn good when he killed. I approached him as he wiped his blade off on the guard's clothes. My mouth was open slightly. I was impressed. That was good. *Altaïr smiled at the shocked expression on Alera's face. He looked back down at the unmoving guard. Blood pooled around his neck and started to roll down the side of the building. He knew they had to keep moving before someone spotted them.*

"That was-"

"I know." He said with a smile. He walked up to me and kissed my forehead. That shocked me even more but I was not going to complain about that.

"Lets go. I know your eager to get to your prey as well." He took my hand and we walked along the connected roofs until we stopped. The inconspicuous building in the middle of the barbican had an opened door on it, and we were facing it. "This is it. Are you ready?" he asked. I shot out my hidden blade and ran my fingers along it.

"Always." I whispered. My hidden blade shot back down and I narrowed my eyes and looked at the entrance. I could feel myself getting on edge. I was ready for anything. My bloodthirsty demon was ready to burst from his dormancy. I was ready to kill. Altaïr jumped down and I followed. We walked across pathway and into the door. Altaïr and I crossed the threshold.

SLAM!

We whipped around to see the door had been sealed and shut behind us. Altaïr and I exchanged a glance. *Altaïr saw how Alera had changed. Her blue eyes were icy and hard, but at the same time had the fire of battle and blood lust in them. They seemed to shine eerily underneath the shadow of her hood and the dim light of the single torch that was lit in the small hallway. "This is going to be interesting and worth it." He thought to himself.*

We turned our attention back to the task before us. I turned to the left and saw a hideous sight that made me stop dead in my tracks and made Altaïr bump into me. Among the crates of supplies that were piled and stacked up against the wall, there was a man in a cage. The cage wasn't tall enough for him to stand up in. He was skin and bones and balled up in a ball towards the back corner of the cage. He mumbled nothingness. His words made no sense; it was just…the talk of madness. I went first this time. We passed by him and he seemed to be weeping. I turned to look back at Altaïr.

"We must find a way to free these people." I whispered pleadingly to him.

"I think this one is beyond hope, Alera." He said softly to me. I looked back at the man and he rocked back and forth, paying no heed to us. I looked back at Altaïr and nodded. "We should save the ones that we can save, though. While your chasing after Talal I'll hang back and find a way to open the main door so they can be free." I gave a small smile to him and then something caught the corner of my eye. There was a silhouette of a man in the second floor window. It was there for a split second and then it was gone out of sight.

* "Ah, so here she is again in my presence. The infamous Desert Rose. Ah, but this time is different, she comes of her own free will." Said a voice. It definitely belonged to Talal. Altaïr caught his words but kept silent. He was a bit confused now. " 'Again'? 'This time'? Has she been here before? Met him before?" his thoughts rambled on but he turned his attention back.

"Who is this other with you? You should not have come with her, assassin."

"Do not speak to him!" snapped Alera in a menacing tone that surprised Altaïr. "This concern's me and you, Talal. We have unfinished business." She hissed.

"Yes we do. I have a deadline to keep and Robert de Sable has little patience. That is why he hired me, because I have caught you before and dealt with you before."

"It surprises me that Robert hired you. It was so easy to escape from your holding cells. Especially when you ran away from me like the coward you are!" she yelled. Altaïr couldn't believe what he was hearing. She had been caught before but managed to escape. "I sense another story." He thought to himself. "So what now, Slaver?" she bit back, before Talal could answer. Her eyes flashed.

"Do not call me that! I only wish to help them, help you. As I myself was helped."

"Help? You think you're helping them? You think your helping me? You do no such kindness imprisoning people like this!"

"Imprisoning them? I keep them safe! Preparing them for the journey that lies ahead."

"What journey? It is a life of servitude!" Talal laughed and it echoed through the hallway. Altaïr saw Alera clench her fists tight to where her knuckles were white. She started to move down the hall, but never took her eyes off of the window. Altaïr also saw another sickly man. He was limp and shackled to the wall. He saw the slight rise and fall of his chest, but his breathing slowed and he knew the man was near the end.

"You know nothing! You know not of what I do with these people. You however, were the exception. Robert paid a generous amount of money for you last time, and I agreed to catch you and sell you to him as his slave. Money talks, my Desert Rose. He paid me generously again this time, and this time I will not fail."

"SHOW YOURSELF YOU BASTARD!" She screamed in rage. A door on the end of the hall opened slowly. Alera turned around and strode towards it. Altaïr had never seen her like this. Her stride held challenge, defiance, and above all, revenge and rage. He was impressed.*

"Help! Help me please!" came a small yelp. I stopped and looked down. There was a young boy in a dungeon. He reached up through the grate. I could see him. He looked to be in his teens. I glanced at Altaïr and then knelt down.

"Do not worry. We will get you out. I promise. My friend here will help you, but for now you must be quiet." I whispered softly. He only nodded and I rose back up and looked at Altaïr.

*Her eyes still shined eerily from underneath the shadow of her hood. Altair was amazed. Fire and ice mixed together to form a deadly combination. But as she looked at him they softened back into the blue sapphires he loved.*

He opened his mouth to say something but I put a finger to my lips and motioned for him to be quiet. "I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but right now you must listen to me." I pleaded quietly. Altaïr's eyes held understanding and he nodded. "Talal is not the type of man to play fair. He will surely have his men waiting in the shadows to attack us…Well, mainly me because I'm the one he wants. They will try to kill you." I warned. Altaïr smirked.

"They can certainly try." I gave him a wary look.

"Be on your guard and whatever you do, do not come to me until every guard is killed. Even if I scream in pain, do not come for me until they are all dead." He stepped closer to me. Close enough to where I felt the softness of his breath on my chin. He ran his hand down my neck and his thumb stroked my jaw.

"You cannot ask me to make that promise." His voice was stern but held a desperate pleading to it. It was like a begging command.

"If I don't make it-"

"Do not speak like that!" he ordered. His eyes searched my face and finally rested on mine. I looked down as soon as our eyes met. He ran his hand across my neck and stopped at my chin. He raised it up to make me look him in the eyes. "You will not die. Even if I have to kill Talal and all of his men by myself, you will not die. Not while I am by your side. Do you understand?" he said sternly. I nodded. He put his lips to my forehead. "Look for me in the shadows. For I will always be at your side." He whispered to me. I closed my eyes and soaked in the words to make sure I would never forget them. He kissed my head and his lips lingered.

"What's the matter Desert Rose? Too scared to face your fate?" yelled Talal from the other room. Altaïr pulled back and we looked at each other, then I turned and walked across the threshold of the door, and I heard Altaïr walk off to the right once he got into the room.

"Ah, so here she is. Do you wish to see me again? Do you wish to see the man who will finally capture you? Do you wish to see the man that allowed you and helped you to get here?"

"Help me? Allow me? You did no such thing! I came here and made it here on my own!" Talal let out another echoing laugh. I'm getting sick and tired of the games. I'm ready to fight. My blood lust is out of control. My bloodthirsty demon needs to be sated. I clenched my fist and started to slowly walk forward. There was a door on the second floor that led out to the rooftops. It was open and it let in a ray of light. The light was hitting the middle of the floor. That's where I was headed so he could see me.

"Did you? Who unbarred the door? Cleared the path? Did you once raise your blade against a single man of mine, huh? No. All this, I did for you. Step into the light then, and I will grant you one final favor." I was more than happy to oblige. I strode into the light and stopped. I heard light footsteps drop down from the second floor. They were all around me, but I wasn't worried.

Shink. "Altaïr." I thought.

"Ughhh…" was the faint sigh that I heard. It was the last breath of a man. My keen ears picked up the feather light steps of Altaïr. I don't know how many he killed but he was doing good. I looked back at the second floor in front of me and Talal finally emerged.

"Now I stand before you Desert Rose. I give you one final favor before you are captured and taken to Robert. What is it you desire?"

"Your life…" I whispered harshly to where he could hear. "Come down here and fight me, coward. Or are you too scared to face me?"

"Why must it always come to violence? It seems I cannot help you, for you do not wish to help yourself. And I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice. Men! Take her! Kill the other Assassin!" yelled Talal. One man jumped at me, but was tackled and killed by Altaïr. Blood started to roll out into the light. I looked up at Talal and smirked wickedly.

"Tell me, Talal. What do you do when all your men are dead?"

I bolted towards the wall and ran up it and grabbed onto the second floor railing. I heard Talal's fast footsteps. I quickly hauled myself up and shot out the door after him. When I got out on the roof I stopped and saw him. He was about twenty feet away from me and was looking at me, watching me. The clouds had grown darker and the wind blew slightly. The sun was nowhere to be seen and I smelled the rain on the wind.

I watched him. He slowly backed up and I drew out two throwing knives. "By the blade, not by the handle." I thought. I flipped them around and grasped the blade. Talal turned to run. I threw my first knife and as if on cue, thunder struck as my knife stuck him in the back of his knee. He fell to the ground. His screams of agony made me smile wickedly. I was finally having revenge; not only for me, but all of the slaves he's ever sold or had. Blood poured out of his wound.

He tried to reach his bow but I threw my other knife. Thunder struck again and the knife stuck in his shoulder. Blood began to seep out of that wound too. I heard Altaïr burst through the door behind me, but I didn't turn around. I began to slowly walk towards Talal. My hips naturally sway when I walk but this time it made me feel even better. I knew I held this man's life in my hands and I was going to crush it mercilessly. I heard Altaïr walking behind me.

*Altaïr had found the latch to open the door. He freed all the slaves and killed all the guards, now all that was left was Alera. He ran up the wall and shot out the door after her, and found her. She had knives buried into Talal to where he could no longer run, and she slowly made her way to him.

Altaïr watched Alera. He realized how he never really had seen her walk casually, but now she was, and her hips were swaying. She was walking casually to her target, because she knew he wasn't going anywhere. She knew she held his life in her hands. "She looks so good when she fights. And there is how she deals with her bloodthirstiness. She feeds off of the sensation of holding a man's life in her hands." He followed behind her to see how this would turn out.*

Talal was nothing now. He tried to pull himself up, but he failed. I was still gradually walking towards him. I knew he wouldn't be able to get away now. The look on Talal's face as I approached him was priceless. I smirked wickedly at him. The wind blew and thunder rolled overhead. A string of lightening shot off in the distance.

"Look at you, your nothing but a coward. A pathetic excuse for a man! You take these people in and starve them and torture them. You bend their minds to your will!"

"No! Not my will, but the will of the brotherhood! My part is played. They are not so weak that my death will stop its work."

"What brotherhood?" I asked harshly.

"Al Mualim is not the only one with designs upon the holy land. And that's all you'll have from me." I was about five feet away from him.

"Tell me something Talal." He backed away but never took his eyes off of me. Fear clung to him. I could see it all over him. "Do you fear the bringer of death, or do you fear death itself?" I finally stopped in front of him.

"I fear neither!" he yelled and spit at my feet. I shot out my hidden blade and slowly pulled my arm back. My hidden blade was poised beside my head as I aimed for his neck. I looked him dead in the eyes.

"Your words betray your actions, slaver." He turned his head away. "Look at me!" I screamed. He looked up at me. "Know that I am the one who easily slipped out of your grasp. You have failed Robert." He down cast his eyes again. "Look me in the eyes Talal!" I demanded. He did so, reluctantly. "You should fear me." I harshly whispered to him, so that he could hear me. "I am but a blade in the crowd, and a bringer of death."

I grabbed his throat and drove my hidden blade deep into the flesh of his neck. Blood splattered on my sleeve and the left side of my face. He breathed his last breath and was silent. I retracted my blade from his neck. The blood from my hidden blade slowly seeped off and onto the ground. I took out my rose petal and made a small incision on the top of it, then I stuck it into the blood pooling around his neck and head. The veins in the petal soaked up the blood and also stained it a crimson red. I put the petal back in my pouch and cleaned off my blade on his clothes. It thundered and lightening overhead then raindrops started to fall. I stood back up and looked into the sky.

The cool raindrops hit my face as my demon of bloodlust resided back into me, to await his reawakening once again.