Ancient Warriors

by Brian Young
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From the Primordial Dragons Tiamaat and Abzu came the
Ancient gods, their son Enki then killed Abzu, from
the Ancient gods came the Elder gods. From these arose
Marduk son of Enki. He rallied the Elder gods to over
throw the Ancient gods and they created an army.
Tiamaat seeing the army Marduk created took for
herself Kin-gu as consort and created an army to
combat Marduk's. Seeing that Marduk's army was winning
Tiamaat sent kabul-seguu's (werewolves), ahkahkaharu
(vampires), and the spirit of the zi-dinger, magick
users to be embodied when humans came into being.
They hid as human and among humans. When Marduk found
this out, He singled out humans and taught them in the
worship of him they could defeat the profane
kabul-seguu, the ahkahkaharu, and the zi-dinger, it
was there task to rid the earth of these beings and in
the afterlife were great rewards. But Marduk did not
know everything. The zi-dinger were taught magick's of
the elements, of the planets and of other things. The
Priests of Marduk were not taught these things.

Chapter 1

The hackles on the beast rose as he watched the
crack dealer make his sales. The werebeast felt
perfectly hidden in the shadows of the alley. More
than five hundred years of stalking in cities, his
sire teaching him the fundamentals for twenty five
years before a hunter ambushed him. Now he could blend
into the shadow of a lone tree in the light of day.
This was cubs' play; hiding in the alley still he
was careful if one got careless or sloppy, agents of
the older gods, Hunters found you. The beast watched
the last of the "sleepers" as he called them or "the
dead", take their purchases and move on. Truly they
reminded him of sleepwalkers and shook his head in
sadness.

The dealer stood alone in the dull glow of a
distant porch light. The beast sniffed the air; he
could find no one close. He directed his attention to
his hearing, listening to the sounds around him. He
heard a couple fighting a couple of houses from the
dealer, someone in high heels walking but not within a
hundred yards. It was a distance he liked any closer
was a risk he rarely took.
The beast moved from his hiding place and was on
the dealer with his second huge stride, knocking him
down and unconscious. It took practice but after a
couple hundred years the beast could do it with no
more sound than a rock thrown onto a lawn. He quickly
picked up his prey, threw it over his shoulder and
ran. If anyone had been a witness, all they could've
seen was a dark blur and the dealer disappearing with
it. And the human mind would dismiss the event with
confusion.
When Doug opened his eyes he didn't know where he
was. He felt dazed and dizzy, like the time he was hit
in the head with a pipe and left for dead. This seemed
much worse though like his head was going to implode
or explode, hell at this point in the pain it didn't
matter and he didn't think any amount of painkillers
would help.
Doug could see a few stars in the night sky. He
sat up and things got worse, it was all he could do to
keep from vomiting. About two feet to his right was a
circular hole about three feet in diameter and from
where he sat at least four feet deep. Now he
remembered a brick wall hitting him from behind and
the ground rushing to meet him. "The sons-a-bitches"
Doug thought. "When I find who did this I'll kill'em."
He instinctively reached for his .357, the sudden
movement reminding him he had to move slower.he might
even have a couple of broken ribs.
Wincing with pain Doug checked his jacket pocket,
his money was there and yeah he had a couple of broken
ribs. Checking another pocket he found his drugs were
gone. This seemed very wrong why take the drugs and
not the money? A thousand dollars was nothing to leave
behind? And why leave him armed?
Suddenly a rock hit him in the chest, or it felt
like a rock until he looked down and saw his drugs.
His .357 was in his hand, he didn't remember taking
it out. Doug's head was pounding. This was a very
dangerous game someone was playing and he was in no
mood for it.
"All right mother fuckers enough is enough, what
the fuck game is this." Doug stood up, his knees
buckled and he was hit with a wave of nausea that
clouded his head and brought him to his knees. His
head started clearing and he swallowed back bile that
threatened to project from him like it had a life of
it's own. "Man" Doug thought, "Someone is going to die
for this"
Dough heard a low rumbling. At first he thought
it was a car or truck in the distance with a loud
engine. It got louder and deeper, he could feel the
ground vibrating underneath him. Doug concentrated, he
was able to find where the sound came from. The hair
on the back of his neck prickled and he tightened his
grip on his .357. Directly in front of him a huge head
emerged from the shadows baring the biggest set of
goddamned teeth Doug had ever seen. Doug had seen
wolves in the zoo and a friend had a 200lb rotty. This
head was bigger, about twice that size. It reminded
him of a grizzly bear he saw at the same zoo, almost.
If the body were proportionate it would be about four
to five feet at the shoulders and standing on hind
legs ten to eleven feet tall.
If he could cut a deal with the owner of this
monster dog...wolf or whatever it was. Get a one of
his own, god what he could do with it, maybe fight it,
god the possibilities. First he had to get out of this
and looking at that huge head he no longer had much
confidence in his .357.
"Hey look man I don't know who you are but would
you call off this monster dog or whatever it is so we
could talk business." Doug looked around for the owner
or trainer or whatever one was that handled a creature
like this. A wave of pain shot through his head and he
could taste bile threatening to erupt again.
A diesel truck engine spoke. "You have nothing
that I need. You are a soulless harbinger of a cancer
to humanity. You have no respect for life. No love for
anything but money and that is a soulless god."
Doug thought that his concussion had rendered him
hallucinogenic or insane. The words were clear, he
found himself captivated and in awe of this thing.
He'd forgotten about his gun until he noticed that it
was raised level with the creature's head. Everything
was moving in slow motion now. The gun exploded in the
night. Doug's right arm was pointing straight up in
the air with fur-covered steel holding his wrist
cutting off the circulation. Another fur-covered vise
was around his throat, he could breathe but barely.
It seemed to Doug this monster dog from hell was
smiling at him. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen, the
teeth, and there seemed to be an abnormal amount of
them reminded him of shark or crocodiles teeth, and
what the hell were they doing in a dog's mouth, well
ok a dog from hell. Doug felt the gun drop from his
hand, the lack of circulation making it go to sleep
the needles distracting him momentarily. The beast's
face was only a hair's breath from his own. He could
feel the moisture on the canine nose. The smell of
it's fur and breath brought to mind images of the
wild. The sweet pungent odors and musk, making him
think of predators hunting and bringing down their
prey.
The beast moved slowly still holding to Doug's
wrist and throat, it stood on it's hind legs. "God"
Doug thought, "what a magnificent animal." It stood at
least ten feet tall, it's fur was dark with highlights
of silver in the moonlight. When Doug looked into the
beast's eyes, really looked for the first time he saw
intelligence, he got the feeling of ancient
intelligence and there was no doubt it had spoken.
As he looked into the dog from hell's face, he
watched the smile widen and Doug felt his mind
slipping away from this bizarre scene, he opened his
mouth to scream. No sound left his throat. The beast
swallowed his scream and his last breath as he ripped
out Doug's throat. Using a claw he opened Doug's
chest, took out the heart and ate.
Whispering the beast said "O' ye Gods and
Goddesses of ancient times. Time before this world was
created and after this world is lifeless. Come take
this spirit, that his next life will not be one of
ignorance and greed." The beast waited in silent
reverence, not moving. If anyone had looked into the
fenced empty lot they might have thought them fallen
trees, harmless from the distance of the street. The
beast detected no one so he finished his meal, which
consisted of less than half of the body but included
the brain. Next to the heart the beast enjoyed the
brain, the heart was traditional the brain a delicacy.
The beast remembered the money and growled to
him, "forgot to get the money before I took him, I
guess I was hungrier than I thought. Seeing the money
somehow escaped being bloodied the beast set it
aside." The beast laughed to himself. Then buried what
was left of the body along with the gun and the drugs
in the hole he'd dug earlier that evening. The beast
waited motionless letting twenty minutes go by
listening and keeping his olfactory senses alert.
Patience was something that came with practice for his
kind but paid off in the end, the young ones knew
nothing of it.
The beast could find no one close so he changed
to human form put the money in his custom made "saddle
bags" checked the straps and buckles then changed
again into beast, shouldered the bags and snapped the
buckles together that held it in place. He stood
motionless again in the shadows, checking for people,
no one, a German Shepard was in heat and three males
domestics were getting close to her.it was defiantly
time to go.
The beast easily jumped the fence surrounding the
empty lot and ran down H Street to the freeway, ran
along the freeway to the bridge and jumped over
landing on the bank next to the water. He stayed where
he landed not moving. The young ones rarely took these
precautions, saying it takes to much time. The beast
remembered having to stay perfectly still for thirty
hours because a hunter was diligent in his efforts.
These days young ones were lucky to live a hundred
years before Hunters found them. If they live through
a Hunter they aren't so arrogant, with respect and
humility they ask to be taught stealth and hiding.
Kalgu always wondered why it took his kind so long to
seek a Teacher. With the Ahkah Kaharu they had
teachers from their "birth".
Kalgu was convinced no one was around except
field mice, unbuckled the harnesses of the saddlebags
and eased himself into the water. Kalgu washed himself
occasionally drinking and rinsing his mouth. Kalgu was
glad of being a werebeast, the distinct advantage in
this case is not getting sick from the water he was
bathing in and drinking. He felt as if the blood was
gone so he got out of the water and walked over to
where his bags were and waited a few minutes again.
Changed into human form, looking at the stars it
looked later than he wanted it to be. He checked his
watch he kept in an outside pocket if a bag.
"Shit one-o-clock." He quickly put the watch
back, changed into beast form and shouldered his pack
buckled it and ran up stream to the J street bridge,
easily leaped up the bank and using speed and shadows
made his way to the parking lot. Kalgu didn't stop but
went to the back and found the darkest corner, changed
to human and dressed, even in human form he could
blend in the shadows without being seen. Kalgu
refolded his bags so it was now a backpack. He took
the wad of money he'd gotten from the dealer and
peeled off two hundred dollars and put the rest in the
backpack. Took out his watch 1:10 he half smiled to
himself and shrugged. Shouldered the pack with one
strap, if the girls were still here they weren't going
to be happy. "Oh well" Kalgu thought as he came to
the door of the club. "When you live a thousand years
you never really go without it's all a matter of
timing.he laughed to himself as he entered the club.

Chapter 2

A young man in his early twenties watched as an
older man who looked to be in his fifties got out of a
car. In Robert's mind anyone that drove a car like
that had money. He patted the .38 tucked into the
front of his pants. Robert couldn't help notice how
the older man moved. There was a confidence, he was at
least 6'3" 250 well-muscled pounds, short gray hair.
There was an air about him and the back of Robert's
mind was screaming for him to do something else. If he
didn't owe Doug so much money he would find someone
that was more of a victim, but he was out of time and
after all Robert had the gun, it was better it this
old man died instead of him.
Tal felt the young man's presence, could smell
the dirt radiating like a beacon. The psychic and
emotional stress of the young man combined with his
addiction or because of it, slapped Tal almost as if
it was physical. "Fuck I really don't need this shit
right now, if I let my shields down the Ka-bul Seguu
might know I'm here. Maybe this little shit will
change his mind at the last minute..yeah and maybe
there aren't any werebeasts, vampires or zi-dingers,
well ya never know what the Gods will do next.
Tal finished locking his zx and turned to go into
the club. Just as he passed the car next to his Robert
walked out of the shadows of the parked cars and
pointed his .38 at Tal. "Stop where you are old man."
Robert warned in his best menacing whisper. "Give me
everything, wallet, watch, keys to your car,
everything and do it slowly. I'm not in the mood to be
fucked with and I'm already out of patience."
Even though Tal's back was to the kid Tal could
feel him, smell the fear in his sweat. "Shit" Tal
thought, "how stupid can they be, why would anybody
continually take something that made you stupid." Tal
turned around slowly; he could feel how dangerously
close the kid was to pulling the trigger. As he turned
around the smell of the decay caused by the use of
drugs by the kid smelled like skin burned by acid to
Tal. This one was already dead he just didn't have the
sense to lie down.
Robert watched the old man, he didn't seemed
concerned that a gun was pointed at him, in fact
Robert was beginning to feel like a mouse being sized
up by a cat.a large cat with an attitude. And instead
of Robert being the predator he felt very much like
prey, like he was the one in the most danger of being
hurt or killed. "You're taking to long old man and.."
Robert took his eyes off the old man for a second to
make sure they weren't being seen and was stopped in
mid sentence
Tal used the instant of opportunity to grab the
kids gun hand and punch Robert in the throat with his
right. While Robert was struggling to breathe Tal
broke the forearm of his gun hand over his right knee
then drove his right elbow into Robert's temple. Tal
felt bone break and the kid go limp. Tal quickly
looked around, he couldn't see or feel any witnesses
so he carried the body to some bushes at the far end
of the parking lot and hid it the best he could, he
had to hurry now, the body could be discovered or if
the ka-bul seguu, werebeasts to use the terms of his
culture, had heard the scuffle the nights hunt would
have to wait.
Tal knew it might be unnecessary paranoia but one
didn't stay a successful Slayer for the Elder Gods for
as long as Tal had by being over confident or sloppy.
Tal's time frame had been broken and his focus had
been distracted. He re-masked his energy and quickened
his pace to the club entrance. As he moved around the
club he kept his eyes on the door. He had to use
energy to probe for the beast and sometimes it left
his "mask" vulnerable.
Tal found his quarry and smiled. The beast was in
human form of course, on the dance floor. Tal didn't
need to read the creatures energy to know, the way the
beast moved, the way he looked around, the very way he
held the gaze of the girl he was dancing with, a
predators gaze. Tal then took the chance and read the
beast's energy, confidant that the beast's hunger, his
sexual hunger would keep him occupied and unnoticed.
This beast was young 75 maybe 100 years old and an
independent.
Tal found himself wondering if this one knows
about Slayers or Hunters. Did the one who brought him
to this life with its unholy kiss, with it's unholy
heart tell him about Tal's kind. Probably not they let
their young make the choice of being mentored in the
ancient ways, just like most of the westerners cannot
bear to see a spiritual master. It made no difference
to Tal, in fact made his job easier.
The band started playing Def Leopards "Die hard
the hunter", Tal almost laughed out loud at the irony
or better the synchronicity of the Gods. Tal watched a
couple of minutes longer and checked his watch. Last
call was announce and the band closed with "You lost
that loving feeling." Tal spotted a woman that looked
to be in her thirties, he grabbed her by the hand and
brought her close to him. The woman started to protest
the boldness of the stranger, she couldn't get away
from his grip, she started to yell for help and demand
for him to let go.
She looked into his eyes and found herself
staring into an indigo abyss, lost in depths of time
and oceans of space. All she could do was follow his
lead; she heard him saying something but couldn't
quite make out the words. Tal usually didn't use
enchantment spells but in situations like this they
were useful and easy when the subject had been
drinking.
Tal got next to the werebeast who was so intent
on enchanting his dance partner the beast blinded and
deafened himself to his own senses. Tal used a voice
from his disciplines, only the beast would hear but to
the beast it would sound almost like someone was
yelling at him. "I know who you are Ka-bul Seguu and
your time has come, The Elder Gods await their
sacrifice."
Frankie turned around quickly. Frankie is what he
called himself these days. There was no one there butt
a woman with dream filled eyes, she put one hand on
his as and another on his partners and danced
seductively with both of them. "Damn" Frankie thought,
"I'd love to finish this but a hunter is out there."
Frankie could feel the hairs on the back of his neck
raising and tingling on the top of his head. This was
an old Hunter only the old ones used the Sumerians
term Ka-bul Seguu. Beast, werewolf, loup-garou these
were common names of the modern tongue. That would
mean he could kill Frankie.
Frankie didn't think there were any practicing Hunters
he thought they were rumors the older ones made up to
keep the younger ones in line. Now he knew the truth
and it might be to late, the way the Hunter masked his
energy Frankie knew the Hunter was dangerous. All of
this went through his mind in an instant.
Frankie left the girls dancing with themselves;
he was defiantly in the mood for radical sex and
cursed the Hunter for taking him away from his fun. He
took a moment to move his lust energy to his senses
and to a focus on the fight to come. Frankie moved
outside, once outside Frankie slipped into the shadows
and changed to beast form. He felt he had a better
chance with teeth and claws. He had dark red fur
almost the color of blood. Frankie followed the
Hunters scent and the "trail" he left behind, though
he relied on his sense of smell instead of the trail.
The trail ended in an alley but the scent was
strong further in where the shadows were stronger,
darker. So he followed the scent in, moving so that no
sound could be heard by his passing. He peered into
the darker shadows looking for the Hunter, his sense
of smell guiding him farther. This part of town was no
stranger to screams of pain, gunshots and people dying
in the street, in fact if a day went bye without
someone dieing it would be the exception. Frankie
couldn't have picked a better place for this kind of
battle if he'd been given the choice. He knew the
Hunter was close now, "Shit he was good" he masked his
scent.
Tal felt the Beast enter the alley, he masked his
energy and his scent now. His silver sword with
Marduke's sigils gently glowing though one could not
see it if they looked with their normal sight. The
Beast came even with Tal and he brought his sword
down, Frankie caught the movement out of the corner of
his eye too late, faster than Frankie would have given
any human credit for. The sword went more than half
way through the beast's neck almost severing it, Tal
gave another stroke and the head fell to the ground."
In the names of the Elder Gods Marduke, Inanna, let
Ningizhidad open the gates so Ereshkigal and Nergal,
Lady and Lord of the underworld may have your soul
till the end of time."
Kalgu across town felt warmth in his chest for an
instant then emptiness

Chapter 3

Dion sensed the Hunter as he killed the beast
named Frankie. The shape shifters didn't mind her kind
calling them beasts. The old legends told of shape
shifters and vampires being created by the elder gods
Tiamaat and her consort Kin-gu to battle the armies of
the elder gods headed by Marduke. The ancient gods
were defeated, a few of the shape shifters, called
Kabul-Seguu in the legends. And vampires called
Ahkahkaharu, were lost and scattered to earth. The
elder gods couldn't find them so after a couple
hundred years Marduke is said to have chosen a few
humans, empowered them, showed them his magick and
charged them with finding and destroying the remnants
of the ancient gods army.
It's taught the curse of the shape shifters,
werebeasts, and the price they must pay for being on
this earth is they must eat human flesh. The curse of
the vampire is they must consume human blood. They may
consume or drink of others but it does not have the
essence that is needed. It is also taught that the
Zi-dinger, the magick users are no different from the
hunters in their magick except the magick users get
their power from the ancient gods.
Dion felt the passing of Frankie. She didn't know
Frankie personally but knew he was on the outside of
Kalgu's pack. One not seeking mentoring but part of
the community. She knew Kalgu would feel the passing,
just as Dion feels when any of her children pass. Dion
waited in the shadows a while longer. The Hunter
wasn't masking his energy now that his Hunt was over.
Dion could tell, this was an old experienced Hunter,
she could feel it. Dion kept a psychic trace on the
Hunter and even at a distance she could feel the elder
gods blood in his veins. In her 600 years she'd never
felt the blood so strong in a Hunter.
"Damn" she said out loud to her self, "wonder how
long he's been in town. I'll have to let Kalgu know
and tell the others. We'll have to find out if he's
brought any others with him or if he's turned hero."
Dion realized he was announcing his presence
psychically to the town, he was moving east of the
city his energy now masked and gone.
Dion felt dawn a couple hours away before she
even looked at the sky. Dion took out her cell phone
and called Kalgu's message number, she smiled. They
went back a long ways in many respects, were closer
than either of their kind usually get, they had
performed the forbidden act without anyone finding out
and were stronger because of it. Dion licked her lips
remembering, then the voice interrupted, she left her
message in the old language and in code they always
used for emergencies. Dion found herself hungry and
headed for a hunt of her own.
It didn't take her long. The beasts were strong
but her kind was fast and traveled faster. She was
across the street form a bar she knew well, in the
shadows. She didn't feed here often enough to raise
suspicion, though she thought with a smile nobody here
dies under unusual circumstances, their old age lasts
as long as the next bullet our knife finds them. Dion
watched as several men left. The one she'd been
looking for came out, his mind full of violence, the
violence he performed not more than two hours ago and
the violence he was planning in the next hour. She
picked up the images of violence he was considering
doing to an 18 year old boy that owed him money. Dion
was still; her kind could stay at one point without
moving for hours if they had to, they didn't breathe.
When he was close enough she stepped in front of
him walking with her back to him, as if she had no
clue he was there. She was at the mouth of a dark
alley, she could feel his violence and hate. Dion let
him grab her and pull her to a darker place in the
alley.
"Ok slut now if you cooperate it won't hurt too
much, if you try to fight it'll hurt a lot I'm hoping
you try to fight." There was a wicked sneer on his
face. Dion almost felt like she needed a shower just
to wash off the points of contact. Again he projected
the images of her rape and death. She reached down to
his crotch, for a second he was surprised then he
reached for her breasts. He felt cold steel grab his
hand and he was on his back, stunned momentarily from
the impact. Just as full recognition of the fact that
he was on the ground immobile He felt her lips on his
neck. Her hair smelled like flowers, there was a sharp
pain in his neck and then there was nothing but bliss.
No kind of drug in any quantity made him feel like
this and no sex came close, he was drifting down
unaware of his spiral to death.
Dion licked the wound, leaving enough blood in
the body for the cover up and uttered her prayer "Oh
ye Gods and Goddesses of ancient times, time before
this world was created and after this world is
lifeless. Come take this spirit that his next life
will not be one of ignorance and suffering." Dion then
took the mans wallet, money roll and drugs. She
propped his unconscious body against a wall and shot
him with his own gun in the chest. Dion was more than
10 blocks away before the body finished crumpling to
the ground. Dion hurried to her haven. The sun didn't
hurt at her age but it did remain uncomfortable.

Chapter 4

Bill could feel the sun a few hours away, He
looked over to his friend Mike. Some of his kind
didn't like working with the beasts. Bill had been
doing it for years and enjoyed the diversity, the
differences no one was better or tougher in a fight
and Mike could smell trouble about the same time Bill
could sense it, sometimes before. Bill was pretty
happy with the team and money they made together.
Sometimes like tonight the got to eat on the job, Bill
had to smile at his own joke.
Mike looked at Bill and smiled with a mouth full
of teeth that didn't belong in a human face, but Mike
liked to experiment with his shifting. He punched Bill
in the arm, the punch didn't faze Bill but would've
broken a humans arm. He liked working muscle with the
vamp and it was because of Mike and Bill that the Dawn
family had the reputation for being the family you
didn't mess with. But some people's kids just don't
know when they have it good.
Bill looked over his shoulder at the apartment
they just left. The Dawn family wouldn't have a
problem with they're dealers for a while. The
territory leader who'd been skimming and cutting the
drugs won't be found, his runners dead. Perfect
opportunity for some eager idiots. Thought the next
won't be making the same mistake.
Bill and Mike looked at each other simultaneously
as a ripple of subtle energy made the hair on the back
of their necks raise. Their weapons were in their
hands faster than human eyes could see. Bill's Heckler
and Koch 9mm, Mikes desert eagle 44 semi-auto. They
knew instinctively Hunters were there. They both had
heard stories and rumors there was no mistaken the
energy. The Hunters wanted them to know, Bill was
trying to probe, but was coming up with nothing, they
were masked well. Mike could find no scent of them and
this confused and angered him. They both looked at
each other, images of making it to their car going
through each of their minds. Mikes mind screamed for
him to shift and get the hell out of there. But he
liked the feel of his gun, and with his strength was
confident besides he didn't want to leave Bill. Mike
heard two almost silent sounds of flesh being
penetrated, looked at Bill to see two large wooden
arrows one in his heart and one through is forehead.
At almost the same instant Mike felt a cold fire in
his chest he looked down to see a large silver arrow
then everything went black

Chapter 5

Kalgu had made the trip to the new world with the
settlers at Plymouth rock as one of the ships crew
member, then disappearing shortly after. Spending his
time in this new land roaming and exploring. sometimes
staying and hunting with the wolves, sometimes finding
a group of native peoples and staying and living with
them learning about this new land and it's people.
Watching civilization grow and intrude as it always
did, expanding arrogantly in it's domination.
He was following a feeling and slowly moving
south when "the ancient ones" showed him a dream. So
he went into the city and watched the dock. On his
third day watching the dock a ship came in. He
listened to the crew talk about a strange disease
affecting the passengers and crew. As he watched them
unload the ship a crate caught his attention, his
intuition told him to watch, he extended his "feeling"
and found what he was looking for, what the ancient
ones told him about.
He watched them take it to the warehouse
following in the shadows with his stealth. He found
the crate easily and took it with him. It had taken
two of the dockworkers to carry the crate into the
warehouse. He was Kabul seguu he picked up the crate
put it on his shoulder and again using the shadows and
stealth that natural for his kind and practiced since
he could remember. Made his way out of the city and
into the woods. He wondered if the being inside could
feel him as he could feel them.
When he was far enough away from the city he
stopped and set the crate down. He still had an hour
more or less before sunset, so he sit and waited in
human form. Just as dusk was coming he felt the
consciousness of the being in the crate becoming
aware. As the sun was setting Kalgu sat and watched in
the shadows. The top of the crate opened slowly, the
being knew he was there, good. She stood and slowly
looked around, Kalgu couldn't remember seeing a woman
more beautiful. It wasn't just that she was pretty,
her was her stance, the way she held herself, the
breeze shifted and he caught her scent and he smiled,
then gently pushed his empathy towards her so she knew
where he was.
She rose from the crate she had been using in the
ships hold. Before emerging she knew she wasn't in the
city, she was several miles from it. She couldn't pick
up thoughts so whoever brought her here was an elder
of their kind. She looked around carefully, slowly, if
they'd meant to kill her they would've tried while she
was sleeping. Then she felt him, he wanted her to. The
breeze shifted and she caught his scent, a shifter, a
mature shifter. He stepped from the shadows with a
smile that was flirtatious if she'd ever seen one.
There was a wildness about him. an intelligence in his
eyes and a calmness in him.
He walked up to her and took her hand, kissed the
palm, "I am Kalgu the ancient ones told me you were
coming, but didn't tell me about you." there was a
spark of energy in that simple kiss that surprised and
thrilled her. There was that flirtatious smile again.
She stepped out of the crate and shook her hair
letting it fall naturally. She took his hand and
gently bit the inside of his wrist "I am Kahu and no
one told me anything about you." she gave him a
flirtatious smile and the playful bite she gave him
sent energy through him that thrilled him.
They spent the rest of the night talking and
flirting and teasing. They went into the city, hunted
and fed. Kalgu was in love that night with a woman, an
ahkahkaharu, a vampire, with a passion he'd never
known before. When they had moments of silence
something passed and was exchanged between them, a
knowing. The love he felt for her never faded no
matter what the time that passed or the distance
between them. She was always his Dark Jewel.
Kahu, Dion found herself enchanted by his humor,
his romanticism, his playfulness and the beast that
was him too. By the time sunrise came she was in love
and didn't want to leave his company. He told her he
would be there when she woke, he would guard her
sleep. She looked at the moon then at Kalgu "My
Midnight Sun." When she woke up the made love and
exchanged essence, blood, the forbidden act between
their kind. It strengthened their love and devotion to
each other, it strengthened them they were to find out
later. It created a bond of love and friendship that
had no boundaries of time or distance. No language
could put their feelings for each other into words.
It was a clear night, the moon reflected off the
river. Kalgu and Dion sat on beams under the bridge
side by side. The sounds of people at the riverside
restaurants drifting up to them. "I never get tired of
your company Kalgu, how long has it been?" He lifted
her hand to his mouth and bit her wrist drawing a
little blood, licked it affectionately, felt it's
familiar tingle, the wound healing almost immediately.
"You know as well as I it's been almost 300 years. Our
anniversary will be hallows eve, pretty cliché now but
it sure worked for us 300 years ago." Kalgu gave her
one of his lecherous laughs. Dion laughed wickedly
herself and bit Kalgu's wrist drawing a little blood
herself and kissed it, feeling the same tingle.
Kalgu's wound healing just as fast as hers. They
looked into each other eyes. The love and lust they
had found 300 years ago was still there, the energy
between them still electric.
Kalgu spoke with a growl of lust to his voice,
"if you aren't busy after this business we need to
spend a few days and night together." His voice went
deathly serious, "Over half of us are dead, do you
know how many of yours?"
"We've lost about that many too and I've got
confirmation, it looks like it's Tal-ak and his squad
not one under 100 years old, hand picked and trained
by him."
"Yeah My information is the same. It's going to
be messy the young ones want war and don't know a damn
thing about it or what they're up against. We'll be
lucky if there's half dozen of us left and if I know
Tal, he's not leaving till he's taken us all out." He
affectionately bit the palm of her hand. "Any word
from the Akaharu about what your people are going to
do?"
"Most went to ground, the Akaharu, will wait a
few days to see how bad it gets, he wants to plan
something, I can get you five of us including me when
you're ready."
She bit his wrist affectionately. Lust smoldering in
her eyes.
Kalgu held her gaze; " I went to see Lillith
today." Dion frowned she could deal with most of the
Zi-dinger in this time, but there was something bout
Lillith Dion didn't like. Ok so maybe part of it was
jealousy, she knew they'd been lovers but she didn't
have to like it. She looked into Kalgu's eyes and saw
him smiling slightly.
"Tal has blood that didn't go into the P.O.M., a
nephew, he's regular clergy never could see what is
real or believe Tal's stories. I'm sending one I can
trust I want it clean. Going to wait to hit him till
we are ready for a good strike." He gently bit the
inside of her elbow distracting her from the jealousy
he could feel. "Come My Dark Jewel we need each other
and I have missed you terribly." Kalgu stood holding
Dion's hand.
Dion smiled back, the bite to her flesh felt good
they still had a strong connection and he knew what he
was doing calling her Dark Jewel...knew where he was
touching her. She stood tracing soft trails on his
cheek with nails the shallow cuts closing as quickly
as they were being made. "Yes My Midnight Sun I have
missed you and if we are going to finish this in one
piece, together, if our kind are going to live through
this we will do it together." Dion smiled wickedly
They embraced as lovers, lovers that haven't been
together for a long time. It sparked again their love
for each other, a feeling neither forgot but longed
for. A dwarf rose bush struggling for life, close by,
it's tiny buds almost giving up the chance to blossom,
found rejuvenation and the morning sun found a dwarf
rosebush showing off beautiful black roses in full
bloom the scent as intense as the beauty of the
blossoms.

Chapter 6

He sat watching the Sci fi channel not sure why
he was enjoying Babylon 5 but enjoying it never the
less. He heard the front door open and felt the woman
come in, it may have been 8 hours since he sent his
"messengers" to talk to the woman, he was impressed
that the woman came so quickly. He knew there was a
perverted vampire in the city..that was his word for
one's that fed on children, and he was lucky enough to
have the information of so recent a "kill'. The
children were drained of blood and the sitter was
still in a coma. He knew he would have to leave town
after this butt that was his life..he'd already seen
to the legal matters.
She stepped into the dingy bar steeled by her
emotions, hopeful that someone could help. The smell
of stale beer and cigarettes hit her hard and made her
pause for a second, she kept walking to the back
towards the faint light of the television. She passed
a kitchen and the smells surprised her. It reminded
her of her mothers kitchen. there was a home cooked
scent coming to her through the stale beer and
cigarette smoke, she breathed deeply suppressing fond
memories of her mother and walked further.
She saw him, never met him but knew the
description " a man dressed like a cowboy could help
you". and there he was, looking like Clint Eastwood
out of the spaghetti westerns watching some science
fiction stuff. She stopped and looked around. The
furnishings looked drab, everything looked like it
needed to be reupholster or replaced .She looked back
at the man and without looking he moved a chair from
the table he was sitting at...pointed to it and in a
low voice that seemed to carry forever said "George
Traer comida por senora, correa ella tiene hambre y
leche tambien". As she approached she was seized by
fear, she didn't know why but this man dressed like
Clint Eastwood in this rundown bar struck a primal
fear in her she would never be able to put into words.
It wasn't his clothes, it was his presence, something
she just felt and had no words for, and still she
walked closer and wasn't sure why. A voice in her head
screamed for her to leave. then she saw her children
dead and found herself in front of the chair pulled
out for her.
"George" set a plate down on the table half a
fried chicken, home fries and corn on the cob, the
scent of the food seemed to draw her to sit and pick
up the fork., the food smelled wonderful and for a
minute she forgot why she was there. George returned
with a large glass of milk, smiled a comforting smile
she wasn't expecting and left. "He" spoke again a low
penetrating voice "eat amiga then we will talk". He
didn't take his eyes from the television, she couldn't
even tell if he'd moved since she come to the table
but for some reason now she remembered how hungry she
was and she ate the food in front of her. She couldn't
remember when she'd eaten a more delicious meal so
pleasing..that was the word for it..it didn't just
taste good it was pleasing, wonderful, reminding her
of happier carefree times of childhood and home.
The man turned to her and took off his hat. He
had a plain face, his hair unremarkable, but there was
a scent of aftershave and a hint of whiskey to him
which almost seemed odd,
and then the feeling came over her again, that there
was danger in this man, something radiated, something
saturated her being and screamed for her to run, but
all she could do was look into his eyes, his
captivating black eyes, "what can I do for you
senora?" , the TV was off and he was looking at
her..looking into her, gods why couldn't she run.
"Breathe mujer, just breathe" she found her breath and
found herself more relaxed but the feeling that she
was in danger, that this was the most dangerous being
she could ever meet didn't escape her consciousness,
and the thought crossed her mind, "Lucifer would be
afraid of this man",
"Sir I hear you can kill monsters and I need one to
die"
"How do you know it is a monster that needs to be
killed"
"It killed my children, took their blood, the
babysitter was torn to shreds, blood everywhere but no
blood from my children, I heard the police keep
asking, Where is the blood, there should be more
blood. They were just babies, 5 and 8, what did I do
to have my joy taken from me like this??" She started
crying and couldn't seem to stop. She watched herself
reach into her purse and pull out all the money she
had, she couldn't remember how much was there for some
reason..maybe because she was crying again for her
children..she knew how much she had before she came
but now she couldn't and it didn't seem important. She
pushed it across the table towards him. He took it and
slowly and spoke again in that low penetrating,
vibrating voice "George"..George was there bending an
ear to the man. George wasn't a big man maybe under 6"
tall but there was something about him, not danger
like this "monster killer", but a feeling of
confidence and safety. "George will take you to a
place where you will be safe, he will give you the
address and phone number so you can call those close
to you from here where you are going to be. After
tonight I will not be here and neither will George so
if any ask there will be no trace. And the monster
will not live through this night..if you have any
further needs ask George."
He then stood and bowed slightly, she then noted
that he wore a Kevlar vest and had guns strapped to
himself, she noted two very large guns at his hips,
two large revolvers higher up, what seemed be a
sword hilt over his right shoulder and what might be a
rifle stock over his left shoulder and the thing that
struck her odd as she watched him leave was that he
didn't need them..there was a feeling...nothing she
could put her finger on..only that perhaps she had
asked a demon to kill a monster. George had brought
another plate of food and her money was beside the
plate, when she would count it later, she would find
only a 5dollar bill missing

Chapter 7

He watched the lair, he'd known where the monster
slept for days but waited till the right time. The
monster had entered the city a couple of months ago
but because he only hunted children of the poor the
master or prince or whatever the fuck you want to call
him didn't do anything. The rich of the city, the
important people of the city weren't in danger so the
head shit in charge of the vampires didn't do
anything. But now he was given money, he was hired to
stop the monster, it will be another city another
state he couldn't make his presence known but he was
good at hiding so fuck'em.
He watched the vampire approach his dwelling
through the shadows a normal ranch style house in
suburbia, watched as he took made his way to the back
entrance that would lead to a subbasement where he
slept and sometimes brought his prey. Tonight as he
watched, the vampire had a child in his arms, he
breathed deep and made his way quicker than mortal
eyes could see to the shadows just a few feet from the
back entrance to the house. The vampire stopped and
looked around, searching for him, the vampire sensed
him, it kept the child in his arms almost like a
shield.

He let loose the crossbow bolt, a shaft of purple
heart wood just below the child, into the vampires
stomach. It was not a killing blow but the wood would
make him drop the child in defense. As the vampire
dropped the child and grabbed the wooden shaft in
pain, his preternatural speed allowing him to reload
before the child touched the ground, he shot the
vampire again in the chest above the heart knocking
the vampire against the house. The vampire started to
scream in pain and agony but he was on top of the
vampire when hardly a sound was made. The vampire was
weak and writhing in pain from the penetrating wood of
the purple heart. He sank his teeth into the vampire
and drank taking all the essence from the pervert, a
little older than he but not that old as vampires go.
Watching as the lifeless form turned to ash.
Concentrating his senses not detecting anyone
around, he took his purple heart cross bow bolts and
put them away, gathered as much of the vampire dust as
he could in a pouch to be scattered later, He walked
to the back door where the vampire would've entered,
found the coffin it slept in, not understanding why
something would rather have a box then a bed, taking
his .44 and shooting a phosphorus round into it, then
at the back door shooting another into the nearby
couch, yeah it was loud and the house was burning but
fuck it they lived with a monster, and maybe they
would think twice before opening their home to one
again. Again with speed no human eye could detect, he
picked up the child and got into his car and drove,
left the child unconscious at the back door to a cop
he knew with a note he was gone for good.

Chapter 8

Kal-gu approached his house he could feel one, a
vampire, then he caught the scent, whiskey and old
spice. Not breaking stride he walked to his door and
opened it, walked in and closed the door not bothering
to lock it. Smiling as he walked into his living room
and went behind the bar, got out the bottle of Makers
Mark whiskey and poured a glass, as he turned to put
the bottle away, he felt the vampire across from him
then caught the scent of his old spice and whiskey, he
smiled to himself same old Dylon. He turned to see the
vampire with a six pack of Sierra Nevada pale ale cold
sitting on top of the bar. Kal-gu took one and put the
rest in the bar fridge, opened it, they looked at each
other touched glass to bottle and drank.
Dylon dressed like an old Clint Eastwood movie
but, he dressed like that one hundred years before
Clint Eastwood was on film. He had two desert eagle
.44mags with phosphorous rounds on his hips and cross
holsters with smith and Wesson .44mags loaded with
silver bullets across his chest, he wore a Kevlar vest
underlined with chain mail and a fire retardant
material, he believed in defending against his own
attacks, and was always improving his attacks.
It was said Dylon was made then left to die as
some kind of punishment, but survived. That a shifter
of royal blood found him just as the sun was rising
while his body was on the fringes of exploding into
flames, that a shifter of royal blood found him and
gave him shifters blood to live and that changed him
physically and emotionally. It is said that Dylon
found the vampire that made him and took him, drank
from him everything and it made him stronger as if he
was almost the same age as his sire. It is said he
didn't stop there, that he took blood from other older
vampires, that he took from rogue shifters and that he
was crazy because of it, because no vampire in their
right mind would drink from a shifter and it was
absolutely against vampire laws to drink from another
vampire but that is how legends are made isn't it. And
it was said of Dylon he preferred vampire or shifter
blood to that of humans that he didn't drink for long
periods of time because his hunger was only for
vampire or shifter blood. And here he was sitting
across from Kal-gu sipping his whiskey, a talent that
Dylon was said to have developed just to separate
himself from the rest of the vampires, a legend???
Kal-gu looked at Dylon " I heard Tempe has one
less problem to worry bout for their children."
Dylon smirked "and I hear you have a huge problem for
your children"
Kal-gu couldn't help but laugh, Dylon always knew,
always when he and or Dion needed extra help and
didn't know where to turn or ask Dylon was always
there smiling waiting to see what he could do. His
attitude reminded Kalgu of Val Kilmer in the movie
Tombstone the "Doc Holiday" that didn't fear death
because it might be in the next breath he took.
"Do you have a safe place to sleep?
"George has found one."
"How is George?"
"He is good"
"When I saw Lilith she didn't tell me you were
coming" Kalgu smiled at the common joke
"aaaahhh well the witch don know everything now does
she" Dylon laughed softly
Kal-gu looked seriously at Dylon, finished his beer,
got another and poured another whiskey for Dylon. "Tal
is here with a squad, he's taken out half the
shifters and just as many vampires, the city is
starting to go nuts because the vampires can't control
their territories and the shifters here are few and
untrained, the human police don't have a fucking clue
and the vampire counsel wants to declare martial law,
and they can't without me and my packs support. Kal-gu
laughed at his own joke and laughed a bit more when he
saw the smile on Dylon's face. "Yeah I know I haven't
kept an organized pack in over a century, maybe this
will show the young ones how important a pack can be."
We don't have enough between the vampire and shifters
to support a martial law, but the vampires being the
control freaks that the are, no offence," Dylon only
smiled at the common joke, "want to impose one"
"Do you have any plans, anything resembling a
method of attack" Dylon laughed to himself because
Kalgu always could attack and the dangerous part was
you'd never know till you were taking your last
breath.
"Well I do have a couple of options" Kalgu smiled
and as he did so Dylon watched as Kalgu revealed
something akin to crocodile teeth and way too many to
fit into a human skull. Dylon smiled at his friend and
the only being he could ever be afraid of, then
listened and talked till it was time to find rest for
the day

Chapter 9

It was a summer night Kalgu had invited Dylon and
George to a bib. Dylon had not seen Kalgu in over 20
years and apparently they were long time friends.
Dylon always talked well of Kalgu saying he was the
only shifter he would ever trust and the trust had
been proven over the years they'd known each other.
"And" Dylon said "since you like to cook and are so
good at it perhaps there will be something you can do.
There might be someone here that you have something in
common with." He smiled which was rare for him.
Kalgu house was a simple ranch design, the sun
had not set yet but Dylon was walking with no
discomfort, one of the truly odd things bout him, and
the only thing about Dylon that he never shared about
himself. As George walked in two things struck him
immediately, one the aroma from the food cooking was
great, and two another zi-dinger was in the house and
probably the one responsible for the wonderful aroma.
There weren't too many people here George could tell
there were a couple of shifters, a few humans, he
wondered if any other vampires would show up, he
doubted it, it was very rare for shifters and vampires
to share the same space the common theory was
instinctual territorial feelings.
None of the shifters gave much notice to Dylon
only looked his way, perhaps they heard the rumors,
perhaps out of respect to Kalgu being alpha. Kalgu met
them as they approached the kitchen and was almost
overwhelmed by his presence. There was a strength, a
vitality, something about this shifter, there was no
doubt why he was alpha. He looked average enough as
human grey hair with auburn streaks not willing to
give up the chase. But he exuded power and inner power
and strength that beings would follow instantly if
Kalgu but asked. They shook hands and George felt at
ease and comfortable at once, he realized later Kalgu
had projected the feeling for George's comfort.
Kalgu lead them through the kitchen where Lillith
was taking cookies out of the oven and though it was
almost 90 outside she wasn't sweating at all. She had
corn on the cob ready to put on the coals in the
backyard, there were baked beans ready to be put into
the oven. Kalgu introduced them. George as once liked
her energy, he noticed her hair moving back now and
then when there was no fan or breeze coming through
the window. She was about 5'5" and a little chubby but
he never liked skinny women anyway. Her hair was
braided down to her waist. He found himself asking
what kind of herbs and seasoning she was using, he
showed her his potato salad and watched her face, she
smiled and started asking him questions about his
cooking. They saw a lot of each other and George found
he enjoyed Lillith's company more than any other woman
he'd ever met. When Dylon needed to leave town George
left with him and promised to keep in contact and see
her when he could. He kept his promise because she was
worth knowing and being with as Dylon would say
"tesoro sin precio"
George got out of his car and looked at the
house, nothing had changed, grass around the houses in
other peoples yards were brown with shades of green
getting ready for the coming spring but this house had
green grass and the only one he knew of where it was
green all year round. He could hear the bushes
rustling in a breeze that wasn't blowing, he smiled
because he knew what it meant. He could faintly hear
the stream that found it's way to and through the back
of the house. He knocked on the door, he could feel
the morning sun on his back, shaking his head smiling
remembering her door always facing the east.
George opened the door and stood smiling like she
expected him, and she just might've. She stood about
5'5 maybe 185lbs but you'd never know it, she was well
proportioned and she always moved with the energy of a
young person. Her grey hair was waist length and in
braids. Her eyes were sometimes hazel, sometimes aqua
marine and sometimes the darkest shade of forest
green. At first glance one might think her a chubby
elderly woman, then she would move, walk, she would
speak, she would laugh and all descriptions would be
lost except that she was unforgettable.

"George godz how great it is to see you again",
she hugged him and pulled him in like she might never
see him again. George looked around nothing had
changed. There was the little stream that flowed
through the back of the house just on the other side
of her bedroom, the last room in the hall., but don't
try to get close because you never will. George could
hear it, and as always could almost hear the voices
inside it, today it was winding to the outer edge of
the living room tomorrow who knew? There were a couple
of candles lit and as always there was a fire in the
fire place, it was low because of the time of year,
but there was always a fire there.
George asked on one occasion "it is 102 degrees
outside don't you think it a bit much to have a fire
in your house?" she replied without hesitating and
looking straight at him very seriously, " and what
would Djinn or Seraph think if I made a home for the
other three elements and not them? How could I see,
where would my desire be, no the elements are my
friends, all of them all year round. In the winter do
I close the window, George looked and there was no
window where she was pointing only a small space where
there use to be a glass window in the east now only a
rectangle hole. Do I stop myself from breathing and
touching life? No . Do I stop walking on the good
earth and feeling her beneath my feet, thanking her
for the food in my garden. No. Do I stop drinking
life's precious juice or tasting what the Godz give
us? No so where there is one there is always, must
always be all, always my friend"
He looked at her with fondness as he always did
and hugged her back, taking in her scent of nature and
womanhood, walking with her further into the house
"I have a recipe for grilled pork and chicken I think
you will love".
She looked at him glad to have the company of another
zi-dinger " and I have a cake you will want to kill
for but I will only give you the recipe if you earn
it' she smiled wickedly at him. He picked her up in
his arms and carried her to her bedroom, the stream
changed course and wandered through Liliths bedroom,
there was a small fire no more than a candle's flame
in her room that burned a rose colored light, and now
and then a breeze found it's way through the slightly
opened window and the dirt floor seemed to have a
subtle vibration of pleasure to it.

Chapter 10


It had been a week since they first attacked the
profane ones and had taken out a good number in this
city, the profane ones were scared, there had been no
sign of vampire or beast for 3 days so he knew the
final battles were drawing near and he was pleased. He
himself had killed two vampire and a beast and was
well thought of among his brothers. The sun would set
in an hour, so him and two of his brothers were
heading back to their hiding sanctuary. They didn't
fear the shifter because they carried their crossbows
in the open, and before sunset were loaded with silver
bolts. Tal-ak had seen to special permit for the
group.
Rafe all of the sudden had that feeling, his
senses picked it up, but he was confused. His brothers
stopped and looked around because Rafe had stopped. He
looked again to the west and knew without looking at a
watch there was still at least an hour before sunset.
A shot rang out and brother David's head was all but
missing, there was a blur and sister Celia was down
with a beast over her, Rafe was razing his crossbow
from instinct when he was hit by a car, that's what it
felt like until he saw the impossible, a vampire
dressed out of a bad western starring down at him and
the smell of whiskey and old spice, before everything
went black.
Rafe woke up feeling weak, drained of energy, he
was cold and the floor he lay on felt hard like his
bones were being pressed into it, and the headache
from being hit by that car was almost more than he
could bear, then he remembered and looked around
slowly . The vampire was there watching him not moving
and when his eyes focused he wasn't sure he was
conscious, this profane one was a walking arsenal and
his armor though modern looked heavy. Then the
impossible struck him again this profane one walked,
attacked him in the day time, full sun without any
hint of weakness.
He spoke and his voice seemed to vibrate and
penetrate and carry for miles and Rafe couldn't tell
if he whispered or if was a normal tone. "I wanted to
kill you, to drain you of your life essence because
you are no better than....others, another sleeper
being led by a shit for a master, but my brother has
other plans"
Then the profane one got up and walked to him
bent over him, Rafe tried to raise his arms but he was
too weak, he felt the pain of the vampire biting and a
brief scent of old spice before he felt peaceful sleep
take him.
When Rafe woke again a beast was watching him,
it's head was huge mostly grey with auburn here and
there. He'd never seen a shifter in this form or this
close before, a scent came to him that brought
thoughts of prey and predator. He could hear a
television in the background but tried to focus on the
monster in front of him. He felt a diesel motor close
then realized it was the beast speaking
"you are going to die soon from loss of blood,
Tal has by now found your two companions, you think
you are untouchable." The beast bared teeth that
almost looked like sharks or crocodiles something that
shouldn't be in an animal like this. "Now you know
with your last breaths and Tal will know you are
touchable. Tal has started this war and he will not
win it. "O' ye Gods and Goddesses of ancient times.
Time before this world was created and after this
world is lifeless. Come take this spirit, that his
next life be not one of ignorance. Dylon you can
finish him"
Rafe was speechless his enemy prayed to the
ancient gods over him, and then this pariah of the
profane was his end, if he could've cried he would've,
he didn't even remember to pray to his god.

Chapter 11

Father Daniel had just come out of his office to
lock up the church for the night when he noticed a
woman walking down the left side of the aisle towards
him. He watched the woman approach and observed her
bearing, he couldn't help it something about her drew
him in. She was confident. When the church was empty
especially at night every sound could be heard.
Daniel noticed she was barefoot but...still he
should be able to hear something, then for a reason he
couldn't explain he became nervous, he was not a large
man, but he was 6' and 180lbs and kept himself in
shape playing basketball regularly at the church gym,
and this maybe 5' 125lb girl with silken black
hair...he couldn't help notice her hair, was making
him nervous. She never took her eyes from his and he
began to feel like prey under the watch of a predator,
her steps never faultered
"Can I help you miss"
"perhaps you can help me." her voice was seductive in
an animal way he couldn't explain. She wasn't more
than ten feet away now and he was struck with an
almost overwhelming desire for her, her being, her
scent seemed to scream to him to take her here, now on
the church floor. He broke into a nervous sweat.
She laughed, and the next thing he knew he was
staring into the eyes of an 8' monster, still laughing
as he ran for his life without thinking or hesitating.
He closed the door and locked it, when a force he'd
never felt before splintered the door and knocked him
across the room. The monsters fur was jet black like
the woman's hair before she changed, and her body even
though a monster left no doubt she was female. A scent
over whelmed him again and he felt a desire to have
sex with her...raw animal sex.
He shook his head and his hand found a crucifix
that had been on the wall but fallen when he hit it.
He held the large crucifix in front of himself to
offer protection as he tried to regain his thoughts
and composure. The monster just seemed to smile and
faster than he thought possible, took it from him and
kissed it reverently, then set it down.
Her voice almost sounded like a car engine but a
pitch higher... the vibration was the same as sitting
in a car. "That cannot help you as you can see. What
do you know of Yehesuah, who he was or what he was????
Our kind knew of his birth and was there to witness
it. We protected him watched and was there with him.
When he needed to journey alone, we understood it and
there was non other closer to him than his secret
companion. When your kind crucified him none mourned
more than our kind except perhaps his mother and his
secret companion.
I will tell you this secret before you die
because Yehesuah knew it and you try to be in his
service. The One source is in all and flows through
all, there is no difference. It is not so simple as
saying I understand or I would not be here. It is
something you feel here." and she poked his chest with
a talon of her claw and drew blood, " and something
you know in your being. That is what Yehesuah knew.
Your uncle has started a war he cannot win with beings
that did him no wrong and because of that you are a
causality, you should've listened to your uncle.
Before he could move she covered his mouth with a
fur covered paw, easily broke open his chest, took his
heart and ate it while it still beat. then she said,
"O' ye Gods and Goddesses of ancient times. Time
before this world was created and after this world is
lifeless. Come take this spirit, that his next life
will not be one of ignorance and suffering. She
waited, and listened for perhaps 30 minutes. This
would leave a clear message for the Priests of Marduk
and Tal-ak
She and her pack could never repay Kal-gu for
what he'd done for her and her pack, but he said this
would make all things equal. She pondered about a
being so full of power and so humble and ready to help
any shifter, Kabul-Seguu as he call us, that only need
to ask. shaking loose other rumors she used her
stealth and speed to leave without a sight or scent.

Chapter 12

Tal-ka was still furious, how could one of his
best people be so arrogant and stupid, and the
ahkahkaharu drained him , with in moments of his life
so he would die a death with that message. He had to
kill another of his squad because she'd been bitten by
a shifter and left with Rafe on purpose, and to watch
her plead and beg for life in front of the others was
disturbing to the rest, he could see and feel their
uncertainty as he shot her in the heart with the
silver bullet. The phone rang so he answered
unconsciously and couldn't help but drop into the
chair at the news. When the phone call ended with out
thinking he picked up the oak desk and heaved it
across the room breaking it in half and shattering the
door to the office he was using. Who was this being,
how did he know?? Tal-ak had never taken losses like
this, sure he lost followers of Marduk in the past but
no one had penetrated his family before. He looked out
the now shattered door to see a few of his soldiers
standing there confused and afraid. "I'm going into
chamber someone clean this up"
When he emerged from "chamber" he had a smile on
his face and called to his squad, he picked five of
the best that remained and gave them instructions.
Happy that he, that the cause would have a victory
tonight he went into his now cleaned office and
studied his paper work and gave thought to the next
town they would visit. Convinced he would be through
within a week.

Chapter13

George was enjoying spending time with Lillith,
he always did. he knew any minute things would start
to get serious. He and Dylon had come to stop the
Priests of Marduk and though only the Highest priests
with the most potential practiced magick. The zealots,
the soldiers had magickal weapons and that was never
easy to defend against. He looked at her again and
knew he wanted a lot more time with her. After all
this he was going to tell Dylon that he was going to
stay here to be with Lillith more.
She watched George, she like being with another
zi-dinger, sure Kalgu was great and had an animal
passion that couldn't be matched, but that had been
decades ago and nothing compared to what two
zi-dingers could feel and touch together, and damn
George did know how to feel and touch, along with
other things. She smiled to herself and watched the
sylphs, the air spirits play with his hair and face.
He spoke in a playful voice to them "if you don't stop
playing I will burn breakfast and Lillith will not be
happy." They stopped and looked at her, she smiled and
they left him alone. Lillith looked at him again, the
fact that the house and elementals always acknowledged
him and were playful at times said a lot about him
too.
George felt a shift in the energy of the room and
took the food off the stove and watched Lillith. Her
eyes shifted to a space beside her and a little low. "
I understand, tonight?, ok. Why? because I help Kalgu
and they think I'm evil so they will come to kill Me."
George felt the whole atmosphere of the room change
for a minute even the lighting changed to a deep red
for a moment. George noticed the stream didn't sound
so pleasing and watched Liliths face grow serious.
"Are you sure? It could be dangerous. Well yes I
helped with that, yes I did that but what else could I
do you are me friends? Of course I think you are my
friends who could ask for better. We'll finish
breakfast then we'll talk." she smiled George could
feel the energy of the room lighten a little but her
"friends" were not happy.

Chapter 14

He ran his tongue down her spine till he found
her ass and began teasing it and penetrating it with
his tongue, she pushed back hard onto his tongue, he
let his fingers play inside her and with her clit
feeling her reaction, passion build. then without
warning he stopped and threw her on her back and
entered her, taking a nipple in his mouth and letting
his teeth pierce it, tasting her blood. The tingle of
her blood, as always fueling his hunger. She was
gasping and screaming her pleasure, meeting his
thrusts. When he felt himself close he moved his neck
to Dion's mouth and could feel her hunger and hear her
growl, she said into his ear "godz yes my midnight sun
I need it I need you." Kalgu sank his teeth into her,
where her neck and shoulder meet as he exploded into
her. She sank her teeth into his neck at the same time
coming with him exchanging essences. They didn't know
how long they stayed locked into and with each other,
riding the pleasure, they never did or never cared.
Kalgu licked the place he had bitten and drank,
watched as it was already disappearing, he felt Dion's
tongue doing the same to his neck, they looked at each
other, smiled and kissed passionately. Kal-gu was
caressing Dion's skin with his finger tips, he enjoyed
touching her the feel of her, he could feel the time
and knew Dylon would be there shortly but he didn't
want to stop. Dion looked at him "Dylon will be here
shortly I'm going to shower." she bit him playfully
and walked to the shower. Kalgu watched her, godz how
he loved watching her walk. He made up his mind right
then he would not leave this woman again for any
length of time, now he found himself just as happy now
as when the first met.
Dylon looked at Dion and then to Kalgu. He could
see why Kalgu loved Dion, he watched them and knew
they had been together, had done one of the most
forbidden acts together. That is why they are
different, why their bond is never ending, why they
could feel each other across the globe. Dylon smiled
to himself, he could do a lot worse than have these
two as friends, and the only two beings that he could
ever feel fear of were here and his friends. They
weren't friends because he was afraid of them, they
were friends because they were always there for each
other, they would die for each other and no laws,
rules, or would be rulers would every change that.
Dion would never be able to explain to anyone
why she felt happy in the midst of this war, but being
with Kalgu again re-awakened her feelings and she felt
stronger, their lovemaking and exchanging of essences
was a reminder of happier times and she knew it would
be a long time before they parted again. She could
still smell him on her and feel him in her and she
couldn't help smiling to herself. As she looked at
Kalgu she could see and feel he was feeling the same.
She looked at Dylon without being embarrassed
because he knew and she was glad this rouge was on
their side. He was a dangerous being and had proven
himself dangerous to even old vampires but she could
not think of anyone else she would like in a dangerous
situation then Dylon, except Kalgu and he was here.
She couldn't help but think that Tal-ka had no clue
what he'd done by starting this.
Kalgu picked up Dion's hand kissed her fingers
and smiled, handed Dylon a whiskey and drank from his
Sierra Nevada. "The Akaharu wants to meet with us in a
safe place to discuss options and or strategy, I know
it won't take Tal-ka long to find the meeting but the
vampire is too stubborn to listen to reason so this is
what I want to do."

Chapter 15

The Akaharu looked at the three assembled and for
the first time in maybe 200 years was scared. His
confidant and chief advisor had been killed along
with three other elders. The vampire that had been
keeping the local organized crime in check was dead.
Dion was not a member of the counsel but she was older
than he and of royal blood, she had never wanted a
position as Akaharu and rarely attended meetings of
the counsel. Kalgu was an enigma an alpha of the
shifters, royal blood, and it was said respected
through out the worlds shifters and yet he did not
keep rein on the shifters in the city, his pack was
loose and not bonded like in most cities. There was
something between Dion and Kalgu he could feel it,
perhaps because they had known each other before. He
shuddered inside, shifters were useful but to have one
for anything more than muscle.....Then there was John
he had his attention on the police and fire
departments, godz.
What do we know of this hunter, these Priests of
Marduk? Kalgu spoke "Tal-ka is from ancient blood and
training, but he is the only one using magick. It's
believed 70% of the people her brought with him have
been with him for at least 100 years. When he leaves a
city there are reportedly no vampires or shifters
left. He sets up a temple, bringing one that does
practice magick, he prefers one of his own training.
He set up connections with local police and task
forces, some of his soldiers get "recruited" into
these positions. He has been beaten before but not in
maybe 50 years. There are reports of some of his
sanctuaries being destroyed and our kind slowly
re-establishing presence but none are confident enough
to make a stand if P.O.M.'s return.
What about the zi-dinger here in the city, um
Shirley, um. Joan, what's her name? "I've spoken with
her and there is very little she can do against Tal-ak
and if she can did help it would only be to those
that have been friendly towards her and to protect
what is hers. So she may be a wild cark that will help
unexpectedly but don't count on any more than that.
Kalgu didn't want to give too much information,
Dion knew the whole truth and that was enough. He had
never liked the Akaharu and this would give Lillith
and advantage too, the shit didn't even know her name
and wanted her help.
Dylon's voice cam to him in as calmly as they
were talking earlier that evening. "You were right
they are coming up the street slowly, making sure
where you guys are." Kalgu stood and nodded to Dion.
"the back way is still safe?"
"for now, it looks like there are at least 10 of the
fuckers, they'll be there soon enough. I'll keep the
escape route for you and Dion covered, the other vamps
know where to take the Akaharu and the other."
The spring air was cool as the emerged outside,
Dion had been leading them out as Dylon talked to
Kalgu. There was gunfire on the next block where the
entrance to this building was. Four vampires appeared
and talked in low voices to the Akaharu and the other
then they headed east towards the river. Kalgu and
Dion headed north through the streets at preternatural
speed no human eye would've seen them within seconds
Dylon was with them.

Chapter 16

Tal-ka had told them there was a witch here, not
one of any power but one that was like a splinter that
would cause infection, if not removed a limb could be
lost. So the four of them drove to the neighborhood
and reckoned the house. At first one might not notice
a difference, but then when you really looked the
little things added up. They parked down the street
after driving by, taking in the front and back
entrances. They got out and closed the doors quietly,
the dome light had been removed so no one would be
able to see who got out of the car.
They were within 10 feet of the house when it
seemed like every dog within a 3 block radius started
barking and howling, they ran and split up two went to
the front door and two went to the rear of the house.
Stella and Luke approached the front door in a hurry
and rushed it, expecting it to be locked and bolted,
chanting as Tal-ka instructed. They almost fell inside
the house, the room seemed empty except for a woman in
the center. She struck the ground with the staff she
was holding with a shout, the ground beneath Stella
swallowed her in an instant. Luke was raising his .45
when fire leaped from the fireplace. He barely moved
in time to avoid it when a small ball of flame from a
candle hit his eyes. He started screaming and trying
to put out the fire with his hands, dropping the .45.
Suddenly he couldn't feel his right hand only blood
bathing his face from where his hand use to be. He
must've rolled too close to the fire because he could
feel his whole body on fire, he tried to scream in
pain and for help but fire was there too.
Lillith spoke the words and the earth opened and
swallowed the intruder along with his hand and .45.
The water had formed into a fine line, thin as a
needle then pressurized itself making an effective
knife. She watched as the sylphs pushed the odor of
frying meat out of the house, she could hear the
confrontation in the back ending
Roland and Dave came through the back gate, they
had slowed just before entering the backyard, their
weapons drawn. They heard a blood curdling scream from
inside and suddenly a man with a sword was standing in
front of them sigils were glowing on the sword and on
his body, they could hear or rather feel his chanting.
Just as suddenly there was the sound of wings lots of
wings and the backyard was alive with thousands of
eyes. Roland looked away from the man for an instant
to take in the sheer number of birds and no longer was
holding his gun. No longer had a hand, he started to
scream and everything went black.
The birds without warning were on Dave, one
instant they almost run over this man the next crows
of all shapes and sizes were attacking him. He felt
their claws and beaks tearing at his eyes and face,
all of his exposed skin. He fired his gun tying to
kill something. He tried to scream and a crow crawled
into his mouth was crawling down his throat, he
couldn't breathe, it felt like the damn bird was
trying to get into his chest. All he could feel, taste
and smell was feathers. It struck him just before
everything went black, the crows didn't make a sound
except for the feathers, then blackness
George felt Lillith coming then heard her at the
back porch. George gave thanks to the Godz and the
crows and crow spirits, offered prayers for the crows
that had died. Lillith gave prayers for the dead
intruders, then for the crows that had died. Thanked
the Godz and crows and crow spirits. The crows left
silently only the sound of wings marked their passing.
Lillith was beside George she said the words and
touched the ground with her staff and the ground
swallowed the intruders, the dead crows, and the
weapons.
George stroked Lillith's face gently and kissed
her lips " I have some wine and I know there's a bit
of bread, lets wash this off and be together I need to
feel something good and you are the best thing in My
life" She smiled and a tear ran down her face. She put
her hand in his and they went into the house. Where
the tear landed on the ground was always greener than
any other place in her yard and for years following if
you stood next to that spot, you knew what love felt
like.

Chapter 17

Tal-ka barely saw the six vampires leave so he
called upon a spirit to follow them, he and his
soldiers headed west, Tal-ka thought he knew their
plan.
Kalgu, Dion and Dylon went north as far as they
could go then headed a round about way to Kalgu's
secret haven. They reached a manhole and the three
were motionless in the shadows before pulling the
cover off. They couldn't hear or feel anything
following so Kalgu led the way lifting the cover with
ease. Dylon went down first then Dion and Kalgu
followed moving the cover back in place. At the bottom
Kalgu led the way through the dark tunnels. They came
to a door Kalgu spoke into a speaker then entered a
digital code the door opened to a spacious room. The
light came on as they entered, fresh air was being
circulated through out the space. It was simply
furnished with a couch, daybed, refrigerator,
microwave, TV, simple lighting. It was Kalgu
underground, he went to a phone and made a call giving
orders to the shifter on the other end. Kalgu rarely
gave orders so neither Dion or Dylon could hear
protests on the other side.
Dion and Dylon woke at the same time. Kalgu was
growling a low rumble that might have been mistaken
for an earthquake if you weren't aware of him, he
watching a local channel broadcasting the news and the
latest about a gun battle at the river. Seven were
reported dead and one critically wounded and in
hospital. "The vampires hiding in the river are dead,
Tal-ka knew where they were." Kalgu rose and headed
for the door without stopping, Dion and Dylon were
right behind him.
Dylon's jeep was closer so they took that and
made it to the hospital in less than 10 minutes. They
found his room and it was a shifter. Kalgu entered the
room a nurse tried to stop him he didn't stop only
pushed an emotion at her and she suddenly had
something else to do. Kalgu went to him and spoke in
whispers, Dion could tell it was the ancient tongue,
she wasn't sure the shifter understood the language
but he seemed to be telling Kalgu something. The smell
coming from the shifter was almost sickening there was
a smell of rotting flesh. Lillith and George arrived
quietly. Dion nodded to Lillith and Lillith smiled
back and took the shifters hand. Dion knew that from
time to time Lillith doctored wounds of the shifters.
Kalgu and Lillith both said a prayer for the
shifter at the same time and everyone felt his
passing. The machines he was hooked up to were loud
telling of his death. Kalgu found his cell phone
before the team came in to exercise a rite of
futility. The 5 of them went down to Dylon's jeep
without a sound. Kalgu looked at Lillith
questioningly, "he died because of a curse of
humwawa. It is why his wounds wouldn't heal, why they
festered, rotted and he died of infection so quickly.
This is not a nice guy Kalgu and he is getting more
desperate and vicious by the day." Kalgu shook his
head in acknowledgement trying to suppress his rage at
being helpless.
He checked the cell phone he just had a feeling,
on the phone was a text message saying one of the
shifters was still alive and where she could be found.
Kalgu looked at the four in front of him. " It seems
that Tal-ka somehow found where the vampires were
sleeping in the river and moved them down stream then
at sunrise his soldiers raised them to the surface
where they started to burn. When my the shifters I
called ran to the place they were burning more of
Tal-kea's soldiers were waiting and that's when the
gunfight took place. That's what Charlie told me
before he died. Now it seems Tal-ka wants me to walk
into a trap to rescue the one remaining shifter
besides myself." Kalgu took a deep breath and let it
out, everyone could feel a relief in his tension. Dion
spoke up "well he will be surprised when there are
two of us" "three of us" Dylon chimed in. Kalgu looked
at Lillith "thank you for coming, it helped Charlie
pass over." He hugged her and shook hands with
George, they were not fighters and Kalgu didn't want
them hurt. Dylon shook hands with George and something
passed between them, he smiled at Lillith and went to
his car. Dion shook hands with George and hugged
Lillith she couldn't help but like Lillith now and she
showed her tears gladly, Lillith hugged her back not
stopping her tears, letting something pass between
them binding them that only women in times of war and
in love could understand.

Chapter 18

Dylon pulled up in front of the empty warehouse,
the three of them looked at the building then at each
other, Dion said what they were thinking " this guy
has been watching too much TV this is right out of bad
movie." The sun was going to set in about an hour,
Kalgu shifted to his beast form, 10 ft tall almost
totally grey with streaks of auburn, the claw
extending from his front paws were close to 2 inches
long. The vest and shorts he wore Lillith used magick
so the conformed to the shape Kalgu took. Dion had a
similar vest, they had sigils of earth and fire for
protection against attacks and sigils of water to
enhance intuition. Dion brought out the blades Lillith
gave her, strong blades of iron the metal of mars,
with sigils of fire for striking serious wounds to her
enemy and defense, sigils of earth for strength of the
blade and sigils of air so the touch of the blade be
deadly. Dylon had his own protection and weapons.
They entered the warehouse and started walking
through when a Demon stepped out of the shadows,
neither of them had caught it's scent or presence
before it stepped in front of them. It was a foot
taller than Kalgu in his beast form, and maybe half
again his weight, it moved with a silence and fluidity
of a predator. It stood on too legs and seemed
reptilian, it's skin tone was a grey mottled green.
It's eyes were black and set in front of it's head
with a low almost Cro-Magnon brow, it had tentacles
around it's mouth that gave it more of a grotesque
appearance in addition to it's deformed teeth, and a
sword that looked like it was made of silver that
could've weighed as much as Kalgu, that he was
swinging around like it was a toy.
The Demon moved first with a speed matching the
three. He was attacking and defending the three, and
there didn't seem to be any tiring Dylon was knocked
against a wall and momentarily stunned, the demon took
the opportunity and kicked Dion with a clawed foot
that sent her flying through the air on an opposite
wall, then with all it's speed it hacked at Kalgu
beneath his vest. The silver blade broke, Kalgu had
the wind knocked out of him and was bent over. The
demon screamed, Kalgu looked up, Dylon had jumped on
it's back and sunk his fangs into the demon and was
drinking him, the demons arms were too big to reach
Dylon and it was growing weak quickly. The thought
occurred to it to use the wall to dislodge Dylon but
it was too late, it sank to it's knees then fell on
it's face. Dylon stood and drew a sword and with two
powerful strokes took off it's head then fell to his
knees on it's back.
Kalgu had regained his breath and Dion stood by
him. She looked at Dylon "is there anything you won't
eat?" Dylon smiled at her drunkenly "if I find
something I will let you know." then he laughed, the
three of them laughed. Kalgu got serious "Are you
going to be ok?" Dylon looked at him and smiled, "yeah
never had this happen before, never drained a demon
before, too much blood for my body right now it will
pass I will catch up." Kalgu smiled, he trusted Dylon
to know what he was talking about. As they continued
walking Dion looked at him, "don't think the demon was
expecting the silver not to cut you." "no it certainly
took him by surprise." He smiled his beast smile mouth
full of teeth. Dion smiled back "ya know if this is
like one of those bad movies or TV shows it will only
get worse." "Yeah I know."

Chapter 19

They walked down a flight of stair, Dion looked
at Kalgu and rolled her eyes. As they approached the
next flight of stairs they started to see strands of a
stringy substance, it varied in thickness but they had
a tackiness to them. They entered the room and though
it looked empty there were strands of the string
everywhere and patterns, there was a feeling to the
room. They looked at each other and knew what the
other was thinking,' big damn spider.'
She descended from the ceiling and smiled a
wicked toothy smile. From her waist to her head she
was female, very much female. She had purple eyes and
full lips, her hair was so black it looked like it had
blue highlights, her breasts were large and nipples
hard and erect standing out against her pale skin. The
bottom half of her was arachnid the same shade black
as her hair. She had arms on her torso and arachnid
legs to her spider body.
"Kalgu I've been expecting you, and you've
brought a pretty friend to play with how nice of you."
The end of her spider body curled beneath her and shot
out webbing, Kalgu dived to his right and rolled
forward. The spider queen hit Dion before she could
see the blow coming, knocking her against the wall and
stunning her. Kalgu was in mid air about to land on
the spider queen when she turn and struck Kalgu with
two fists sending him across the room. Even as Kalgu
rolled and stood, she was there hitting him with her
spider lower half knocking him against the wall. "You
know your father and I had some good times, he was so
good, godz did he know how to please me, are you good
Kalgu?" She smiled wickedly.
Dion cleared her head and seeing the spider queen
busy ran with her speed and leaped to attack her back.
The spider queen spun around and caught her in mid
leap, backing up and pressing Kalgu into the wall.
Holding Dion easily in her hands, vise like grips on
Dion's arms. The spider queen pushed her spider body
against Kalgu even with his strength she pinned him.
"Tell me Kalgu are you as pleasing as your father?" As
her arachnid body pressed against him, an orifice
opened and started pulsating, oozing fluid and she
pushed harder against him. Kalgu found himself pinned
with the orifice getting warmer and wetter, the
orifice opening wider. Thinking to himself how
embarrassing it could get, an idea came to him.
The spider queen looked at Dion and for the first
time in a very, very long time she felt uncomfortable.
Her eyes half closed for a second but not releasing
the grip on Dion, "yeah Kalgu that's it, godz yes,"
she looked at Dion with a seductive smile, there was a
hint of her spider body starting to move in a rhythm.
"See my sweet males are all a like, any port in a
storm, 'godz yes Kalgu you are bigger than your
father, do me beast." She looked at Dion with an alien
lust. "now we can have fun." the spider queen started
to bring Dion to her breast, the breast was lactating
a substance Dion didn't have any intension of tasting
let alone drinking, she tried to fight the spider
queen's grasp butt couldn't get loose, her face was
less than an inch from the lactating breast when Dion
cried out in frustration. Her mouth elongated and she
found herself with a mouth full of teeth that she
immediately used to bite and tear off the breast of
the spider queen, she screamed and threw Dion away
screaming in torment, again Dion hit the wall and was
shaken.
Kalgu, being pressed against the wall and not
being able to escape, the demon's orifice pressing
against him, so he inserted one of his beast hands,
then the other one, surprised that it would accept,
then moving them in and out of the orifice hoping the
spider queen wouldn't pay much attention to him. He
could see what was happening to Dion and at the
instant Dion bit and tore away the spider queen's
breast Kalgu turned his claws around and tore open the
spider queens orifice and belly, all the way to where
the thorax joined the human body. She turned and
struck Kalgu sending him at least 30 ft through the
air. The spider queen felt rows of sharp teeth at the
back of her human neck.
With her body loosing fluids she was weakening,
her legs were starting to give out, then teeth were
trying to sever her head. She no longer could control
her arms or legs and she found herself falling and
falling, everything going black and falling deeper.
Dion stayed with the spider queen consuming her
essence, then before her final breath moving away from
the body. Dion looked down at her "bitch no one fucks
my man!" Kalgu walked over to her, the spider queen's
wet with fluids to his elbows. Godz I'm going to need
a shower after this." He looked at Dion as her mouth
reformed, "I've never seen that before." Dion shrugged
her shoulders, "neither have I." she smiled and they
kissed, " ya know you are easier to kiss when you are
human", "yeah I know, but I kind of like your new set
of teeth there." They laughed for a couple of minutes,
held hands as they walked to the next set of stairs.
Dion looked at Kalgu, "godz this guy has seen way too
many cheesy movies." The both laughed then went down
the stairs.

Chapter 20

When they were close to the bottom of the stairs
their senses were hit with the scent of stagnant
water, then thoughts and emotions totally alien to
their experience. When they reached the bottom of the
stair they were confronted with something few if any
human minds could comprehend or understand.
I t was difficult to judge it's mass because it
always seemed to be changing. It was perhaps 7ft tall
and almost the same dimension in girth. It was green
for the most part. It had thin tentacles on it's top
ranging from wire thin to cable thickness, dark green
in color. These seemed to be feeding it the bits and
pieces of what was left of the shifter they were
suppose to rescue. Beneath the top tentacles were
eyes of all shape and sorts they seemed to range from
what looked like reptilian and feline to human and
some just black orbs. Under the eyes were rows of
beaks in different sizes and shapes, they all seemed
similar to hawks or eagles, and as the different
tentacles from the top of it fed it pieces of the
shifter it seemed to chitter in delight. Below the
beaks were more tentacles, thicker some as large as
Kalgu's legs with large claw like hooks, some as small
as Dion's arms with suction cups, some were curling
and uncurling seemingly waiting for something to grasp
or rend. The smell of stagnant water came from the
creature, it secreted something gelatinous for
movement, some of the tentacles were covered in it. It
projected fear and loathing on a human level that was
easy for Kalgu to feel but it's true emotional state
was too bizarre for Kalgu to try to comprehend. Dion
could find no logic in it's mind. "Now that I wouldn't
eat." Dylon had apparently recovered and was with
them.
No sooner had Dylon spoke and the creature
attacked with it's top tentacles whipping and lashing.
It's tentacles were faster than they were and every
time the tentacles struck Kalgu, Dion or Dylon would
bleed and not heal. Dion's magickal blades couldn't
cut them, Kalgu's claws hardly penetrated. Dylon tried
firing phosphorous and silver rounds into it, it
didn't catch fire and the silver rounds it just exuded
like they had no affect. Kalgu, Dion and Dylon were
hard pressed to defend and attack at the same time,
they couldn't damage the thin tentacle that were on
top of it, and could barely defend from the larger
tentacles on it's bottom trying to grab them. Kalgu
was cut in over a dozen places, Dion more, a tentacle
lashed Dylon's face, "shit I have an idea Kalgu you
and Dion keep it busy without getting killed I'll be
right back." With that Dylon was gone.
It was more difficult with only two of them
trying to defend and attack the demon, it was easier
for it to cut them and it maneuvered itself between
them and the door. A large tentacle with tooth like
hooks grabbed Kalgu's legs, wrapped constrictor like
and started pulling him towards the beaks. Another
tentacle with suction cups had wrapped around Dion's
waist and was pulling her towards it. The thin
tentacles on top seemed to just wait and quiver. Kalgu
Tried hacking at the tentacle but it was hopeless.
They were being pulled closer to the rending beaks.

Chapter 21

Dylon came to the first floor where they
encountered the "troll". George and Lillith were
there. "Why are you here I thought you were safe?"
Lillith looked at him. I was told Tal-ka was sending
soldiers and you might need help." Dylon shook his
head and smiled "there's strange stuff here already so
who the hell knows. George do you have some of your
sacred sea salt on you I have some in my jeep but if
you have some with you it would save time." George set
down a bag he was carrying and handed Dylon a small
bag. "Will that be enough?" Dylon looked at George
with a sarcastic smile, "I don't even know if it will
help." Then he was gone.
Kalgu and Dion were inches from the beaks and
barely able to fend off the thin tentacles that tried
to tear pieces from them. When it screamed, from all
it's beaks. The sound was intense, vibrating and some
of them had a sonic quality that started cracking the
cement walls. It dropped Kalgu and Dion and started
moving to the far side of the room. Then they saw
Dylon throwing something on it. The thing seemed to be
shrinking, melting more gelatinous fluids were being
excreted as it was escaping, a dark hole opened in a
corner and it was moving quickly towards it,
screaming, Kalgu had to cover his ears as he kneeled
in the gross fluids it left behind. It disappeared
with almost a vacuum sound and the silence that was
left felt unnatural. Dion looked at Dylon, "how did
you know," she looked in the bag, "that salt would
work?" "I didn't, something about it suddenly reminded
me of slugs and snails," and in his perfect imitation
of George's voice 'it's not just for cooking you know
Dylon'. They laughed, even Kalgu recovering from the
damage to his ears was laughing.
Dion was still smiling but got serious, "ya
know for someone that's suppose to be one of the good
guys he sure knows a lot of demons." Kalgu raised a
brow, "you noticed that to?" There was an explosion
that rocked the building and knocked Dylon and Dion
off their feet into the slime. They all stood and
started to the steps shakily when Lillith's scream
carried to them like a wailing banshee.

Chapter 22

George was dressed in his magickal armor the
sigils were glowing, he kissed Lillith with passion
and love, she stroked his cheek with her fingertip
loving him with a depth that scared her at times.
"They are almost here my love." she said as she took
her place less then a foot away from him facing him.
They raised their hands together, he smiled at her.
Energy immediately formed between them. Together they
formed it and began chanting, intoning, vibrating
giving the energy between them intensity, substance,
there was nothing but them chanting, their awareness,
and building the energy George told Lillith they could
create.
They came in four carloads twenty of them, they
were told there was a witch and a beast that may be
alive, they needed to be destroyed and the city would
be clean. Six would enter the front, six would wait 5
min then enter the back, another 10 min and six
through front and back together, Their watches
synchronized, the first six went into the warehouse
quietly, they entered the large room, in the middle
was the body of a demon decapitated and next to it a
couple were chanting, nothing like what they were told
would be here. Suddenly the couple turned with a
shout, facing them. The six raised their guns too
late, the last thing they saw was a ball of red energy
encompassing them and slamming them against the wall.
The ball of energy killed them before they even hit
the wall.
The floor beneath George and Lillith exploded
beneath them and threw them apart. Lillith opened her
eyes not knowing how long she was unconscious, to
voices screaming in panic. When she could focus, there
was a huge hole in the middle of the floor, George was
on the other side of the ware house, the explosion and
torn his armor from him and there was a being bent
over him taking something from his chest. The being
wasn't corporeal but the affect would be the same in
the physical world. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" she
screamed before she could help herself, the being
looked at her with George's heart in his hand, made a
gesture and left through a portal. As it departed
George's chest rose as if being pulled by ropes then
he collapsed.
Lillith in rage and torment started speaking in
the ancient tongue, intruders came in from another
direction, she spoke and shouted and the ground
beneath them cracked and opened up swallowing them and
their screams. She called upon four and she gave them
their tasks, they accepted without question and
departed. Lillith then walked slowly over to where
George lay, tears streaming down her face. She lay
George's head in her lap and did a practice to assist
his rebirth, then cried and mourned. She sang a song
of morning in the ancient tongue. The air about her
felt sad and mournful, there was moisture in the air
that tasted like tears, it seemed like an incense
arose from the ground perhaps frankincense, a small
flame ignited near them.

Dylon was the first to see, there were bodies
near the front entrance, a huge chasm towards the back
entrance, then Lillith holding George's head and
singing a song of mourning, the air around her
shimmered and glowed. Dylon was outraged
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" his hands
transformed into claws. Hearing people through the
front he charged without weapons drawn he was so
enraged. Kalgu and Dion started after him, when shots
were fired at them from soldiers entering from the
back. They were being fired at with automatic weapons
so their attention was drawn to the enemy. It didn't
take them long with their speed and preternatural
abilities to finish them. They looked at Lillith and
her sadness just seemed to permeate the building.
Kalgu felt tears he wasn't expecting and felt Dion
rest against him. He lifted her chin gently and looked
into her eyes, she could not stop the tears either.
"We have to find Dylon." she could only nod her head
in agreement. She took Kalgu's beast hand, kissed it,
softly rubbed it against her cheek and started walking
towards the front entrance. They could hear sirens in
the distance coming their way.

Chapter 23

They found Dylon's sleeping place. Kalgu had
almost forgot Dylon never told him where he slept,
then he rem