6

A history lesson, a fight, and a trip through the sewers.

"So what's first? Ask anything you want to know about us." I say to Saundra as we all get comfortable in the living room.

 It's nothing fancy. The vacation home is just a triple wide trailer, the inside is roomier than one might think. The floors are red oak hardwood, walls plain white. There are some leather recliners along the back wall and a huge plasma screen television that took up the entire opposing wall, top of the line DVD/Blu-ray/CD player, and the latest game systems to come out along with all of their predecessors. Raze popped in a Offspring CD and we sat down to chat.

 "Okay, lets start with where werewol- I mean lycanthropes and vampirics came from."

 "Good question, I want to know this too. Every time I ask I get a not-right-now or an I'll-tell-you-later." I fume

 "Then I suppose it's time for a history lesson. Okay it all started in the late 1930's..." Raze starts

 "World War Two?" Saundra asks curiously

 "Yep. This is where things get a little stereotypical. It started in an american government lab. We were using bioengineering to create a super soldier using the recombinant DNA from transgenic animals. After a couple years of-"

 There was a sudden outburst of laughter, not from Saundra but from me. It's the same old story, but this one was real... or at least I assume.

 "Anyways, as I was saying after a couple years of testing and troubleshooting, the engineers and scientists were able to create a successful strand of DNA using wolven DNA. This was harnessed into a virus and injected into a group of test subjects. The virus increased all statistics... sta-tis-tics, sorry. It increased the speed, strength, reaction times, but the most outstanding feature was the enhanced skin durability. It was nearly impenetrable, except by silver objects. Something in the chemical make up counteracts the effects of the virus. This was followed by other... side effects. First off the virus multiplied and fed off their red blood cells, so they had to feed on blood to keep their cell count up. Personally I don't get how that works, but that's not my field. I keep track of the history of our kind, not the anatomy. Then there was a more serious matter, the mutation under the light of a full moon. The experimental soldiers began to transform into monstrous beasts, again not sure how that works. Executioners were sent to terminate the failed experiment but the first lycanthropes retained their increased stats and were able to trick, overpower, and then devour the executioners. The lycanthropic soldiers were able to break out and escape into the surrounding forest. A special operations group was sent into the forest to capture the escaped experiments, but the failed. They had become wild creatures. Working as a team and out smarting and simply overwhelming their prey, much like a real wolf pack, the lycanthropes got rid of their prey. Those of the special ops that weren't killed fled because they had contracted the disease. Being unable to kill or capture the creatures the government claimed them to be fake hoaxes and a bunch of other cover up schemes. The lycanthropes got tired of being hunted and immigrated across the atlantic. People there caught sight of the beasts durring the full moons and rumors spread like wildfire. Soon the Axis military, Nazis an sutch, started trying to recreate the monsters but found their genetic weapon in a vampire bat. Same principles applied except not allergy to silver, no instead it was to ultraviolet radiation, like in sunlight. They don't turn to ash like they do in the movies. It starts out as a pretty nasty sunburn, then intensifies until the flesh is charred to the bone, then ash." Raze concludes his lesson

 "Wow. I want to say more but can't find the words." Saundra says stunned

 I look outside and notice a black hummer drive up and park across the street. Normally it's no big deal, people live around u, but I recognize all their cars and I don't know this one. I instinctively tense for a fight.

 "Raze, were we expecting visitors?" I ask keeping an eye on the vehicle outside

 "I don't believe so. Why?"

 "Because we have some. I'd get ready if I were you. Saundra follow me, I'll give you a weapon and hide you." I see people get out, covered completely in black, not a single inch of skin showing.

 "Weapon? Is this really necessary? Ivan? If I have to have a weapon can't I at least stay and help you guys?"

 "Yes it is. Those are-"

 I'm interrupted by a knocking on the door.

 "Aww hell. Here," I hand Saundra a shortsword, " don't lose this please, it's worth a lot of money."

 More knocking on the door, heavier this time.

 "Who is it?" I call out

 "Mailman!" one of the masked figures reply, kicking in the door. I immediately send two shurikens flying, both lodging themselves deep into his skull. He falls to the floor, instantly dead. Four more figures follow through the door after their fallen comrade. Each wielding a sword or another close range weapon.

 "Question number two, why don't you guys use guns?" Saundra yells steadying the short sword in front of her, but struggling to keep it that way.

 "We're creatures born out of hate and pride. We think killing our opponents with guns is too fast, cowardly, and unhonorable. Plus if you fire a gun it draws all sort of unwanted attention." Taylor says

 "We just came for the girl. We can take her and leave peacefully or..." The vampiric takes off his mask to reveal an ugly multitude of scars

 "No 'or'. You can stuff your options. You aren't leaving this place while I'm still alive. She's nobody's entree while I'm still kicking, and it'll be your a*s i'm kicking." I spit

 "She ain't for us. Boss lady wants her alive, I don't know why."

 "Either way you're not getting her without a fight." I say stepping in front of Saundra protectively

 "Fine then, if that's how you want it." The scared vampiric puts the masks back on over his, no badly burnt, face "We'll have to fix that." and he charged.

 There are four of them and four of us, one would assume it to be a fair fight. And it would've been in any normal circumstance but from what I can tell they are all full vampirics and we have one lycanthrope, two half, and a human. Granted Saundra was a decent fighter (far better than I would've predicted) I had to help when I could. The main vampiric I was fighting had a metal bat and a dagger, Saundra's has a sword as well as Taylor's vampiric foe, and the scarred one wielded an impossibly large ax. I was surprised  anyone could lift the thing. Personally I'd hate to even get nicked with it. I'm on full defence, bare handed, and swiping away whatever blows against Saundra I could. My opponent swings the bat, I slap it away, he replies with a swipe of the dagger. I try to lead him to a corner where I can trap him, but he resists. I glance over to check on Saundra, she's holding her ground well and still alive, I return my attention to my guy just in time to see the bat strike me in the face. I stumble back a few steps, extremely unbalanced but still focused on the fight. He lunges with his blade arm extended. I grab it before he has a chance to react and break it at the elbow and force the dagger into his neck where he chokes on his blade until he lay dead in a pool of his own blood. Not five seconds later after I kill him dizziness overtakes me and I collapsed on top of his corps.

 I wake to Raze splashing water on me. Taylor is slumped over in a corner in a semi-large puddle of blood and I immediately fear the worst. Then I see his chest rise and fall, he's still alive but barely. I suddenly realize something horrible and do a quick sweep of the house to find Saundra gone.

 "Where is she!" I roar at Raze

 "They got her," Raze says, too ashamed to look me in the eye "after they knocked me out I assume. You were the first of us to fall, then Taylor got stabbed through the abdomen, I think I stopped a majority of the bleeding so it's only a matter of time until his body takes care of the rest. I was last to go out, but not without taking two of those b******s with me. I patched up Taylor and burned the bodies."

 "I think our vacation is coming to an early end. Let's get Taylor into the back of the car." We proceed to do so, and drive to the Den.

 When we get there  we march straight into the Elders' Chamber. Taylor was just finishing healing the worst of his injury. I'm furious. Raze is trying to get me to slow down and see the sense in asking the Elders for a party to go through the sewers so I can find the Vampiric Coven so I can rescue my human girlfriend, who probably isn't even alive anymore. At that I grab Raze by the throat and lift him off the ground and up against the wall.

 "Dead or alive I will get her out of those sewers, even if it means ripping every last damn vampiric to oblivion." I release him, "Sorry Raze, I'm just frustrated."

  "Understandable, you've had someone close to you taken from you. Honestly I think I'd be doing the exact thing you're doing if it were me in your shoes." And we continue into the Elders' Chamber and tell them the whole story (even my fight).

 "Absolutely not! I will not sent my men and women into the sewers on a wild goose chase for a missing human." Bloodlust bellows

 "My lord, aren't we going to invade them anyways? What's a few days early?" I plead without successful

 "A few days of preparation and planning, not to mention the full moon, thats what!" He continues, his face the same color as Raze's fair and a large vein sticking out of his neck.

 "Calm Bloodlust. Ivan, we are going on as planned, but you may join the attack party if you'd like. We  leave on the next full moon." Silvermain says in his evercalm voice

 My face flushes a bright red then subsides , "Yes Lord Silvermain." I kneel then head straight to the training room. Once there I spend the next two hours in the sparring ring, releasing pent up aggression and frustration. After that I go hack up wooden dummies with my tonfa-blades.

 When the moon is finally full I am first to arrive in the Gathering Hall, soon followed by some of my brethren. Once everybody in the hunting party is present, around sixty-five lycanthropes, we head out into the street then down into the sewers, led by the Elders.

 "Damn it stinks down here. Did we have to come down here so soon?" A member of the pack asks randomly

 "Would you like  to explain this band of hunters to the human police?" Luna quips in a sharp tone

 "No Madam Luna." The lycanthrope says, like a kicked dog

 "Raze to the front. Lead the way." Silvermain commands

 "Yes m'lord. Ivan and Taylor up here and guard me." Raze barks

 "Yes sir." We both chirp

 After walking what felt like a hundred miles we reach a bend, and stop. We hear commotion around the corner.

 "Alright everybody ready yourselves, around this corner is  the enterence to the Vampiric Coven. It's guarded by three of them. Ivan I ask that you pick them off with your shurikens. It's not noble but it'll keep out cover."

 "Can do boss." I say reluctantly and trudge off, slipping off my leather jacket and tossing it to the floor, which is dry thankfully. The guards immediately see me.

 "You there, turn back to the surface." One of the guards calls from a table with the other two. They appear to be playing a card game but I can't tell which one.

 "Sorry, I think I'm lost. Perhaps you can point me in the right way. I'm looking for the Coven, I'm a new recruit."

 "It's right back here, through this door. Show us your blooding scars and you may pass."

  "You guys run a tight security here don't you. Is that a fingerprint scanner behind you?" I chuckle

 "Gotta keep the clan safe. The guard says not the least bit amused

 "Who blooded you boy?" A different guard asks

 "I was blooded by uhh...Lotus." I improvise

 "You're Rain? You do something with your hair?"

 "Yep. You like it?" I grin

 "Sure. Anyways I'll let you in, right this way."

 "Why thank you sir. One more thing." I say ripping off two shurikens and fling them.  They find a home in the necks of two of the guards. I'm unable to to pick off the third guard before he's on me. I immediately whip out my tonfa-blades and  dispatch of his knees with one. The other is sent in through the top of his head and out his mouth. "All clear ladies." I call out, "Last stop until this thing is done so lets get moving."

 When everyone is content and ready I cut off the guard's right thumb. “Don’t mind if i borrow this do you?” i ask and put it up to the scanner. An audible click sounds long with a green light on the scanner.

 Raze twists the handle and opens the door.

 "Ladies first." I gesture and Luna and essence go through, weapons drawn.

 Essence has a sword the shape of a sickle. Luna has a katana. Bloodlust follows them, cracking his knuckles. Silvermain is the last to enter, his hands look like eviscerators. I follow in after them, it's go time!

Author's Note

Same as usual, how's it read? Make sense?