This is the Fourth Part of Luna's Point of View of the latest scheme from Luna and Maggie.

If you?re trying to keep track, the first part was Newfound Depths by Luna,

The Second was Unusual Depths by Maggie.

The Third was Newfound Desires by Luna.

The Fourth was Unusual Desires by Maggie.

The fifth was Newfound Strength by Luna.

The sixth was Unusual Strength by Maggie.

Now comes Newfound Determination from this corner?notice a theme? LOL.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we are enjoying writing it!

Love ya,

Luna

Disclaimer: Laurell K. Hamilton and the Berkley Publishing Group do not authorize this author. All characters that you recognize belong to Laurell K. Hamilton except for the ones created by the people in this group. This is solely for entertainment purposes.

Rating: R to be safe for strong language and minor violence

Authors Note:  A special thanks must go to my beta and friend Maggie, without whom I would be hopelessly lost and constantly behind.  I'd also like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed thus far.  It's been a hoot to write this I hope that you continue to enjoy our meager efforts to amuse and entertain you!

Authors Note (2): I'm using these characters as I see fit and they don't particularly depict the series in any form, shape, or fashion.  I'd say more but then I'd be giving things away, still keep this in mind.

Newfound Determination

The smell of sulfur hung heavy in the air, burning my eyes and making breathing difficult.  Over all that laid another scent, one that was just as disgusting and clouded my mind, making it difficult to think properly.  The sound of approaching footsteps brought my head up and my brain cleared.

They rushed at me.  Unable to formulate words or even find coherent thoughts I did what came naturally to me.  My body curled into a low crouch as I waited for them to make a move.  My eyes flicked left and right making sure that there weren't more making their way toward me.  My nostrils flared seeking to find any who would be stupid enough to hide from my sight.

The group slowed, two of the four stopped entirely.  They were, my head cocked to the side, human, my jumbled mind supplied.  The other two continued their cautious advance.  They were trying to flank me.  I could feel the corners of my mouth quirk up in a smirk.  These, my mind blanked for a moment before supplying, creatures had no idea whom they were dealing with.

A flash of brilliant blue filled my vision.  Clouds of lustrous midnight colored hair floated around white marble skin.  The face possessed unearthly beauty, delicate yet some turn of the jaw, something kept the face from being feminine.  Power ghosted over me, through me, and was gone.

The feeling left me disoriented and strangely angry with someone, but whom? What was that?  Why had it happened?  How long was I unaware of my enemies?  The questions buzzed angrily around my head with no answers. My mind refused to function it forced me to act on instinct alone.

My assailants now had distorted faces, prominent brow ridges, long serrated teeth, and burning yellow eyes.  It was the eyes more then anything else that struck fear into me.  I could feel it as it chased up my spine and tried to crawl out of me.  Clamping down tightly on the urge to panic I kept the monsters in my sight.

I still clutched the staff and the blade tightly.  These were things I knew how to use and use effectively.  Silver glinted in the harsh lighting of this strange corridor.  Hands that knew how to use them to their deadliest wielded both the staff and knife.  The air shivered and I ducked quickly missing the first blow and landing one of my own.   A blow from the back stunned me momentarily but I recovered quickly enough, turning to keep both those that attacked me in sight along with the others that stared wide eyed and mouths agape.

The creatures knew each other's moves, and seemingly communicated telepathically.  It became apparent that I was slowly losing ground to the pair.  I would *not* go back.  There was no power on earth or in heaven that could make me go back to that place I'd just escaped from.

A slight flaring of the nostrils told me there was another coming.  I flashed the two demons a wicked smile then ran toward the new scent.  Their footsteps chased me down the halls as I followed the smell.  It was male, male and... human.   Perfect.

Another corner and I found what I'd been looking for.  A hostage.  His skin was dark, the eyes just a touch wide and confused as I continued past him.  Turning sharply I landed a blow to the back of his head and caught him before he hit the ground.

Laying the staff down behind me but within easy reach, I crouched down using the man as a shield.  The blade at his throat along with my arm across his body held him immobile.  The creatures were standing there looking curiously at me.  I snarled at them; hoping against hope that they'd just give up and go away.

They didn't give up, and they didn't go away.  I hadn't really expected them to.  The one with bleach blond hair took a step forward.  I arched my captive's neck and pressed a little harder on the blade, drawing a moan from the stunned man.  The one dressed in dark colors grabbed the first's arm and held him in place.

Labored breathing reached my ears a second before the other two rounded the corner.  They stopped abruptly and gasped.  My upper lip peeled back from my teeth and a growl rumbled up from my chest.  Everyone's eyes snapped back to me.  The two males that had been chasing me growled back, their eyes flashing.

I was cornered.  It wasn't a pretty place to be.  My confused mind scrambled to come up with a way out, and could find none.  A burning pain suffused my face.  The jaw was widening and I could feel canines elongating.  It felt unnaturally natural, like this is what I was.

Something within me encouraged that thought.  Leopards filled my sight for a moment; they weren't ordinary, of that much I was sure.  Concern, pleasure, and security filled me, then like the power that had flowed through me earlier was gone.

When my vision cleared again what I saw shocked me.  The two humans were helping the fiends.  They spoke softly; every so often one or the other's eyes would flick towards me.  Tension filled my body and I had no way of releasing it.  We had a stand off.  They apparently wanted this man unharmed and I wanted to be left alone.  It didn't look like any of us was getting what we wanted.

My muscles screamed and the hand holding the blade threatened to tremble.  I was tired, scared, and hurt.  That didn't make for a very good combination.  Abruptly I stood taking the dark skinned man with me.  The others tensed, seemingly waiting for my next move.  I didn't have one but that didn't mean I was going to let them know that.

The man in my arms began coming around.  I hadn't really been too worried about him; his breathing and heart rate had been rhythmic and regular.  He tried to move his head and a hiss of air told me he felt the sharp sting of the blade biting into the flesh of his neck.  When he attempted to break my hold I tightened my arm across him.

Fear rolled off him in thick waves.  Unconsciously I licked a line up the column of his throat, delighting in the way his heart accelerated and his breathing became shallow.  My eyes closed for a moment enjoying the way the fear and anxiety blended together and created such an intoxicating mix.

My hazel eyes collided with a brown flecked with gold gaze.  The hostility in the small passageway skyrocketed.  Neither side was willing to give an inch.  We both growled threats at the other, promising dire consequences if the other didn't back down.  The white blond one joined the dark haired demon.  Combined there was no way I could defeat them, not even using the man in my arms as a bargaining chip.

As the tension had gone up so had the level of terror and apprehension.  It was too much to take.  My control was just too weak, along with my body.  Something seemed to click, and I knew what I had, no needed, to do.  I don't know the last time I'd been allowed to change and had no idea what phase of the moon we were in.  Those were things I should have known like my own name.  The fact that I couldn't was a bad sign, a very bad sign indeed.

The knuckles of my hands began to change.   Bones breaking sounded unnaturally loud in that side hallway.  My grip on the hostage loosened enough so that he was able to wriggle free. The fear I'd been pushing back since the appearance of the others returned with a vengeance.

I couldn't control the scream of pain that ripped through me.   My eyes frantically searched, searching for what, I wasn't quite sure.  Both of those... things reached for me and I jerked back, as if burned.  I couldn't go back.  It was too much.  The staff that had been forgotten was the one thing that sent me crumpling to the ground.  I crab walked backwards trying to get away.

It wasn't until the searing pain flowed down my back reminded me I had other pressing issues.  Flipping over my fingers dug into the too thin carpeting, trying vainly to find purchase.  Another flash of pain ripped through me, and the sound of splitting skin filled the air.

Through the confusion I could hear them yelling and screaming.  'Get them out of here,' said one voice.

"What about her," cried another.

"I'll handle it," said the first voice.

"But," a new voice started.

"No! Go!"

Nothing mattered, nothing but the pain that was rapidly becoming the sole focus of my attention.  My hands were changing as I watched.  Fine fur sprouted from the skin.  It was like I was being turned inside out, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it.

For a moment time suspended itself and I could neither go forward nor reverse what had taken place.  Panic well inside me, and it seemed that was the impetus that I need to finish this.  All at once the bones of my hips broke only to reform.  Fur covered every inch of open space.  A spill of clear fluid gushed as the transformation completed.

I lay there panting, trying to get enough oxygen into my lungs.  I was weak; the change had taken a lot of out of me, more then I really expected.  Groggily I turned my head and met a surprised brown gaze.  Turning my head away from him I let loose a cry that echoed through the halls.

Time really had no meaning for me.  Not really able to know whether I'd been there for minutes, hours, or days my stomach finally made its demand for food.  Shakily I rose to my paws, wondering if there was something worth eating around here.  Somehow I doubted they had rabbits or other game I could hunt.

My gaze turned to the man that had sent all the yummy smelling food away.  I knew, somehow, in this guise that facial expressions wouldn't carry across well.  Even so I gave the monster an unhappy look, my stomach choosing that moment to make its intentions known yet again.

"What do you need," he asked like he was speaking to a child.

If I could have rolled my eyes at him I would have.  Since I wouldn't be able to do that instead I took a swipe at him.  He jumped back and growled at me.  I dropped into a crouch ready to spring if he made another move.  The sound of a slightly accented voice broke my concentration though.  "Well mate," he causally drawled.  "If that noise I heard is any indication I'd say the lady needs to feed."  He turned piercing blue eyes on me.  "Well pet, is that what you need.  Food."

My tongue shot out and licked my muzzle at the mention of sustenance.  He gave a short bark of laughter.  I couldn't help it; I flinched.  In my time with... whatever those things were that held me hostage, that kind of laughter was *never* a good sign.

The blonde squatted down, hand held out in front of him.  There was a practiced patience in the movement.  As if he'd figured something out that the others had missed.  Hesitantly I padded over to where he was.  My nose twitched as a familiar, or at least I think it was familiar, scent hit my nose.  Vampire.  The side of my face nudged his hand, but he never moved.  It was as if he knew I needed to make these first few moves.

"Spike," the other man hissed.  "What do you think you're doing?"

The one called Spike never moved.  His gaze flickered from me to the one behind us.  I was beginning to dislike the other.  He was rude and I really disliked that in a person, thing, or whatever he was.  I couldn't abide rudeness unless I was the one dishing it out.

My nose moved his hand to my head.  He a shot a glance my way before scratched behind my ears.  My eyes closed as his fingers seemed to find the place I could never reach.  A low purr rumbled up from my chest letting him know just how much I enjoyed the attention.

The scratching turned into petting and I plopped down by his side.  "You know you're a stupid git, don't you?  For all your years you still act like a fledge."  The vampire turned from his counter part and looked at me.  "Yes luv, he's a very thick headed vampire."

My gaze shot between the two men.  So they were both vampires then.  Somehow that didn't come as too great a shock.  I rolled my shoulders as if to say "you never can tell with some people."  It wasn't a shrug though it was damn close.  A smile broke out on Spike's face.

The dark haired vampire glowered at us. "?Just what does that mean exactly, Spike?"

The tone he used rankled.  It had my hackles up and the vampire at my side stood so quickly that it was just a blur.  We both growled at the other man.  My body already up and in a crouch should he be stupid enough to attack.  "It means, you bloody moron, that she has just dropped from Satan only knows where.  She's obviously not from around here.  She's lost, confused, and I'd wager not just a little scared.  What were *you* like when you came back from hell?"

The man stood still as a statue.  "Hell," he repeated.

Spike made a disgusted noise.  "Don't tell me you couldn't smell it?  She reeked of it.  I thought it was another trick of this damn place."

"I-I," the other man faltered.  "Hell" he said again.  His dark eyes turned to me.  It looked like he'd been hit between the eyes with a sledgehammer.  To say he was stunned was the understatement of the year.  That look alone eased me out of the crouch and allowed me to relax my posture.  "I didn?t think..." he trailed off.

The blonde vampire snorted.  "Somehow that doesn't surprise me.  When did you ever think Angelus?"

"Watch it boy," he snapped.

To my eternal embarrassment my still empty stomach proclaimed it's desire once more, this time much louder.  Good thing I couldn't blush when I was like this.  "Hungry pet," the blonde, asked in amusement.  I moved my head very carefully once up, once down.

He clapped his hands.  I jumped and shot him a look.  He only grinned devilishly.  The elder vampire looked crossly at the other.  Again I got the feeling that they were having a conversation I couldn't be a part of.  "We'll figure it out later," Angelus finally said.

"Right. So, let's get the kitty something to eat."

The dark vampire nodded.  They both started down the hall.  I just sat there.  Their conversation was confusing to say the least.  I was able to follow some of it only if it revolved around the noise my empty belly had made.  The rest was too much to ask, at least at this point in time.

They paused when it became apparent that I wasn't following them.  Spike turned back and said slowly, "Let's get food."

Now that was something I understood.  Something to fill the gnawing ache in my gut.  I padded along silently next to the blonde vampire.  My tail twitched back and forth, my gaze sweeping to make sure nothing could attack along the way.  Nose constantly hunting for something to fill the void.

We stopped in front of double metal doors.  Cautiously I moved forward, sniffing them, trying in vain to understand what they were and what potential threat they held.  A ding filled the air and I leaped back, dropping into a low crouch a growl making its way up from my chest.

The doors swept open and revealed a large empty space.  I looked from it to the blonde, and back at the room.  Sighing, the elder vampire walked into the space and waited calmly.  Spike gave me a measuring look.  "Well in we go luv."  He walked in with the dark haired man.  "Are you coming," he finally asked, as I continued to stand there and look at the area apprehensively.

Slowly I made my careful way over the threshold.  There were butterflies in my stomach now.  This wasn't right it wasn't natural. I got the sinking feeling that this was not going to be an enjoyable trip for any of us.