Blood of the Assassin

"A Seven Nation Army couldn't hold them back..."
this page is rated R for intense blood, gore and violence. If you are squeamish DO NOT read this. 

***

I'm gonna fight 'em off
A seven nation army couldn't hold me back
They're gonna rip it off
Taking their time right behind my back
And I'm talkin' to myself at night
Because I can't forget
Back and forth through my mind
Behind a cigarette

And the message comin' from my eyes says leave it alone...

Don't wanna hear about it
Every single one's got a story to tell
Everyone knows about it
From the Queen of England to the hounds of hell

And if I catch you comin' back my way
I'm gonna serve it to you
And that ain't what you want to hear
But that's what I'll do

And the feeling coming from my bones says find a home...

I'm going to Wichita
Far from this opera for evermore
I'm gonna work the saw
Make a sweat drip out of every pore

And I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding, and I'm bleeding
Right before the lord
All the words are gonna bleed from me
And I will think no more

And the stains comin' from my blood tell me "Go back home"...


(C) The White Stripes-"Seven Nation Army" Elephant 

    The thirst for blood is a primitive one, a well known drive that keeps some creatures fighting for life. Killing was once called an art, and an art it is. Some are naturally gifted at it, and excel beyond others who aren't. Naturally when you have a gift you use it to make your way, pave your path. Others try to follow and become either your superiors or your inferiors, both are needed for societies to survive. there are dozens of the weaklings, for it is easier to be bad at something that good, they are picked off first. But the true cold hearted killers, who live breath and sleep blood do not get picked off so easily. Sure they live above the law and obey only those who are stronger, but that's the price to pay, if you are driven my primitive natures. The basic law of the jungle, kill or be killed the strong shall survive the weak shall perish. 

     A society of killers, above the law but with strained within their own..

     They say when one's mind is unstable, one becomes cunning as a wolf and all too evilly decisive. Stuck in a world where you kill to live and you live to kill, your mind and soul alike conform to fit the body's needs, you learn the art of killing. The ways of the assassin. Not all those who are evil and ruthless are brave enough to go and out and kill like the blood-driven. And not all who kill are cold and blood-driven. Some make an art of it and do it only for the cash, while others with sick minds enjoy the taking of a mortal life. 

    The work of an assassin is called dirty, but is much needed in modern day society structure. If one is to become as powerful as one can become within law abiding range, one must pull more than one tricks out of their sleeves, whether they be dirty, or clean. For those crooked politics and select psychotics need others to do their dirty work. Hence, the need for assassins, the need for killers. Call them what you want to for when it's you their after...you'll pay the price...

***

    Darkness had fallen over the biggest city in Rayllom second to Solaria, Recoushay; Ritor. This was why Rayllom was considered advanced, hovercrafts of all kind during the day and evening hours fluttered through the skies along with bikes and other assorted flying machines, bringing life and noise to the ever silver city. Buildings tall enough to break through the lower levels of the atmosphere (and some did) lined the streets, which by day had what the city referred to as 'ground traffic'. Punks, losers, druggies and people who couldn't afford a flying device where stuck with traveling on the ground. No cars or other earthly vehicles where permitted, pollution was something Rayllom would not tolerate. So the stragglers below where forced to walk, or rather run. It was quite a shifty neighborhood. 

    Though the ministry was miles upon miles away, it was always on the minds of people here, businessmen and wealthy folk who wanted to gradually influence the minister, Redge. You've got to give him a shrew credit however, he had never once taken the money offered to him. But some business men would not be so easily swayed, they wanted their financial influence on him, so if something odd where to happen Redge might just look the other way. Many wrong doings went on in this city, perhaps that's why the need for a good assassin these days was an over whelming thought on many people's minds. Especially that of  Micheal "Cobra" Vanderbelt, one of the lead producers in shipping. He had come from earth, as it was most apparent to many other Rayllomians for his skin was a chocolate color unlike any they'd seen. He often just laughed at people when they gawked at him, for he knew of Garth's actions long ago that had wiped out many of Azon's "darker" tribes. Modern day Rayllomians had nothing against him, for the diversity there was strange enough, they merely thought him to be the soul survivor of Garth's killing force. He laughed at them when they asked and corrected their misconceptions, made it made it him feel important to be considered a living legend. 

    But his empire of shipping goods made him a legend in the business world, he had contracts with many of the farmers of Oiplia, their delicious fruit was being shipped all over the rest of the planet, and onto many other ones. The farmers liked him, for he always treated them with great respect, using a "no sir." or a "thank you M'am." When he made deals.

    Then why was the topic of assassins floating on the edge of his mind? For Recently, one of his fellow business consultants had been brutally slaughtered. By what, the ministry was still trying to work out. Flipping on his holographic TV projector in his large four bedroom apartment on the mid level of one of the city's most expensive residential buildings, he took a sip of the martini he was drinking and watched his half heartedness. Flashes of live footage from earlier this evening flashed across the screen. A rather chubby man in a gray suit with large bifocals was lying in a pool of his on blood, his head lying several feet away from his body. Vanderbelt choked on his martini, it was a gruesome site.

    "The ministry has determined that this was not an accident though at first it had been assumed that way. The Minister of Magic refuses to make a comment on the present situation as it is, instead we take you to the seen where we have one of our reporters stationed." The scene shifted from a newsroom where a blonde rather busty anthro feline sat reporting the going-ons in the world to a half wolven man standing in street with cameras and a group of ministry works all around him. 

    "The tradgic death of our good friend Mr.Pevison has saddened many people as you know." the half wolven reporter announced with a forced look of pain on his face, it was common knowledge that Pevison had made many donations that current new station in the past. "And from what some of the Ministry's workers have told me i am even more saddened to say that this was no accident. Pevison was assassinated." An unnecessary close up of Pevison' served head showed on the screen, as blood still streamed out of his mouth. "I have Dereo here to tell us a little about the details of who he thinks the murderer is. Dereo."

    The fein crackin rolled his eyes glancing once back and Redge who urged him on so he himself wouldn't have to answer questions. "Alright then. We've seen this work before, it's always slitting open the throat and then knocking the head rather ruthlessly off. Usually before that however, the victim will have been attacked multiple times in multiple places. They look like slashes but no one's really sure. This one is lucky to still have his guts, last three where found with their intestines hanging out because of those slashes." Dereo seemed to be enjoying the reporter's look of disgust, he would have gone on if Redge hadn't kicked him. "But anyhow I'm sad to say we've never been able to kind the murderers."

    "Murderers? You believe there's more than one?" The reporter asked, finding something worthwhile in Dereo's little speech.

    He laughed. "Of course. Hell i could even tell that. We've never been able to find any evidence, even a weapon and up until they strike the murderers never leave a trace. There's no possible way that we can find them, we don't even have a hair off their head or somewhere." He added quickly, realizing the man was wolfen. "The thing is only this much invisibly can be possible if you work on a team. Hell it's my job to take care of magical creatures, and sneaking up on beasties is a lot like sneaking up on body guards. It's hard when you're alone." 

    "Thank you for that Dereo." The reporter said but before he could properly sing off Vanderbelt had reached forward and clicked off the projector. He now had more to worry about, including his won safety. He knew inside who it was that had had Pevison whacked. And why. And he knew inside that it had not been a smart to to recently upset that man again. He had narrowly escaped with his life last time...

***

    Watching the world through golden green eyes, eyes aware to everything around them she sat patiently at the table in the back. Taking a sip of the cafe latte in front of her every once and while she watched through hunter's eyes. To most the green rimmed gold where startling at first glance but they meant nothing to her, A century of her family's breeding gone down the drain for all she cared. Everyone in her family had them, they where the calling card of her kin. She cared very little about family or anyone else in general these days. There was only one person she trusted, only one she'd let get within a foot of her without having a blade to his throat. 

    But there was something about him. She knew he kept something from her, something important he would never share. But again it was probably his past, for she kept hers from him. It was fair, enough. Taking a sip of her espresso with steamed milk she gazed around her from underneath a gray hood, watching, waiting. She could tell you that the man sitting in front of her was left handed, that the woman three seats ahead of her was cheating on her husband and that the man sitting at the bar weighed 125 pounds. What she couldn't tell you was why she agreed to this. "I'm bailing. He isn't here." She whispered very softly to no one unparticular." 

    Five more seconds love. Just five...he's at the door. Remember be gradual. A voice said soothingly into her head. She closed her eyes pressing her finger tightly to her temple and nodded. She couldn't believe she was agreeing to this. 3 was enough. 3 was enough...

    The door swung open and she scanned him with her eyes in ten seconds flat, quick enough for him to see a slight movement of her hood which she concealed by taking another sip of coffee. He was tall, around 6'3 but sort of lanky, like his frame had grown to fast for his muscles to catch up. But this was no mere boy, no he was an adult, the small fuzzy beard on his chin gave that away. He shook his head in a rather dog like fashion, he was drenched form head to toe in rainwater. Taking a seat on the bar stool next to the left handed waitress, he pulled form the inside of his black zippered jacket a small portable computer. Pressing the top of the silver red triangle he watched the screen materialize in front of his face. He adjusted the size and watched the keyboard appear from thin air the same way the screen had and began to pound away at the keys. 

    The hooded woman moved swiftly to her feet and was soon leaning against the far wall, no one seemed to notice. Almost as if they hadn't noticed she was there. Which of course was her purpose. She glanced back at the table and gave the smallest nod she could manage. And of course no one at all noticed as the shadows seemed to shift for a brief second on the booth around the table. Don't be mean either. Gradual. But remember-

    "I know. It's my job to draw him in. I swear you abuse my womanliness sometimes." She cut him off rolling her eyes underneath her hood. She seemed to take a step forward and shed the gray cloak that surrounded her at the same time. Pushing a piece of long flowing pink hair from her face she slid onto the bar stool to the computer junkies left and ordered another coffee. The bartendress nodded and shuffle doff to make the coffee.  

    Be nice love. I know where you sleep. The voice said, unhappy with be cut off then cackled in it's deep and wicked tone. The woman smiled, her long pink wolven tail swishing back and forth as she watched the man to right right glance up at her quickly the go back to his typing. She pulled her all to small white lacey top up unhappily, and adjusted the long flowing black skirt. It was an outfit all to sexy for her normal dress. Why she agreed to this was still a mystery to her. 

    She decided she mind as well try to make conversation. "Hi." She said, trying to sound as sexy as she could but sounding retarded to herself. This wasn't right. She was no whore, and she hated doing this. She had only done it once. To lure him in. This wasn't cool. Not at all. But the rather lanky man had looked up and smiled warmly at her. Surprised she knew her lines by heart but couldn't remember for a second. "Er...What are you doing?" She said remembering her sexy voice halfway through the sentence. 

    "Ah just checking my e-mail and stuff. You know nothing to fancy." She said grinning a rather nice smile for a man who would normally be considered a dork.  

    "Really?" She said slyly as she could knowing exactly what he was doing. "It looked to me.." She dropped her tone for dramatics. "like you where hacking into something..."

    His eyebrows shot up and the smell of fear flooded through the cafe so quickly that she almost lost her nerve. "..And...er...how would...you know..?" He asked shutting down the program he was hacking into to and pressing the red button atop the silver triangle once again. 

    "Don't worry." She purred, calmly taking a sip of coffee. But her insides where teeming, the smell of fear, the chase was soon. If only she could.. "I won't tell anyone." She swallowed shutting of all thoughts and concentrating on her routine. "They call me the Vixen. It's nice to finally she you in person Viper." She said smiling a wicked smile as he gave a startled yet pleased look himself. Everything was working. After three months of tracking this untraceable man they had pinned him. But it had been hard. Pretending to be a hacker was one of the hardest things "Vixen" had done. But the end result would be worth it. Viper was the best...the very best...

     His pleased smile turned more pleased as he looked her up and down for the first time, he had taken the bait. Now it was time to lure him in. "You know...I've always thought," She leaned forward forcing the urge to either vomit or break down laughing as she neared the most risky and corny part of her routine. "That you where a very sexy man. Just the way you remained so cool, even under breaking those extremely tough codes. It...it makes me feel so...so.." She said inches away form his face now, his big brown eyes fixed on her gold green rimmed ones. 

    He swallowed, sweat dripping off his head and sliding down the back of his neck. The rainwater still lingered on his clothes and in his hair, but the salty smell of sweat gave it away to sensitive nose. "So..what..?" He asked thought he had a good idea what she meant.

    "So turned on.." She purred brushing a piece of his curly black hair from his eyes and grinning rather evilly. He smiled nervously as she continued trying to keep her sexy tones though she was beginning to get nervous herself. "...i have a place not to far away from her....you know if you want to-"

    "Yes." He said before even letting her finish her sentence, in fault he had blurted it out his anxiousness now feeding his growing lust. "I mean-" He cleared his throat. "I'd love to. You never seemed to be so sexy when i talked to you online. I mean well.."

    'Vixen' smiled leaning back and depositing enough money to cover her two cafe lattes on the counter and stood up. "Come on Viper. We have much to do. And to talk about." He stumbled after her clumsily as she lead to way out the door and back into the pouring rain. 

    She watched him stuff the silver triangle back into his coat pocket and pull up his hood licking his lips out of nervousness. She smiled to herself, she had drawn him in. But now was the hard part. Starting to walk to her left she waited until he paced her, going at a rate she was having trouble keeping up with in the high heels she wasn't accustomed to wearing. She folded her arms in an effort to cover herself up. But it was futile, he had done this on purpose no doubt. The shirt was way to transparent and it was way to cold. She shivered once more and gestured for Viper to make a left. He obliged letting her lead the way and she fumbling grabbed the keys form beneath a doormat to a previously picked out apartment. It's owner wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning. That gave them enough time to "talk".

    She walked up an unfamiliar staircase and took a left into a large bedroom letting Viper follow her in. He closed the door behind him and watched as she tried to hide her shock at the place. He had done his job well. This place was gorgeous, but oh so unfamiliar. Relying only on his word now she smiled slyly at Viper and whispered "I'll be back" before disappearing into the bathroom. Lying on the floor a very sexy set of crimson underwear and bra looked up at her. Rolling her eyes she knew he had torn threw her entire underwear draw to find these. She had kept them at the bottom of it, since she had never actually intended to wear the lacey things. 

    Pulling off her wet clothing she put them in the sink and proceeded to changing her undergarments. While reaching for the sexy red braw she heard an all to familiar voice say very gently. "I knew you'd look hot in red.." She froze immediately looking around her for the one who she knew sat somewhere. "No don't stop." He hissed.

    "I'll kill you Vortex. I will slit your throat and drink your blood and use it to make slushies and give it to children." She said trying to put her bra on as fast as she could, but in her attempts she dropped it and blushing almost the shade of her magenta hair she attempted to put it on again. 

    "Keep your voice down love. He isn't deaf." Said the voice as the woman felt her bra strap being snapped for her. She whirled around and flung her hand as hard as she could at least a good foot above her head. It made contact with what seemed to be air. And from nowhere a black red marked centaur appeared, rubbing his jaw with on hand and grinning at her, one blue eye winking form beneath a shaggy mess of red hair. "Come on now Vixen." He said in the rich deep tone he always used. "You know I can't wear clothes like this." He chuckled very lightly trying to keep his own vocie down.

    "Pervert!" She said slapping him hard again. "Bastard!" And again. "IDIOT!" one final time hard across the face left it stinging she was sure. But his grin remained. "I hate you. But i hate you more for doing this to me." She walked forward and opened the door, watching him vanish in the blink of an eye. 

    Viper waited, lying on the bed, wearing only his boxers and he looked up at her like she was some kind of goddess. Feeling very self conscious and very dirty she climbed onto the bed forcing a wicked grin and began to kiss him. She had no clue what she was doing, she had only kissed a guy once and though she had no idea what she was doing for some reason she knew he felt the same. 

    After kissing him for about twenty minutes he began to grow more frisky, reaching a hand out to undo her bra she let him undo it only because she knew it was the only way. Knowing this was going farther than planned she knew she better act fast or don't act at all. Rolling over she slipped her hand off the bed where she knew his black coat rested. Reaching a hand inside the pocket she pulled out the computer and leapt back in one motion. 

    So shocked he knew not how to react Viper looked up at her, and in the dim light from the overhead light she could make out confusion on his face. "You could have asked to borrow my computer." He said completely befuddled.

    "She doesn't want to borrow it fool." The rich deep voice said as a man with red hair and bright blue eyes appeared from seemingly nowhere. Two large horns and a long wicked bladed tail adorned him, the ones that gave away he was an altered form of the black red marked centaur man from the bathroom. "Think of it as a hostage." He said picking up Viper's beige pants and flinging them at him. He put them on beginning to realize the intensity of the situation. His computer seemed to be this man's only friend. 'Vixen' lightened her grip on the triangle, she wouldn't break it, no matter what he told her to do.

    "What do you want?" Viper asked, nervously. The blue eyed man grinned taking a step over him, his sheer size sent Viper from scared to freaked out. He had always been tall. Around 7 foot to be exact. "I'll steal whatever it is. I can do it. Just don't break that.."

    "We don't want you to steal anything. And we won't damage this." She said holding out the silver pyramid for him to take. He took it cautiously, trying to look at her face. 

    "Watch your eyes boy." The electric blue eyed man growled and Viper's gaze switched to him immediately. She, quickly walked to stand behind him, he was her only protection she knew but she also hated him for it. Forcing down the urge to smack him senseless she clutched onto the back of his shirt trying to discreetly choke him instead. "We want to help you. If you help us. You can become a very rich man. But before anything else we must lay down some terms."

    He nodded, the word rich luring him in. Viper had a greed problem. He had been caught multiple times trying to hack into ministry security to steal artifacts to sell on the black market.  If he hadn't been so coky as to post "the viper strikes again" all over ministry computer screens he would have gotten away. "You want to work with me." He said. 

    The blue eyed man nodded. "Yes that is the ultimate object. Your partnership. You will be the fourth. We are in rather desperate need for what people refer to as a 'tekkie'. We wouldn't settle for anything less than the best." Flattery was part of the plan. Viper's smile he concealed immediately pressed the blue eyed on. "If you agree to work with us you can have 1/4 of whatever it is we earn. To give you a rough estimate on our last job we got over 7 million. But our job must be complete. There can be no mistakes. No mess ups. No witnesses. No evidence." As he talked he seemed to drag Viper i, even the pink haired woman behind him seemed to feel the effect of his words. 

    "What do you mean by job?" Viper inquired, something flicking beneath his brown eyes. He was beginning to understand this was something above the law. Something illegal that was most likely dangerous. 

    "Did you hear about Pevison on the news Viper?" The blue eyed man barely whispered something primal raging in his eyes as he grinned showing extremely long fangs. Viper nodded. "He was our last job." 

    "Assassins?" Viper said swallowing, thought he seemed only anxious not afraid. If he would have been afraid he would have had to been taken out right then and there, the pink haired girl knew. Good thing she was a good judge of character, Viper had seemed to her form the beginning someone who would be chancy. He swallows again. "Ill do it. Lay down your terms and i'll lay down mine."

    The blue eyed man smiled more, but it quickly vanished. "You move to headquarters. Take only what you can carry and your computer obviously. You can have anything you need, programs, software, all that technical crap. Anything you want you can ask for it and we can buy it. But you must help us when we ask you. For if you don't." He made a rather rude gesture of drawing his finger across his throat. Viper nodded understanding but still fear did not fill the air. "You will become one of us. That means form now on, no relations."

    "Relations?" Viepr croaked his gaze falling upon the pink haired woman once more.

    "Yes. Relations. No girlfriends or boyfriends if that's your style. No cousins, brothers, sisters, not even your mother. From now on Viper you are a dead man, understand?" Ignoring the snide comment he once again nodded. "Good. One last thing.." He took a  step forward, causing the woman clinging to his back to stumble forward. "If you dare to lay a hand on her again i swear i will tear you into tiny pieces small enough to rival grains of sand."

    Viper nodded, stepping back, fear finally filling the nostrils of the two killers. "Alright. I swear i won't." The shifted centaur man nodded and took a step to his left heading for the door. "Wait." He turned along with the woman to look back at Viper. "My terms. I want both fo your real names. That way i know you will not betray me." 

    "Honorable." The pink haired woman hissed into her partner-in-crime's ear. "Assurance. He learns quickly."

   The black centaur man snorted. "Vortex. She's Karyudo. Put your clothes back on. We leave for headquarters in ten minutes."

***

   Karyudo perched atop his back Vortex looked stared at the thick steel door that was the entrance to their operating base. He stepped up to it and when the digitized voice asked very calmly for a password he uttered a sentence in some sort of language that made Viper, who stood to the pair's left, skin crawl. Karyudo smiled, happy to be fully clothed again. "How come she gets a ride?" Viper asked weakly looking up at the black red marked centaur who snarled as fiercely as possible before walking through the now open gate and into the pitch darkness. "I was only asking.."

    "I am not your mule." Vortex growled, still walking straight into the pitch black. He knew Viper's human eyes couldn't see a thing but his and Karyudo's could make out everything perfectly. She was the only one he had ever let 'ride him' him so to speak. She was the only one he'd protect if need be. And now there was another man. Another intruder into his territory. He still could not believe he agreed to this. It was all her idea after all. At leas that's the way he remembered it. 

    "I wasn't saying that. But she gets a ride. I guess that means that she's better than me?" Viper went on mumbling to himself. A thing they had learned very quickly about the hacker was that he had a sense of humor, a good sense of humor he sometimes used to manipulate others. Perfect. 

    "Viper, just clam down. It's easier to fit through the passage this way." Karyudo sighed trying to clam both the arguing men. Neither said another word as they continued into the darkness taking a sharp left turn and walking down another narrow hallway. Karyudo had never thought of Vortex as mule or anything like that, she had always thought of him as her equal and nothing less or nothing mroe. She respected him. The only reason he had ever agreed to let her ride him was because when he moved on those four draconic feet he ws soundless, and he could blend into the darkness perfectly. If she simply stayed on his back she could not be seen or heard either. It was the quickest most effective way.   

    Without warning Viper cried out suddenly feeling the cold steal of a blade pressing against his neck, ready to slice into his jugular and spill his blood on the floor. He heard the sharp crack of a fist connecting with a jaw and the sword was released from his neck and fell to the floor with a clatter. "Batosi you idiot." Vortex snarled and kicked open a door to his left. Light flooded from it to reveal him holding by the neck a black haired man in a reddish pink kimono, an empty black jewel studded scabbard at his side. His angry green eyes narrowed and in the light Viper could make out a scar like an awkward shaped cross on his left cheek that cut into the corner of his eye. 

    "I told you not to call me that Vortex." He snarled in a calm eerie sort of way that chilled Viper, taking him aback. "My name is Hemora." Vortex dropped him and he reached for the even more elaborate sword. He sheathed the wicked steel and stared at Viper for a minute before extending a hand. "They call me Hemora. And what of yourself?"

    "Viper." The hacker said a little warily, taking the man's hand and shaking it. The green eyed man smiled. Viper raised a wary eyebrow, this man had tried to kill him about thirty seconds ago.

    "Sorry for the hostility friend. Intruders are no wanted that they aren't." His eyes seemed to read Viper's questioning face. "Ah...you want to know why these two put up with a human?" Vortex had long disappeared into the now open door and Karyudo with him. Viper nodded, deeming it safe for the moment. "Well let me show you, it's rather hard to explain."

    Hemora turned to face a statue that Viper noticed for the first time, one of about thirty that lined the hall. Ugly grotesque looking gargoyles. Holding one hand out in front of his face he pulled the sword form it's sheath with the other and closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them again he slashed madly at the statue, his blade moving so swiftly and accurately that Viper could barely see the individual hits. Pausing in the same manner he started the batosi sheathed his sword and smiled at Viper as the statue crumbled to the ground in multiple pieces. Swallowing Viper realized that this Hemora was another one he wouldn't be wanting to piss off. "Um..Hemora...if you don't mind me asking...what does batosi mean?"

   "Manslayer I suppose." His smile widened as he lead Viper inside the lighted area. "Vortex has always had a thing for giving us nicknames. Err, well, codenames more like it. In case we fail to clean up our evidence." His grin faded and was replaced by the solemn look that had possessed him before he had wrecked the statue moments earlier. "Well never mind that friend. Tis why she decided to call you in i suppose."  

    Viper nodded cautiously figuring there was something a tad bit wrong with this one's mental stability. Bipolar he thought they called it. "Call me in?" He asked not used to his wording or rather the assassin's manner of speech. All three of them he noticed referred to each of other as "he" or "she". It would be more confusing now that there where three guys instead of two. He coming from one could mean either of the other two. 

    "Yes call you in." Karyudo said reappearing from wherever she had disappeared to. "Come with me." Hemora nodded to the pink haired woman and walked off to the left where a living room was located. At least it looked like a living room, couches and what not. Viper followed her down a long carpeted hallway and made a left into a room with a large bunk bed, desk (with an old school computer) dresser and a few other things for keeping of necessary goods. Karyudo immediately began to pick up a few of discarded shirts and shoes and whatnot that cluttered the floor. "sorry about the mess." She began a little embarrassed looking up at him with a face as pink as her hair. "But this is where you'll be staying. The boys figured they'd be gentlemen for once and give me my own room. And i figure you're a safer bet then either one of them."

   Viper smiled a little taken aback and dropped his backpack onto the lower unoccupied bunk. "Really?" He said shyly knowing that it was probably true. "Um what about Hemora? He seems nice enough.."

   "He's bipolar. Nicest guy really he is. Perfect gentleman, but he's seen too much. It upset his mentality, sad story really. He'd be more than willing to tell it to you if you ask." Karyudo said while throwing dirty socks into the closet. "But don't ask Vortex about anything. If you need something or have any questions, it would be safest to ask me." She smiled briefly and then continued her clean up.

   Viper forced down a grin. Getting paid to sleep in the same room as a pretty girl and hack into advanced computer software. Ohh goodie! "What's Vortex's story?" He asked rather quietly. 

    Karyudo looked up at him for a moment, her golden green eyes meeting his dark brown ones. "Do you know what he is?" She responded even quieter, a mixture of repressed shock and sadness crossing her face. 

    "A shifter of some sort i suppose." Viper said wide eyed, wondering if he touched a nerve. 

    "Some sort." She said a sad smile spreading her pretty face. "Yes of some sort. He's the last of his kind really. A pure demon catagrapher You know about demons right?" She said, knowing he didn't understand. Viper nodded, he knew about demons but not a a lot. The words where the most powerful ones Karyudo had spoke for a long time, but they where empty to one who didn't understand, one like Viper. "You know of Sargon, the only human catagrapher on record. Well you know that he can shift into anything and everything. Even a bedside lamp if it calls for it. But Sargon is no threat, for since he defeated Garth his alliances with good have been made permanent." She sighed. "Now imagine, if a demon ahd the power to shift into everything and anything."

    Viper's eyes widened. He remembered hearing something like this in a chat room ages ago. Someone had found proof that the demon hierarchy had created such a race, buy pure mistake. A crossing of the wrong blood. 6 had been born from the mother, all of which took different forms at birth, their truest. Two died only three days latter and one was killed as a child. That left three alive, two females and one male. They found the body one one female, pictures where posted everywhere. But oddly, that story died down, someone, a professor said the photos where fake. Edited. 

    Viper had seen them, and somewhere in the back of his mind he knew they had been real. They where just to creepy. He remembered them, the shifter had taken her purest form in death, a demon wolf. It would have been completely normal and not suspicious at all, if it had not been jet black, with crimson markings.

    Karyudo, who could have been reading Viper's mind closed, her eyes. "Vortex didn't like it that they found his sister. So he killed off everyone and anyone who had seen her dead body, and searched for months to find the killer. He disguised himself as the people he killed and told the media he made it up. No one ever thought another demon catagrapher was on their tails." She sighed. "That's how i found out about Vortex, well demon catagraphers, i mean. Took me a year and a half to find out who he was. Took me another year to track him down." 

    "Did he join willingly?" Viper asked, intrigued by this whole thing, it seemed Karyudo had started this bunch of elite killers, but she had yet to enlightened him why. 

    "Of course not. You where the only one who was swayed with ease Viper." She gave a sort of smile and threw various stuffed animals that littered the ground up onto the top bunk. "Vortex was the hardest to recruit i remember. But he was defiantly worth it. He's literally invisible to everyone around him. And he was my first recruit. Played the same sort of situation i did last night." She blushed to the shade of her hair. 

    "And he refused!?" Viper said taken aback. 

    "Not what you're thinking. He refused to join. Sad he didn't want to litter his family's name anymore...then i told him my story and why i did what i do. And he told me his, and why he had killed those bastards that found his sister's body, and how he felt about doing it." Karyudo sighed Viper apparently was big on computers and technical sciences, but again he was only human. He didn't understand much about demons and half bloods and what not. "Demons have always been killers. When you mix in catagrapher blood it makes the killing experience much more exciting. Catagraphers where once used as assassins of the military. Need i say more?"  

    "No. I think i get it now. Just more one question-" Viper began but was interrupted as Vortex's black and red frame appeared in the empty door frame. He looked directly at Viper's widened eyes, sensing his fear. Finally that boy had come to his senses. Either that or he had been informed.

    "Yes?" Karyudo asked arranging her dozens of fluffy beasts on the top of her bunk, though thee was one large spot open. She leaned over the edge of her bunk and then looked up at Viper. "Can you hand me Reginald?" Viper blinked following the she wolf's gaze and spotting a large extremely fluffy pink stuffed elephant sitting in the corner of the room. Viper picked it up and handed it to Karyudo who placed it in the empty spot in-between a floppy purple ligon and a chocolate brown gryphon. 

    "I need your help." Vortex said one of his eyes beginning to twitch in an unnerving manner. It occurred to Viper as he watched the spastic twitching that he had yet to see Vortex blink. Karyudo slid off the bunk and walked over to the catagrapher immediately grabbing his wrist which as Viper saw though he knew he shouldn't have, was raggedly torn open and fresh crimson blood dripped onto the beige colored carpet. "Please?"

    "Vortex.." Karyudo sighed and lead him out of the room, leaving Viper to get acquainted. She turned to her right and went into an almost exact copy of her chambers, except it was twice as messy and littered with dirty pants and socks. "sit down." She commanded the 11 ft tall centaur who obeyed, drawing himself into a very awkward looking sit. "all the way." He pulled all four legs underneath him, clutching his wrist and waited for Karyudo to return with a large white bandage and some kind of medical ointment. 

    Tearing off a piece with her teeth Karyudo wiped off all the blood and applied the healing cream. She quickly wrapped up his wrist, looking up only once to watch Hemora enter. He shook his head as he saw Karyudo finish wrapping the bandages and sat down Indian style, on a bunch of dirty socks. "I don't know why you do that, that i don't." He sighed sadly, brushing a piece of his black hair out of his face.

    "You tell me and I'll tell you." Vortex said watching him with petrifying blue eyes. Hemora blinked. "never mind." He growled knowing that this was only one side to the samurai. He didn't know he did the same, hacking at his wrists and what not. 

    Karyudo grimaced spotting something in the mess of dirty socks and clothing that made her either want to giggle or hurl, she could have done both at the moment. Picking it up from the corners like it was toxin she raised an eyebrow as both men looked her way. "Ok. Who's is this?"

    Vortex laughed falling over and lashing his bladed tail back and forth while Hemora turned crimson. "What you filthy beast?! That isn't mine that it surely is not! I wouldn't look at something that filthy and unholy-" Vortex grabbed the magazine from Karyudo and opened it, thumbing through the pages and still laughing as hard as he could. 

    "Does this make you feel all warm inside Batosi?" He laughed stopping on a rather large picture and turning the magazine sideways. "Human girls in bunny costumes?"

    "That it does not." Hemora roared taking hold of one end of the magazine and trying to pull it away from Vortex who was laughing so hard his form was beginning to waver. "You are a filthy pervert, that you are." The samurai snarled tearing the magazine away from Vortex and stuffing it into one of the folds of his kimono. 

    "You're both sick." Karyudo said as red in the face as her black haired partner in crime. She stood up and began to walk away, but she felt someone grab onto her ankle. Looking behind her the look of disgust still on her face she looked down to see Vortex clutching onto her ankle in an odd sprawled out position on the floor. 

    This was his one chance to say something to make Karyudo feel better, she prayed he wouldn't blow it. "It'd make me feel all warm inside if you dressed up as a bunny and prance around for us." He grinned wickedly watching Karyudo turn thrice the color of her hair and dash out of the room. He busted up laughing staring at Hemora who was once again his pale color and staring at Vortex like he had just killed his mother. 

    "That wasn't appropriate. That it was not." The batosi said looking rather grim once more. Vortex pushed himself into a sitting position, still laughing lightly. "Why do you do that to her?"

    Vortex blinked, his laughter stopping abruptly. "What?"

    "You hurt her on the inside, friend that you do. You always lead her on, pretend that you are being serious and then blow it by saying something moronic like that, and that it is, moronic." Hemora said in all seriousness watching Vortex with eyes that where equal to the sinister apperance of his blue ones. When Vortex was quiet, saying nothing Hemora went on in a very quiet voice. "You still never told me how she recruited you. Whenever i ask her about it she changes the subject that she does. Whatever happened that night?"

    Vortex stared at Hemora, his eyes full of secret and stood up to his full height. "I did something i swore I'd never do. And she got the blunt end of the deal, having to put up with me." He said and walked out of his and Hemora's bedchambers, his draconic feet making no sound on the title floor of the hallway.  

***

    The early morning was calm, for it was only a few minutes after sunrise, none of the assassins excluding one had stirred yet, for most had gone to bed quite late. Only the batosi walked through the underground apartment his footsteps unheard because of the black padded slippers he was required to wear. Thoughts streamed through his mind, not of any importance to the others; ones about himself. He turned a sharp left and continued pacing back and forth through the tile hallway, one hand beneath his chin and the other, his left on his sword hilt. Deep in thought he let his black shaggy bangs cover his closed eyes, the way he did when he tried to hide an emotion. 

    He had been preparing for this day for about a week now. Today was the day they would find out their next victim, who they would next be assigned to eliminate. Hemora had drawn the short straw, and had to take the news. Closing his eyes one last time he ran over the plan in his head. He walked back into his and Vortex's room, where the giant centaur lay in a deep sleep on the bottom bunk his chest rising and falling at regular intervals. Shedding his pink kimono he put on a pair of black slacks and a matching black shirt, adding like Karyudo had suggested, a black leather jacket for 'edge'. Feeling he looked incredibly stupid Hemora stared at himself in the mirror. His scar stood out like a sore thumb, and he was well aware of it. sighing he reached for his sword, and then realized that he had no where to latch it onto. 

    "Leave it." Vortex said very quietly one blue eyes open as he watched eh samurai turn around. "If you need back up just use karate or whatever."

    "I've told you Vortex. I'm a samurai. I use a sword not my fists, that i do." He sighed. "I will call you if it goes wrong, i suppose." He exited the room with the same quietness that he had entered, and made his way back through the dark entrance and up into the light of day. Feeling naked without his blade he stuffed his hand into his pocket to make up for his normal attentive grip on it's hilt. 

    People passed on all sides, barely noticing him, he blended in rather well, another face in the crowd. Looking up every once and a while to make sure he was headed in the right direction he continued down the long street, passing by building that had no meaning. He was looking for one place, and until he got there he would continue to be on the edge. When he arrived he would be ready to pounce on anyone who rubbed him the wrong way. Hemora didn't like it out doors, that he didn't. Too many bad experiences. 

    His black draconic tailed lashing back and forth he turned a sharp left, almost running over another of the slime that crawled on the streets and entered a rather tall building. Ignoring all the fancy and shiny things around him he headed straight for the elevator and took it up to the forty fifth floor as their unknown employer had instructed. 

    The doors opened and Hemora jumped back reaching for the sword hilt that wasn't there. The room was completely dark, and one light shown down in a very movie like manor onto the back of a chair. "Sit down." A voice commanded and the chair spun around to reveal a balding black haired man with rather large glasses.

    Hemora narrowed his eyes reaching insides his pockets, looking for anything. He found a gum wrapper and a toothpick, both where of no use to him unless he had something stuck in his teeth. Snarling he planted himself in the chair, having to sit sideways, to make room for his tail. "How did you find us, that you did?" Hemora asked, letting his sinister voice take over and fill him with the anger and hatred that changed his normally mild tempered personality into a hostile killing machine. 

    "I saw your work." the glasses man replied pushing a folder in front of him. Hemora opened it to find pictures of their last kill, the man named Pevison, and another picture that made Hemora's mouth go dry. No one had photos of any of their other kills, the bodies had been disposed of in a manner so secret he dared not think it. How he had gotten a picture of the was unknown to the master samurai. 

     "How did you get this?" Hemora hissed grabbing the photo and stuffing it into his jacket. 

    The man laughed. "You and i have a lot in common. We both are above the law. We both live in a society so brutal and cold that if some of the decent folks these days found out about it they'd flee the planet and go park their weak and sorry bottoms on a nice place, like Alskyr." He gave a small chuckle. "Listen. I'm offering you a good amount of money for this. But it'll be hard to take this one out..."

   "A challenge you are saying that i suppose?" The rehearsed line rolled off his tongue with ease, and he was glad he could at least use one of the many lines they usually used when dealing with 'business' men. None of the assassins knew exactly how their employers would approach them, so they tried their best be prepared

    The dim light from outside reflected off the man's glasses in a sinister way. "Of course." He reached deep within his pockets and once again Hemora was reaching for his weapon that was not there. "I don't know which one you are." The glasses man said, pausing as he watched Hemora's fumbling. "But i want all three of you on the mission got it?" Hemora nodded narrowing his eyes, he didn't know about Viper. Good. He placed a small silver and gold triangle on the smooth black  desk that seemed to be made out of pure marble. Marble was rare, especially in that black color, and this was imported form earth. This man had big bucks. 

    Hemora looked at the man once before picking up the triangle and stuffing it inside his jacket with the photos of one of the latest kills. "The information is on here, i suppose?"

    "All the information you will ever need. You have a week to prepare. I will contact you via that when you are too-" He paused leaning forward a bit so that icy blue eyes appeared framed in gold while light reflected off the thick lenses "-do your business." 

    "And the pay?" Hemora asked, a bead of sweat running down his neck. 

    The man leaned back. "Of course. Name your price."

    "You know our price that you do."

    "Fine. You shall be rewarded with it after i see the body." 

    "It doesn't work like that, that it doesn't." Hemora fired, watching the man's slightly shocked reaction. Eyebrows narrowed over his glasses in a more challenging way than the way he had presented the assassin's current task. "We bring you his blood. His body is disposed of in a manner i shant speak of, that i won't." 

    The glasses man sighed. "If that be the case, then fine. Blood will work. Now leave. I have already told you what is to be expected in seven days time." Hemora stood and exited quickly, not even paying attention to where he was going. He knew the routine by heart, he wanted to get back, to tell the others. 

    Hemora was know walking down the streets, watching everyone who passed him and meeting their looks with ones twice as hostile. He was in a bad mood, his blood pumped so loudly and fiercely that he could barely stand it. Constant throbbing in his ears. His temper was still hot and it continued to worsen as the people he passed grew more and more strangely, weaker. Their tempers and egos grew with their lack of physical ability. They stared at him like he was some kind of freak, with his draconic tail and green eyes, the eyes of a dragon. The eyes of his sire. His endowment and his damnation. 

    Finally one had enough nerve to speak up. "Hey scaly." Hemora stopped turning to face a ragged looking brown haired man in cut offs and a shirt that read something very offensive. "What are you, some kind of lizard?" He laughed, and the group of just as gangly looking guys laughed and slapped their apparent leader on the shoulder. 

    Hemora growled under his breath wishing he hadn't have left his sword behind. His eyes found a  pipe just to the left of the gang leader's ear he might be able to use. He said nothing merely eyeing each and every member, looking for weakness, which there was a quite a heaping of.  

    "Well punk? Did my lizard comment make you angry? Or would you like me ta call ya a snake?" Hemora still didn't respond eyeing them fiercely with eyes few lived to tell about, his father made sure of that.  "alright then, we'll just have to teach you some manners. When someone asks ya  question ya answer!" And he charged along with three of his gangly friends. 

    Hemora sidestepped quickly and dashed with incredible speed over to the place where the last two gang members stood. He ripped off a large pipe from the wall and busted it in half with his foot, making it the exact length of his sword. "Ohh lizard boy has a pipe. I'm scared now." He punched his fist into his hand and came closer his beady eyes staring into the dragon's dangerous lightning green ones. He flung his fist at Hemora's face but suddenly found it meet metal as the samurai brought the pipe up to meet it. 

    "You chose the wrong time, that you did." Hemora hissed in a snakelike manner and the thug could have sworn that a serpentine tongue lashed over fanged teeth to meet him. The bloke had about a second to react in which he tottered backwards before Hemora was on him. Using the broken edge of the blade he carved the over weight weakling up like the turkey he was. The man barely had time to scream as Hemora dealt the final blow, slashing his throat open and letting the man blood spill out onto the already heavily soiled concrete. 

    He dropped the weapon and placed one blood stained hand in front of him, in a pray like manner and closed his eyes, the way he had done before he had diced the statue yesterday. He opened his eyes to find the other gangly men staring at him wide eyed, their cigarettes hanging out of their open mouths. Hemora gave them one last glare and walked down the street, licking his hand as he went... 

    When he arrived back underground two stony faced shifters greeted him. "well?" Vortex asked, leaning against a wall, his black body barely visible in the shadows. Karyudo however saw the dried bits of blood that remained on Hemora's jacket and other arm. 

    The batosi pulled from hi jacket the folder and the small triangular holo-projecter the glasses man had given him. "He said he would not come easy, that he did." Vortex snatched the folder and triangle from Hemora, opening it and staring down at the picture of their next Victim. 

    "Oh Hemora." Kary sighed reaching out and taking his hand, pulling back his sleeve to reveal the blood stained undershirt. "Come here." She pulled him by his wrist into what looked to be a kitchen and stood by the sink. Vortex followed in, plopping himself down in an awkward sitting position as he read and re-read the information the glasses man had given them on their target. "Take it off." Hemora pulled off the leather jacket and set it on the counter obediently. "And the other." 

    "Not in front of a lady." Hemora said blushing to the shade of Kary's hair. She raised an eyebrow. "It goes against my code, that it does." 

    "I swear you two are the biggest idiots ever." The pink huntress sighed reaching forward and ripping off the batosi's black undershirt in one quick motion. Hemora made a gasping sound and quickly whirled around crossing his arms over his chest. "Oh come off it. Vortex struts around nearly naked everyday. It's not like i haven't' seen a guy's chest before." 

    "You find pants for a centaur and then we'll talk." Vortex said, who had somehow acquired and apple and was biting considerably large chunks out of it as he read on. "show her your six pack Hemora."

    "Your filthy, that you are." The batosi growled as Kary tried to make her way to the other side of him. Vortex laughed in-between bites of the apple. the distraction proved good enough for the huntress found her way to the other side of the samurai and grabbed his bloodied arm.  

    Karyudo blushed as Hemora turned back around to face the sink and allow her to clean him up, Vortex was right Hemora did have a six pack. He has quite muscular and rather handsome. She shook her head dipping a cloth into water and wiping the matted blood from the samurai's arm. After the blood had been cleaned. "I swear if i didn't take care of you dorks this place would be so dirty rats wouldn't even live in it."

    Hemora made a reach for his tattered shirt but Kary threw it in the trash along with the soiled jacket. The samurai made a whimpering noise before plopping down in a chair next to where Vortex sat. "This goes against my code that it does."

    "You have a code batosi?" Vortex laughed as Hemora's eyes narrowed. "Ah right, samurai code. I understand." He bit of the last bit of edible apple and chucked the core at the trash can. "Don't worry though, do you really think Kary counts as a women?" 

    "Most certainly that she does." Hemora said looking up to make sure the pink haired woman hadn't heard, her head in the refrigerator so he figured she hadn't . "She is a beautiful woman Vortex. And she cares for us both like wee where her siblings, that she does."  

    "She is hot i'll give you that." Vortex said finally putting the papers down and watching the huntress' form for movement. "One of these days i'm just going to grab her and-" He purred before being interrupted.

    "VORTEX I HATE YOUR SORRY ASS!" Kary screamed and leapt out of the fridge onto him, successfully knocking the catagrapher over. She pounded on his chest with her fists as he held her back with no real effort, letting her swing away at the large red marking that covered most of us upper body. "I hate you i hate you i hate you.." She growled each time swinging another punch. 

    "why?" Vortex asked extremely calmly, anyone else in his position would have been dead if they did, but fro some reason Kary didn't kill him then and there. Many a time she believed she should have. 

    "Because your a repulsive pervert who will torment me into insanity." She hissed trying to break free unsuccessfully of his grasp. When he didn't budge and she continued to struggle she looked around for Hemora who had vanished into oblivion. "Let go." She growled but the centaur still did nto budge.

    "Do you really hate me?" He asked in one of his rare serious voices that he used only when addressing matters of great importance. 

    "I hate it how you make fun of me and make all of your dirty remarks." Karyudo hissed so venomously that the poison could have been dripping from her teeth. "Why do you constantly do it Vortex?" He was silent staring at her with unreadable blue eyes that sent unavoidable shivers down her spine. Using his weight he pushed her back up and stood up, then vanished into thin air. "Damnit Vortex you are freaking impossible to talk to!" She growled, trying to stand up but failing and falling back over.

    Karyudo sighed walking into the other room, in a sign of surrender, if Vortex still lingered around in his cloaked form. She ran a hand through her pink hair and closed those green gold eyes, plopping herself down in the living room, where Hemora sat watching the holo projector. "How is it?" Kary asked eyes still shut tight. "That whenever he gets mad or embarrassed or-i don't even know-he can disappear? I wish i could do that."

    "If any of us could do that we wouldn't have to worry about what we said i suppose." Hemora said now back in his pink kimono with his trust blade at his side. "But Kary take a look at these, it's our new victim that it is. Vortex should send the signal tonight, that he should." He handed Karyudo the file and she immedtaily opened it.

    Flipping through at least ten different photos of the apartment where their victim lived she noticed it was a very upscale building, very well-off and exotic. A red circle was drawn around one window, it looked to be mid-level at least floor 25. She flipped the photo over and sure enough; "room 4b floor 25" was scrawled in the same red marker.  

    She placed the photos or the building aside and next merely glanced at the security, that would now be Viper's job. He would get them in and out. She was more interested in finding out the name of their chosen quarry. She Flipped until a picture of a dark skinned man fell out onto the floor. She held it up to take a better look, the words "Cobra Vanderbelt" could barely be made out as they where finely printed with a white pen at the bottom. So that was it. Vanderbelt's blood they would spill next. "Vanderbelt?" Kary said something caught in her throat.

    "I know. Vortex didn't believe it either that he didn't. I don't know what our employer has against him. Some to do with politics that i suppose.." The batosi said, sipping a glass of who knows what he had found on the end table besides him. "I've heard he's remained a nice guy, that he has, even in his growing popularity." 

    "Geeze though Hem, doesn't it make you a least bit sad to know we'll be killing an innocent man? Didn't this guy at least give you a reason?" That was what separate Kary from Vortex and Hemora, she sought to find a reason where the other two where ruthless, and killed only for money or sport. 

    Hemora turned his head his bipolar personality kicking in once more, he stared at her from beneath black bangs his eerie green eyes and that scar acting as pawns to control attention. He was an uncanny reminder of his sire. "No one is innocent Karyudo of the hunter's blood. That they surely aren't. Every thing that breath in air commits sin and things that other deem wrong that they do. So do not tell me this man is innocent, for if you where given time you could dig up enough dirt on him that i suppose." He said in a voice more calm than his normal tones.

    "Batosi." Kary snarled the remark on her blood burning hot in her ears. She hated to be reminded of her past. She didn't care about her family anymore, or whatever happened to them. She lived in a different part of the world now. "When we slit his throat," She snarled drawing Hemora's attention back to her. "I want a good taste of his blood." 

***

    Around four hours later Viper arrived back at the assassin's hide out carrying a large box. He gently unwrapped it, peeling away the packing tape and cardboard to reveal dozens of packing peanuts. The three others sat behind him, Vortex stood, watching whatever it was that had cost them 3 grand of their last big kill. Viper pulled a very small white pyramid shaped object from the box and stared at it like it was some kind of ancient important relic. 

    Vortex dared to break the silence. "another computer Viper?" He asked taking a step forward and staring and the flawless metallic surface, that gleamed pearlescent white. Viper smiled at Vortex's blank stare. He knew that this was his time to wow them all with his knowledge.

    "No Vortex, this is much more. This is a Ghost." More blank staring. "Back in my younger days of college my roommates and i heard of a super computer being built, one that could control all other computers buy using simple hacking codes. In testing it had broken through some of the most advanced security software in the entire world or Rayllom." He smiled pressing in the pure white top of the computer and watching as the screen and keyboard appeared. "It was deemed to powerful to be used as a government tool, for sometimes the programs did unknowing things. The programmers freaked when hey found it doing things they didn't know what to call. They're amateurs. They didn't see it's power. It had forced itself into other programming systems and firewalls, slipping through unnoticed, like a ghost. They programmer thought it went too far. so they had the main prototype and all others being made destroyed."

    "then how did you get one?" Kary asked staring at the metallic white surface of the keyboard. Viper tunred the screen around, and all could see on the back hand painted in what looked to be metallic green and gold paints sat a viper, coiled and ready to strike.   

    "We hacked into the system and got the blueprints. This is the one i made oh four some years ago, i could never run it fully, for the processor had to be made out of pure platinum for it to work." He tapped the platinum triangle at the top of the metallic white pyramid. "Bring me any security system and i can hack into it no problem at all. The Viper is unstoppable."

   Vortex chuckled and slapped the brown curled haired young man on the back. "Good job. Now we'll put you to the test eh?" He handed Viper the blueprints and papers on the security systems of Vanderbelt's mansion. "You've got four hours, start learning. Kary and i are going in twenty minutes to send the signal, when we get back.." His face suddenly switched to stone. "It'll be a just a few hours before the kill." 

    Viper cracked his knuckles. "Alright. I'll stay here with Hemora then." He glanced at the samurai, now sitting cross legged on the floor with two blades, sharpening his sword. The batosi barely blinked when his name was mentioned, he was too involved in this delicate work.

    "Fine then." Kary said pulling herself onto Vortex's back and holding tight to his upper body to steady herself. "Hemora keep clam. Viper work your butt off." And in the blink of an eye both disappeared as Vortex hurled them through the Myias. 

    Kary felt the heat wavering against her skin and clung tightly to Vortex's back, she had almost fallen off once, something she'd never want to repeat. The heat was so intense in this warp dimension of space and time. How Vortex had access to it was still a mystery, it was said only dragons could use it. Only dragons, and Gods. They blinked out of the heat and arrived on the top floor of the ritzy building Vanderbelt lived on. It was evening, around dusk so their chances of being seen where still pretty good. 

    "Hush now." Vortex whispered his form changing to his humane one and he pressed himself against Kary and they both disappeared again, using another forbidden skill, cloaking. This one worried Kary just as much as the popping to the Myias, cloaking was forbidden by law and by the church, only three people had permission to use it. And they would remain nameless forever and more since the church had decided against protecting their uses of it. Secretive government business apparently.

    Vortex and Kary carefully walked over to the side of the building, Kary leaned down and pulled from within her cape a hook, that looked really more like a scythe. She crouched down besides an air condition unit to avoid being seen and Vortex stood besides her. "Should i do it then?" She asked staring at the blade with her golden green eyes.

    Vortex stared at her. "If you will. I did it last time, and.." He held up his wrists. "I have done it without permission once again." Kary nodded. "I will do it the next to times..." He said as she raised the stiletto. 

    "No Vortex. We all have an equal share in this. Do not think I'm weak because of my gender." She said and closed her eyes and slashed open her wrist, letting the crimson stain the blade. 

    "You know i don't." His blue eyes watched the blood dripping onto the concrete. "I will wait here if their is a problem call me." He patted her on the arm and turned around again, his shape silhouetted against the setting sun. 

    Karyudo was now alone and she knew it as she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, and then released the breath along with a white shimmering mist that seemed to come form her inside. It incased her, swirling around her limbs and coating them with fine silver, making them look like mere shadows of what was once there until her entire body was covered. Closing her eyes once more she slipped through the concrete down 25 floors until she landed gracefully, her feet barely touching the ground in Vanderbelt's apartment. 

    The hood of her cape still pulled up she surveyed the room with green gold silvery see-through eyes that matched the rest of her spirit form perfectly. Then she spotted him, sitting in a reclining chair with a martini in one hand watching the news. Vortex, now. She said mentally, and the holo projector flickered off, along with all the lights in the building. "Cobra Vanderbelt." She whispered her voice ringing out like a bell in a stone temple. 

    The dark skinned man turned his eyes wide with fear as he stared at a spirit-shifter bred for centuries for one purpose, to kill. "What....what do you want?" He stammered the martini glass falling to the ground and shattering.

    "To pay my due to the gods." She hissed raising the blood dripping blade, the blood was the only thing that still remained vivid and crimson, the rest, even her clothing and blade shimmered metallic silvery. "I pay them back what i will take from you." She said as the blade and it landed inches away from Vanderbelt's ear, the blood dripping down the wall as it sang a clanging song. "Zealtella i give you the blood of an assassin for the blood of a sinner." She said looking skyward and raising her arms, it was a symbolic gesture, for they all prayed frequently but this was merely to scare their prey. "Mr. Vanderbelt," She said staring him in the face as her eyes glowed greeny-yellow. "You will not live through the night."  

    And she ascended back up through multiple levels to meet Vortex who flipped the power breaker to the building back on. "He's been warned. Now let's go." SHe stared at Vortex who stood with his hand in his pocket watching her with those intense blue eyes.

    "We can wait a little while, Viper still needs a while." H grabbed hold of her and warped them quickly down to a street Kary didn't recognize. "C'mon I'll buy you a drink." He said offering an arm as he took a step forward. 

    The huntress remained glued to the spot. "Last time you bought me a drink..." She said, recalling the night she recruited him was something she did rarely and she'd only speak of it with Vortex. "I remember you insisted upon making it more than one, eventually  getting me so buzzed tha ti ahd no choice but to go back to your apartment." 

    He grinned, fangs hanging out over pale skin. "Ah come now Karyudo. We both where buzzed beyond measure, i do believe that you forgave me about that a while ago." He sighed as she refused to move any farther, her greeny gold eyes for once as cold as his. "I've told you i was sorry. But you ddin't object, and i am a man..."

    "Your not a man." She said narrowing her eyes. "Your not human, so don't call yourself a man." Another thing Karyudo hated, men and mankind. They had hunted her people to near extinction, so she had her right.

    "Alright fine, I'm a male. What did you really expect? You know me now, back then you didn't, Kary. And you now i don't take to people easy, i use them for what i want and then i eliminate them. Do you really think that you could have stopped me that night and explain your little story like you did with Viper?" He said taking a step back and staring at her. The light was completely gone, and now artificial lamps cast their glow down onto the misty street they stood upon. 

    "Vortex i knew i couldn't stop you even if i did want to. I can't ever stop you. No one could." She said the look in her eyes far off and distant as she took a step towards him. 

    "Kary...you could stop me. I'd stop for you. Your the only thing that's given me a second chance and and third and fourth, well that's not the point. I've screwed up so many times. If i didn't have you and Hemora i wouldn't have  purpose, i would have probably already been hunted down and killed. I would have given myself away on purpose, because i hated my life before i met you two." He was now standing above her staring down at her while she stared at him. "I'm sorry I've screwed up so much, and been so much of a jerk. But, i mean, do you know how it could possibly feel to know that everyone in the universe wants you dead?"

    "Yes." Kary said a tear running down from the corner of her eye. "My people where hunted into extinction Vortex. For the same reason as yours. When society finds something powerful that they can't control they don't think of them as lives, or even as something that has feelings. They eliminate them, the entire race, but they missed me because someone saved me." She sighed tears now streaming down her face. 

    "A black demon catagrapher by the name of Vortex." 

    "What? How?" He asked, sliding his arms around her and moving her towards a wall as a gangly looking anthro lizard passed smoking something that defiantly wasn't a cigarette. 

    "That night, at Cloud 9 i found out i was the last of my kind, the assassins hired to kill us all had just removed my brother's head in a rather crude manner. And they where out to get me. I knew there was no way i could escape them, i couldn't become invisible, even in my spirit form like some of my ancestors knew how. So i knew pretty much, i was doomed." She wiped a tear off of her cheek. "So i feld to a bar, wishing to make my self as drunk as possible so i wouldn't feel the pain. But before i walked inside i saw you in your-your-"

    "pure?" Vortex suggested for it was widely known that any catagrapher had no real form to his body or soul, they just imitated others.

    "Yes pure form. I watched you get pissed off at some guy and knock his head off really easily. And i just thought 'if i could only use that guy for one hour or more to protect me form those bastards'. So i sought you out..." She smiled. "And if i hadn't come back with you i probably would have died.."

   His eyes searched her face as she told him this, not blinking once as he never did. He knew she had never told anyone this, not one person in the world for it would have given away her weakness, something an assassin would never do. But she had just done it. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. Trying once more be began to speak but found himself again speechless. Instead he just shut his mouth and closed his arms tighter around her, trying for once not to screw things up like he had done so many times.  "I'm sorry it had to happen like that Kary." Where the only words he could find.

    She remained silent, trying to force back the tears that slid down her cheek as she buried her face in the winkles of Vortex's white dress shirt. "Can i just get that drink now? I really don't want to talk anymore about it."

    "Alright. But.." Vortex stammered. "I've wanted for a really long time to somehow make it up to you.." He said his hands moving southward towards her butt. 

    "Vortex!" She snapped taking a step back. But when she looked at his face to see his classic comical smirk after he usually hit on her in some rude manner she found it missing. Instead a rare look of honesty and seriousness replaced it and he dropped his hands to the ground in defeat. "That will only make it worse." 

    "How?" He pleaded with his eyes remaining where he was though both knew he wanted to move forward. "Don't you understand Kary?" He said anger flaring up in his blue eyes like flames in a dormant fireplace. "I can change for you." His form wavered into that of Hemora's and he took a step forward, vivid blue yes gleaming beneath black hair. "Or would you prefer..?" It wavered again to Viper's, curly brown now taking over his forehead but still the blue eyes that belonged to Vortex lingered. 

    Karyudo remained silent watching all of this as if through a looking glass. Vortex shifted again, his form changing and wavering so fast the only thing that remained constant was those two electric blue eyes that seemed to lock onto the huntress as his form twisted itself this way and that into unrecognizable things. "I can be anything." His tone was rougher angrier now. "Your nightmare." A demon hunter. "Your fantasy." Some guy form a late night tv show. When Vortex saw he was getting no reaction his shifting ceased and he was once again in human-ish form, panting and breathless sweat clinging to his forehead. "Just give me a chance?"

    "Vortex." Karyudo sighed, no hint of feeling in her voice at all. Vortex blinked for the first time in his life, and snarled turning on his heel and beginning to walk away, cutting through the thick fog that covered the ground. The huntress sighed and wiped the tears that where forming in her eyes away and began to follow him.

    But she barely had time to do so for something shifted in the thick white mist, someone. She glanced around, ten maybe more. Demon hunters. "Vortex!" She breathed her heart pounding loud in her hears taking away her breath as she forced herself into a run. "Vortex!" She shouted again but he continued on, ignoring her. They where almost on him, all eleven of them, with their cruel weapons that could bring even the most ferocious demon to his knees in one swing. Thu-thump-thu-thump, her heart pounded on as she forced her self to go faster muscles on fire a she screamed as loud as she could "ENEVA LASTIVISTA!" She saw the flick of his ear as he turned his face halfway.

    They pounced, all elven at once but when they stood up to see what they had caught their was no one. That's when 22 cold angry heartless eyes turned themselves on the huntress. And it hit Kary in that moment as she stared at the leader of the bunch, about her age with braided black hair and a bow an arrow. There was only one elven archer who had taken up demon hunting, Ellias. Her family's slaughterer.  

    She heard the stomp of feet behind her as Vortex reappeared from the Myias, holding Kary's two arm blades that she sued to kill. She strapped them onto her wrists and threw the cloak off her back. "My family." She breathed and Vortex understood. Blades formed on his elbows tail and wrists as he preparing himself for a similar assault.

    Ellais raised his bow closing one silver eye and letting loose of an arrow, it flew straight towards Vortex, the demon shifted himself in such a way that the arrow appeared to fly right through his side and continue on it's way. And that seemed to be the start of it. 

    The other ten demon hunters charged all wielding more gruesome and grotesque weapons than the elf's elegant bow. The first two that ran at Karyudo swung blades of steel and iron each tipped with a nasty looking wheels. She ducked and jumped as they swung the heavy iron things one at a time. Then the brilliant idea to attack at the same time popped into their mind as they swung as her mid section she leapt as high as she could and whirled in the air, kicking one in the jaw and slicing open the other throat. As the first fell down due to his broken jaw he grabbed Kary's foot and pulled her to the concrete trying to hold her as another charged, raising his axe high above his head. The pink wolven forced herself back as the axe was brought down onto the first's head. Having no axe the third glanced around and then tire dot jump on the fallen wolfess, big mistake, holding both blades out he landed on them, spilling his own blood all over Kary and the ground which was already running with a stream of crimson.  

    Four ran at Vortex who slung his tail at one, severing his head immediately. The limp body fell to the ground as the second tried to take the centaur by surprise. He slashed at his arm and found it cut through air, as Vortex popped into the heat of the Myias and back out again, bashing in his assailant's skull with a nasty elbow blade. Two more charged at him as he pulled his blade from the last's skull. Vortex's form wavered as they through what looked to be grappling hook at his torso, and once again it appeared to pass through him without touching him. The demon catagrapher roared and slashed at one with his claws, stunning him then finished him off with his tail. The last turned and, smartly, began to flee but the catagrapher was to fast for him, ten claws dug into his back at the same time and the man screamed in pain and agony. Vortex dropped his limp body to the ground, letting the man's blood join in with his friend's. 

    That left four more including the elven archer. Karyudo rejoined Vortex, standing and readying herself for the second rush. But their came no rush. Ellais' eyes burning he fired an arrow into the sky and all four of the remaining dashed away in retreat. "let's get them." Kary growled, dashing after their assailants but finding herself unable to move farther. "What's the matter with you Vortex?" She tried to pry his arm off but he held her tight. She continued to squirm so badly he used both arms to pick her up and carry her away down to the other end of the street. ""Put me down!" she pounded on his chest, having to be careful to avoid cutting him his her blades. 

    "Warmed up enough, that i suppose?" A voice twice as powerful as Hemora's normal one called and the pair of assassins looked around for the batosi. "Up here, that i am. And so is Viper." Both looked up to the buildings and saw, illuminated buy one of the street lights, a massive black dragon with an oddly shaped cross carved into his left cheek and a man on his back cloaked in a red hoodie who waved happily to the blood dripping duo.  

    The dragon leapt off the building top and came to a rather graceful landing, his black scales glistening in the white fog. Viper slid off his back, a rather long fall and came to stand in front of the two. "We've got to hurry, you two have been gone for about three hours. There will be a break where no security guard will be on duty at exactly 12:01." Viper checked his watch. "That's in about ten minutes." 

    "I can only carry one person through the Myias." Vortex said looking at all three of his associates. 

    Hemora gave a rather indignant snort. "I am a dragon that i am, and we did invent travel through the Myias did we not?" Vortex nodded. "Well what are you waiting for? I will be your 'beast of burden' then i suppose." He chuckled draconically and dropped to his knees to allow all four to pile on. When all where seated rather comfortably, (Vortex having to shift into his humane form again) Hemora kicked off the ground and flapped large black wings bringing himself skywards, up past the buildings and low life scum that lived on the ground. He kept going higher and higher until he was able to catch the thermals that drifted up form the concrete.

    The next thing they knew the heat of the Myias stung their faces and then, poof, right on top of Vanderbelt's apartment complex. It was time now, to test their skills. Viper pulled out the Ghost and opened it up, pulling up a screen or two. "Alright. Kary and Vortex can go down that stairwell down four in about four minutes and make a left, taking another stairwell down twelve floors; which will land you on floor 41. Now is where it gets tricky, ever since Karyudo sent the signal, Vanderbelt was almost doubled his normal body guards, there's two where their should only be one. And you're going to have to get in and out and only spill Vanderbelt's blood or it will look like a assassination. Vortex you will go down to floor twenty five using whatever means you like, just don't' be seen. Kary, you will stay on floor 41 which is empty tonight and make your way to the restroom and slip down to the 25. Hemora, there's enough room for you to be awkwardly snug in the bedroom. Shift and meet Kary in the bathroom. Vortex get to the bathroom as well. I'll give you further instruction form there." Viper handed out three pea sized microphones that they placed in their ears.   

    "Alright. Go now." The Viper whispered checking his clock." The huntress and demon catagrapher descended through the stairwell to their right. Viper picked up the ghost and carried it to sit besides the back of the stairwell, to avoid being seen by unwanted eyes. He typed a few things and a picture of Vanderbelt's living room appeared. "Here. Go now Hemora." The dragon looked at the screen and then rose into the air, only vanish a few seconds later." 

    Everything went according to plan, all three where comfortable assembled in bathroom waiting for more orders. "There are four guards outside of the bathroom door." Viper's voice whispered into their ears. "Take care of them. But not a drop of blood on the floor unless you plan to take out Vanderbelt in his bedroom."

    Don't worry Viper. He'll be taken care of and so will the deaths of his other guards. Vortex said aloud to his three companions. But when he waited the Viper did not Respond. Viper? He asked, waiting again for a few moments. The weirdness of it hadn't sunk in yet. 

   Only static. Little did the three assassins know, that the Viper had been caught. High up on top of the building a security guard spotted him and 'escorted him' down to the bottom floor. He'd have to wait a while to recon tact his crew. For now they'd have to do it blind sighted. Viper only hoped they wouldn't do anything stupid,

    We're doing this blindly. Something's wrong with the Viper. Vortex hissed mentally to his other two companions who where cramped into the bathroom along with the centaur. 

    There are many guards that there are. To many witnesses, i suppose. Hemora's mental voice responded. Karyudo nodded , and in the darkness both males could barely make out the nod of her head.

     They all must go. Every last one. She said her heart beginning to pump again, her hands already stained crimson along with the blades on her arms. It was time to push herself to the limit. It was time to kill....

    On three then, break into different rooms and meet back here when this side of the house is clear. No noise, remember...Kary said grabbing onto Vortex and Hemora's hands. 1..

    2..

    3! 

    The door flew open and three creatures flew out, each creature the supreme of it's kind. A dragon of ancient blood who could shift himself into a human, a demon catagrapher the calamity of all mankind, and a spirit shifter who was immortal when in her truest form. A team of highly skilled killers.

    Vortex took the left door warping in and out of the Myais so quickly only a whirl of blades could be seen as he slit the throats of the twelve guards stationed in the kitchen. Their screams where cut short as he hacked off their heads, warping in-between dimensions like he never had before. When all where silent he looked around, the kitchen was clear. Taking a breath he proceeded into the next room....

   Hemora took the middle, drawing his blade he charged. Four of them, taken by surprise as his blade sliced into their throats. Three of them he took down without any real effort, their blood spraying every which way as they fell to the floor unable to speak. The fourth was at the back of the room he charged at Hemora, a small dagger in his hand, blades sang as two blades collided. It wasn't even a match, the man's pathetic steel knife against the Batosi's legendary blade. He sliced right through and continued his down sweep, slicing into the man's jugular. He fell to his knees, crimson blood staining the front of the samurai's kimono. He sheathed his blade and raised one hand in a half arch, eyes closed for a second. Then advanced to the next room. 

    Kary to the right door, coming face to face with not four but five guards, all looked up from their game of pool as she entered leaving the door a stew she took out the one to her left with the swipe of her arm. Two more came at her and she leapt bringing her arm blades down sideways and crushing their skulls. The other two stunned at what happened to their comrades sat their as she rushed at them, cigarettes hanging out of their open mouths as she slashed their throats. More blood covered her black shirt. She wiped her brow, smearing her face with blood and continued into the next room. 

    The three assassins found themselves reunited, in what looked to be a den cross living room. A holoprojector the biggest any of the three had even seen flashed pictures of the evening news, the ministry was on once again talking about the most recent discovering in mythical beasts. Commercial break where adds for various companies came on, one put on by Sargon urged people to go off worlding to look for their dragon bonds, Ryslen held a clutch along with RoF and the Bipedra at CY all needed filling. 

    Someone sat in a chair, a empty liquor bottle lying at his feet, twenty five guards stood around him, all looking very interested in the bloody beasts parading about at CY, with the 3d projection the large Tai'nix from the late Azon clutch looked haunting as he killed off a herdbeast. The guards seemed more in tune to the projector than what tehy shoul have been. Only one remained alert and watching, but something was oddly familiar about him. Those blue eyes where haunting, and the black red tipped hair looked oddly well-known. 

    Karyudo looked around as Hemora crouched silently behind a couch about twelve ft to her right. She herself crouched behind a chair, waiting for him to look at her. His green eyes met hers. "Twenty five." She mouthed and he nodded.

    "Where is the demon?" Hemora mouthed in response. Karyudo shrugged and looked around for even the flicker of a shadow. It was useless and she knew it, he could be literally anything. She felt a hand on her shoulder and whirled her blade around slicing however it was in the cheek. Vortex teetered backwards on his knees clutching his face. Kary grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back before he fell out into the open. Silver blood oozed from Vortex's cheek and he clenched his teeth tight to keep himself from yelping. Dripping to the ground he watched it burn a nasty hole into the carpet. 

    Kary looked up and her suspicions where confirmed, the only guard that was paying attention had just been slashed in the face. "Sorry?" She mouthed and Vortex nodded. Hemora drew their attention back to him by waving an arm. 

    "Go into formation on my word, that you will." The two other assassins nodded. Vortex's arm wrapped around Kary as he prepared himself to shift and throw her onto his back at the same time. Apart they where good, but together they where unstoppable. "Now." Hemora dashed out from behind the couch in one fluid movement, running so fast with his sword at his side he ripped open the bellies of at least three guards before they knew what hit them. At the instant Hemora had given the word Vortex was back in his larger meaner centaur form with Karyudo somehow, remarkable on his back facing backwards. She clenched onto him with her knees as he charged and she whirled her blades around fighting off enemies form the back he he took them on from the front.  

    Blood sprayed everywhere, soaking into the white carpet like grape juice and splattering onto the freshly painted white walls. Blood pumped in their heads and raced in their hearts and all three did what nature had intended them to do, kill. They tore open throats and gashed open heads, slicing stomachs and tearing into backs. No sooner than they had started they where finished, the dismembered bodies of twenty five guards laid around them, and blood pooled around their feet like some sort of sick rain.  

    All three stood facing their target, who was passed out in a chair. Cobra Vanderbelt opened one bloodshot eye and looked up into six wild ones, two green, two gold green and one set of electric blue. He blinked taking in a deep breath and clutched onto the chair he sat in. A small digital device was in his hand, it looked to be a phone. He clenched it as he braved up the nerve to speak. "Kill me and your friend dies."

    Hemora and Kary both looked to Vortex. " I could kill you so fast you wouldn't know what hit you." He growled, changing his voice with his shifting ability so that it was ten times the strength it normally was. "What are you talking about, our friend? Three of us came and three of us will leave."

    Do not sacrifice the Viper, that i will not allow that i won't. Hemora's mental dragon voice hissed. All three of them knew that it was every man (or woman) for themselves. But Vortex was so new...

    Kary felt her heart in her throat. She didn't want to loose someone so new. He was young and innocent, but then again he was helping assassins. Blood would never stain his hands, he was their tekke. He helped them in and got them there but they did all the killing. It was her blades that cut the throat, Vortex's blades, Hemora's blades. 

    Cobra blinked folding his hands together in a business like manner. "Listen. If i give the word, one word they'll kill off your friend. If you do not want him to die, turn yourselves in and i will set him free."

    "You think you have protection from us, i suppose? Because you hold one who you claim as ours is no fortification, that is isn't." The batosi snapped unable to control his urge to protect his friend. His thoughts strayed with Kary's.

    "Look out that window. I don't even have to speak. Touch me and he dies. Your going to loose either way. Why not save the life of one of your own? Or are you all just dirty self loving moral-less scumbags?" Vanderbelt spat glaring at three people who could have reached out and pulled his jugular out of his neck if that wanted to at that moment. 

    But six eyes stared out the window onto the rooftop of another building, where a man dressed in black held a gun to Viper's head. He struggled trying to free himself  but bruises could be seen on his face and the left lens of his glasses was shattered. His hands where tied behind his back and the man holding the gun kicked him for an added effect.

   Vanderbelt saw this as his time to move and shifted from his chair, trying to make a break for it. At the instant he moved he was thrown back as Vortex's hand and arm morphed itself into something grotesque that reminded both Kary and Hemora or what a tree root and tentacle crossed together would look like. Anyway it did the job pinning him to where he sat the chair. "I should kill you right now for threatening me." Vortex growled he teeth clamped together so hard he could have bitten through his jaw. "You will die tonight." 

    "Vanderbelt." Karyudo spoke unexpectedly. "I'll give you an even trade. Release the Viper and you will get me. I'm worth more than you know. The skin of spirit shifters is worth thrice it's rate in gold in certain other worlds. Especially a killer of a spirit shifter." Vortex recoiled his hand from Vanderbelt's neck staring at Karyudo like she had lost her mind. "Take me. I've got a high bounty on my head in many places. Just release the Viper and let these two get away." 

    Vanderbelt grabbed at his throat where tiny red welts where beginning to appear. He narrowed his eyes. "What would your spirit form happen to be?" He inquired, for if it was what he thought this would be very useful to him. The crops weren't growing well these days, something to do with overusing the fields. He needed all the cash he could get, and quick.

    "I am the huntress." She growled golden green eyes flashing. "Decision now." She said nothing, not even glancing at her companions. She was risking herself to save them and Viper, it was her one chance to redeem herself for the sins she had made.   

    The businessman opened his mouth to say something but as soon as he opened it a bladed hand was shoved through it, slicing into the slimy gray matter of his brain and instantly stealing away his life-force. The man slide back into his chair, his body limp, red blood dripping from the corner of his torn open mouth. Hemora jumped reaching for Vortex's arm but the demon was gone he blinked into the Myais leaving a cloud of red smoke form where he warped. 

    Karyudo gasp as she saw him reappear on the rooftop of the building where Viper was being held. Vortex slashed off the man's head so fast that he didn't know what hit him. Grabbing hold of Viper he was about to blink but something stopped him. "Quick Karyudo!" Hemora hissed reaching out a hand and standing dreadfully close to the window. She ran for it, taking the samurai's hand as he shattered the window in an attempt to jump through it. Glass flew everywhere and Cuts mixed Kary's blood with the blood of the victims that still coated her. She saw what it had been that stopped the catagrapher. A giant brown black dragon flapped it's wings and growled angrily staring down onto the demon and computer dork. 

    He roared again shaking the building beneath the feet of Vortex. Kary ran to him As Viper quickly made his way to Hemora who shifted into his draconic form and ported leaving the pair with one word "Headquarters". Tears ran down the sprit shifter's face as she clung onto Vortex.

    No time to think different, Vortex knocked Kary out of the way he took the hit the dragon swung at him, the impact sent him flying back into the building form which they had come.  He smashed into the building with incredible force and slide down limp his form flickering and wavering as he toppled to the ground, limp. The beast leaped screaming mentally They killed him! They killed my bond! You will die worthless demon! 

    Karyudo could do nothing but watch, in an attempt to save her Vortex had knocked her out of the way to hard, she had fallen and broken something. She tired nevertheless getting to her feet and hobbling to the edge of the building where she stared down at what was beneath. Vortex was somehow standing, their was so much blood on him now it was hard to tell where it was coming from or if it was even his. The dragon stood in front of him, smoke rising form it's nostrils. And all the while she could feel her heart beating in her chest. Doing the most heroic or possibly stupid thing she could have done she leapt from the building to try and save her friend form sheer death. She underestimated the power of his bloodline.

    Falling through the air she suddenly felt a pair of claws grip onto her as something caught her in the air. Screaming she struggled, causing more damaged to her already battered leg. "VORTEX! RUN!" The catagrapher had time to turn around once and see the only thing he cared for being taken away by a small black/violet racer.

    "Kary!" He screamed running trying to run towards her though he knew both of he legs where shattered. It was to late she was gone. And he was left here with a beast the size of a bronze to keep him busy. And on top of it all, the sun was rising and he could have sworn he heard the shrieking of Redge's all to recognizable black green dragon. It was now or never. The sun was rising, casting it's light onto the darkened alley. 

    The demon catagrapher's form shifted itself into the strangest largest black red dragon any one had ever seen, and it roared so loudly that the now smaller brown black took a step backwards and readied itself to run. To late, Vortex charged and leapt on the dragon, sinking his fangs into it's neck like a queen onto a herd beast. He drained the dragon of it's blood and leapt into the air beating tattered wings. Karyudo.. He roared once more before jumping into the Myais. 

***

    Three sat at the table instead of four. Two covered in dried blood and one covered in bruises that felt worse than they looked. All three stared off into space, their minds wondering off and on, trying to think of some hint that would give away their girl's position. She was like a sister to the dragon, a good friend to the snake and she was the only thing that the centaur lived for. 

    Vortex's hand tightened and relaxed on the handle of a vicious jagged knife as he let his mind wonder. A dried puddle of crimson stained the title floor beneath him and Hemora. She was the one who tended to their wounds, the only one who knew anything about medicine. "Where is she!' He growled throwing the knife into the wall behind him with rage.  

    "I wish i knew that i did. If anyone harms her.." Hemora snarled, dragon fangs hanging over his lips. "Damn that racer." 

    "Racer?" Viper inquired raising one eyebrow his eyes blurry and distant as if he was in deep thought, which he was. A dragon without a rider had taken her, he knew such things existed, for Azon had hatched at least 9 Riderless but this one looked foreign to Rayllom.

    "Yes. A racer, streamline a dragon that it is." Hemora said. "No doubt it was from Rayllom. Those markings where odd but the coloration was pure, i suppose.  "Ryslen descendant mixed Azonese engineering..." 

    "How can you tell that?" Viper inquired once more seeming interested enough. He had always been found of dragons, especially those wicked evil hydras. With a beast like that on his side he would never need to worry about getting beat up again. Or shoved into a locker, or given a swirly, or..

    "It showed in her frills that it did." He drained the glass of beer that sat in front of him and wiped his mouth in a rather rude way.

    "Track her down then Hemora." Vortex said his arms folded across his chest staring at the knife. "Your studly enough. Your blood runs back to Paladin doesn't it? That's pretty impressive for any female of Rayllomian lineage."

    "It's not that simple...that it is definitely not." The dragon growled running a finger subconsciously along the scar on his cheek, the scar that hide so many secrets of his dark past. "You two now nothing of the world of dragons that you don't." Suddenly a light flickered in his green eyes. "Wait...she could be i suppose! Yes! That it is!" The samurai's lips curved into a wicked smile. "She has taken Karyudo to CY. It's where the Halloween azonese are gathering that it is." 

    Viper pulled the Ghost form his pocket and immediately flipped it on, punching keys so fast that the other two hardly had time to blink. (well Vortex didn't have time to blink since Hemora has never to this date blinked..) "CY Dragonstake.." Viper said grinning. "It's where all the hydras are, and yes that's Tai'nix and Disomadas from Azon." He whispered watching the commercial for the Bipedra replay over and over. "I knew that sounded familiar."  

    "Then let's go. Viper you and me Hemora stay here." The samurai nodded and without wasting another second Vortex grabbed viper's arm and hurled them through the Myias. 

    When they where gone Hemora sighed, Vortex would be pissed off at him for telling him the wrong place to go but he could not disobey direct orders from his father. It would mean the death of all three of his companions and himself. Wehn someone as powerful as he tells you to send two candidates to their place of bonding you do it no questions asked.

    Hemora walked down the dark entrance hall contemplating how he would save Kary from the racer, his feet making no sound at all thanks to the draconic padded souls. He closed green eyes and warped himself to Ryslen Weyr. 

***

    Vortex and Viper's arrival was not the most welcome. No one quiet knew what to make of Vortex as he stormed around the place asking everyone he met where the dark purple azonese was. The majority of the hydras and hydragons partaking the the Bipedra had already cleared out, the clutch had hatched a week ago. Viper was quiet most of the time, rather in awe of all the large and "cool" hy beasts that remained. Some bondless some residents of the area. Most seemed to have come from Brianna, the feral green and black dragoness who looked almost twice as fierce as some of the lighter colored many headers. But if you traced bloodlines correctly it could be seen they all came from the Diamis herself.

    After asking the Head Knight of CY, G*non, where the racer was and receiving a dirt look and a rather rude response Vortex sat, defeated in some darkened room of the Dragonstake. He found ti by mistake, opening doors that only led to false hope, his one ture purpose in life had forcefully been taken from him. He was alone, utterly alone. He told himself he didn't care, he had been alone before. the only beasts, his sisters and brothers had all been brutally slaughtered. He was left, to live on, for many months. 

    Closing electric blue eyes he lashed his tail back and forth, picking up a rock he could barely make out in the dim light of the room and hurtling it into the space in front of him. the stone bounced off the cold ground with a clank followed by a skidding sound and then stopped. Vortex sighed and flicked his ear backwards detecting a sound. He dismissed it, perhaps that was a mistake. 

    You reek of dragon's blood beast. A powerful voice hissed followed by many cackling noises. Who is it you have slain? The question was odd, but Vortex had nothing better to do. Whoever was lurking in the darkness asking him question was about to meet an abrupt end. He was in no mood to play.

    "I have slain thousands of men and beasts. Today alone i killed more than 50 humans, and one brown black who's name has no importance to me. He was in my way." The last five words hinted a  threat as they where accompanied by a growl. 

    The voice was silent and Vortex was about to decide it had left or vanished or something when ti spoke again. Why are you here creature of black?

    "Because something of mine has been stolen. I am alone, again, one who gives no hint of who or what he is." It was clear the voice was from something masculine, Vortex's eyes now looked about the darkness, peering into it's depths but finding nothing. 

    Then we have something in common. I am alone as well.  The thing cackled with multiple voices that seemed to fill the entire room. Tell me who and what you are and i shall do the same. Such curiosity can be shared among killers i suppose. For more times we are allies then enemies when we work for the same goal. 

    "I am the Vortex, last remaining demon catagrapher in all the worlds." He paused allowing whoever to digest what he had said. He was still alive so apparently this wasn't a demon hunter, he doubted it in the first place, or some goodie goodie out to ride the world of evil. "And you? What are you called?"

    I have no name, nor bond. 

    "So you are draconic then?" The demon inquired his knowledge of dragons and riders was slim but he knew that only dragons could form such things as bonds with humans.

    One could say such. I am what the inhabitants of this dragonstake call a hydra. My blood is purer than all the rest of those hybeasts that flaunt their fake bloodlines. I am Majestic. The sound of many small snarls ehcoced after his words. I am from the Bipedra, from the purest bloodlines. I found no one worthy of myself so i stayed here. Alone, in darkness. Why are you here Vortex? What has been stolen from you, who seem like one so worthy to defend it?

    "The only thing i care about in the world." He said sadly. "A woman, not just any woman mind you. A woman equal of me."

    A Queen among your kind? The beast requested.

    "One could say so." Vortex said, a smirk crossing his face. She would be a queen if her blood ran draconic. A pink one. "Now i shall hunt down every dragon in the world and kill them all until they tell me where to find the one who ahs taken her."

    It seems we share another thing in common. The beast said and in front of Vortex 54 bright red eyes appeared in the darkness, glowing brightly. The light form it's eyes reflected off of three silver crowns that shown vivid silver. We both have a hate for certain types of dragons. I believe you and i can help each other out...

    "How so?" The demon centaur inquired un-phased by the large hyking's apperance. 

    You won't receive dirty or suspicious looks when you arrive at a dragoning place with a bond such as myself. Most won't dare to look you in the eye out of fear of your beast and, if i do say so myself, yourself. We could be an unstoppable team. Your and my brutally put together. We could save your queen and rid the worlds of fake hydras and hy-dragons. And who knows what else. A feral looks danced in the depths of the hydra's main head as all eyes watched the demon centaur, his reflection floating in their pupils. 

   "Then a bond we shall make Ikameshii. You and I.." A smile as wicked as Vortex's heart curled his lips as the centaur raised to his feet, taking a few steps towards his new partner in crime.

Imaskeshii is from CY Dragonstake

    On the other side of CY the Viper sat, watching dragons and hacking into the security system of one of Rayllom's largest banks. After all, how could a group of four assassins (three hungry men included) work without money? Besides that, he was bored, bored and sad. And hacking helped him get his thoughts off the present situation; the thought that Kary may never return to them. It was a cold kind of sting that ached in his soul, though the two had know each other a short time she had faithfully defended him against the Vortex. She stood up for him when no one else did..

    Sighing deeply he pressed the platinum button on the top of his computer, but before it closed he caught the glimpse of two bloody red eyes reflected in the the shiny white surface. Whirling around Vortex came face to face with 18 crimson robs. 16 stared at him from dog like snake heads on the neck of one main giant white head, who regarded him with interest. The heads and eyes of a hydra, but not just any. One of Rayllomian decent.  "Y-Yes..?" Viper stammered as the beast took another step.

    What do you call that deceive that you where using? It is like no other i have seen before. The main head of the beast inquired whilst one of it's smaller heads began to fight with another. A third snapped at the pair and they immediately stopped. 

    Viper blinked. "It's a computer, a very expensive Rayllomian one. Called Ghost." He explained, watching as at the word Rayllomain the beast's eyes focused on him. Rayllomian. My sire hailed from Rayllom, a beast know as Sesshouix, and my mother Disomadas, she from this place. His face curled into a wickedly disturbing grin, dog like demon fangs hung over his jaws. I had always wanted to visit Rayllom, to see the legendary damage my father caused. Alas, one more question, you call that computer a ghost, but why is there a snake painted on the back?"

    "Not a Ghost. The Ghost." Viper corrected, making sure not to say it to rudely. "The snake is rather symbolic." Viper blushed bright red. "It's my trademark.." 

    Ah. The beast said stepping forwards once again. This time Viper stayed put, not backing up. The son of Sesshouix nodded. Good then. You shall be the one to take me back to Rayllom. If you will we shall be bonds. I need a bond to travel and cause havoc and you need a dragon to get places. Viper dared not argue with his assumption. This beast of ghostly white was impressive. Now tell me. What are you called?

    "I am the Viper. And yourself beast of white?"

    Kashouix. He said another demented dog grin crossing his face. And the world shall know it soon Viper. They will know both of ours. Now i suggest we find your friend?

    "Which one?" Viper asked raising his brow as he pocketed the ghostly white pyramid and took a  step towards Kashouix admiring his silken white skin and well proportioned figure. 

  The demon who calls himself Vortex. He snarled. And that pure blood majestic...

    Viper dared not to question who and what the majestic was, he simply climbed up onto the lowered neck that was offered to him and sat staring forward, feeling something deep within him stir. He was meant for this. His blood was purest human, nothing tainted it, nothing that would give anyone a suspicion that he was somehow connection to the worlds of dragoning. But he knew in his soul this was what he was meant for. He closed his eyes and felt Kashouix's movement beneath his body. A smooth rythmatic feeling. Thank the gods for hy-dragons...

Kashouix is from CY Dragonstake

    Vortex and Viper departed Cy; successful but unsuccessful. Though the larger twice as powerful majestic pureblooded Ikameshii saw the slightly smaller but just as rugged Kashouix as a 'puppy' the two faired well enough. Both had evil blood in their descendant, therefore both seemed to hate the same type of thing. It was Viper and Vortex who would not mix, they seemed to have different ways of tracking down the precious woman called Kary. Vortex by sheer instinct and Viper using his methods of technology.

    That's when problems got started and the two decided to part and look for her in their own means. Now that both had means of getting around.

***  

    Rain poured down all around him as Vortex narrowed his disguised human face, he was completely in his human form this time. And this time he'd find that violet dragon. He'd find a way to Azon, even if he had to kill ten thousand people to do so. He was determined as the rain that streaked the dreary gray sky. It hadn't stopped since the day of Kary's departure. And it wouldn't until she was returned. 

    He kicked open the door to Cloud 9, and promptly lit a cigarette, scanning the crowd with his electric blue eyes. People swayed and danced with the loud techno music that blasted from the performing band's amps and speakers, and Vortex made his way to the wall, leaning against it and waiting. One would come soon enough, they always did. As his longing for Karyudo grew stronger and stronger so did it's lust, and unless he got himself some "action" he feared he would explode.

    Explaining this to Viper would have been ridiculously harder than it was to tell Ikameshii. But the hydra had understood better than he had first imagined.  Vortex took a long drag on the cigarette in his mouth, ignoring what Kary had told him it would do to his lungs. If one of them grew black his ash he could simply regenerate a new one. Smoke streaming out of his nostrils his senses told him someone was staring at him. His eyes darted around until he picked up on a group of four or five women looking at him form the bar. All of who where dressed in very little clothing, and making suggestive gestures with their tongues and they licked the straws on their drinks. 

    To keep himself from laughing at their pathetic-ness he turned the other way, drawing them further into his trap. What could he do, he was to hot not to attract a crowd. Or at least that's what he believed.  His nostrils picked up on heavy perfume, sending his senses into an unstoppable urge. He looked to his left and watched as the foxy red head made her way towards him, a grin spreading her face, curling her painted red lips into a smile. "Hi." she said shyly. "Care to dance?"

    "I don't dance." He responded simply and taking another drag on his cigarette. "I don't really like this place much, hurts my head. Want to go somewhere else?" He grinned, setting up his line that was impossible to refuse. "Like the Chez de Ressuir?" 

    The girls jaw about dropped. "Talk about class! Of course!" She smiled and took the arm that was offered to her. As she passed her friend her smile widened and the girl winked. All three remaining giggled as the pair made their exit.  

    It was easy enough, mortals give into temptation. Vortex's lip twitched, threatening to give away into a smile. But he contained himself as he lead the way down the long dark alleyway. Soon she would figure out that they where alone, very alone, and something waited for them in the darkness. Something no mortal could detect, something silent and evil as Vortex's soul. 

    That's when he turned on her grabbing her arms rather roughly and dragging her into a kiss. Unsure of what was going on, her instincts kicked in and she kissed him back. It wasn't long until her had her against a wall, pinning her back and kissing her as passionately as he allowed himself to do so. His thoughts straying purposely to Karyudo, he kicked open a door to the left of him on the building they where against. Ha. Pleasure before death? Ikameshii cackled gleefully into Vortex's mind. 

    Vortex ignored him and continued inward, knocking the girl down onto the couch and leaping on top of her. She pulled away from him. "Aren't we going a little fast?" She panted, brushing a strand of her red hair out of her face. 

    "Of course not." Vortex responded and jumped on her again, attacking her with more kisses. She gave in and in no time he had had his way with her. The entire time thoughts of Kary danced through his head as vivid as if she where sitting in front of him, giving him disapproving glances. How he ached for her, or just one more minute to see her one last time. His lust seemed to have never been slacked.  

    It was dark now, completely dark in the house, so dark that the girl couldn't make out Vortex even though he was sitting just in front of her. When her eyes opened again and she stared up looking to find him she caught the hint of a blade in shine of the little light that remained, coming from a crack in one of the boarded up windows. "Hello?" She gasp, suddenly realizing how venerable she was. Two cold blue eyes, one identical to those of the man who had ruffled her moments before stared down at her in a menacing way. "You got what you want, now j-just go!" She stammered scooting back on the couch and reaching all over for anything. 

    Vortex laughed, a threatening metallic sound that seemed to sum up all of the darkness in the room. "Fool." He muttered, now back in his demon centaur form. He grabbed her, grinning madly as she screamed, her pure terror made his blood pump even more than it already was. "You mortals are so foolish. Trusting in anyone and everyone." He cackled.

    "Let go!" She screamed trying to break free of his grip. She felt the hands around her neck as they threw her to the ground and her legs being pulled apart as Vortex began to rape her. There was nothing she could do put scream and kick and hope that he wouldn't kill her. It was futile, he was thrice her size, and he crushed her to the ground, her horror feeding his bliss. When he was done with her he threw her backward, her head hitting the ground and knocking her out cold. 

    He had never even bothered for her name. And she would never know his. 

    "Ikameshii." Vortex called and in no time the door had been removed as a 26 headed dark blue beast broke into the ld broken down building, the sound of his name and the scent of fresh human blood drawing him. Without question he grabbed the unconscious woman and tore her to shreds, enjoying the taste of fresh blood as he devoured her corpse. All 26 heads turned when they had finished devouring Vortex's temporary play thing. 

    You should not ahve let her scream so much. I can hear the sirens. The ministry will come for us. Ikameshii said his heads turning to face the cracked window. 

    "Then let us be gone before they get her. The world isn't going to miss another worthless whore." Vortex snarled. "And no word of this to Hemora, i think I've just destroyed his code." 

    Ikameshii cackled and blinked to the Myias at the same time as Vortex. The demon catagrapher was right, the world didn't miss another worthless whore. They missed a daughter, a friend, and a sister. But vortex cared not for anyone but Karyudo and now that she was removed all the restraints that kept him in place had been removed. The darkened soul of the devil ahd been let out, and the spawn of Satan was let loose upon the universe once again. If Karyudo was not found soon, Rayllom might be totaled again. 

***

The first thing she thought of when she woke up was him. Only him, visions of his face, his eyes, sounds of his voice, they rung in her ears when she opened her golden green eyes, rubbing her head. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was an extreme cold and then, nothing. Her eyes blurred and then focused on two green ones beneath thick black bangs. "Hemora?" Karyudo asked, blinking and letting eyes that ahd slept for a week focus. Hemora blinked, blushing bright red and quickly sliding himself of her bed.

    "I was just checking to see that you where ok, that i was." He said in all honestly quickly bowing in regard to the wolven woman. "You are missed desperately, that you are..."

    As he spoke, Kary's memory returned, up to the point of her blackout. "Vortex!" She cried. Hemora in mid sentence blinked. "where is he?" She asked leaping to her feet and glancing down at her leg, that was as almost by miracle whole again. 

    "He is in Rayllom." Hemora responded quickly looking her over to make sure that she was alright. He had faithfully waited at her bedside for a week as the nurses had tended to her. Her leg as healed alright. Bones where easy to mend, but the deep wounds she had received on her arms and back where still covered in bandages, apparently they where infected. At least that's what the master healer had told Hemora. "Sit back down. There is someone i want you to meet first."

    "You left him in Rayllom...? alone?" Kary's stomach turned upside down. She knew she was the only one who knew, but she'd assume that Hemora would have at least thought about it. She had to be there, to keep him from loosing it again. His blood was unstable as a Cxi's. If provoked to kill while she wasn't around to keep him in tact, he might just go loco, and kill everything in site. Fight until someone kills him....or worse...

    "He's fine. Ikameshii is with him. He swore to me he wouldn't let him take more than ten, that he did. " Kary would have asked him who and what Ikameshii was if she would have had another opening to speak. "But Karyudo, there is matters of more importance, that there are. You missed her once, but now is your last chance. Leave now and you will miss her forever i suppose."

    And with that Kary nodded, forcing the thoughts of Vortex to the back of her mind. His words where foreign but his tone seemed urgent. She took his extended arm and allowed him to lead her through the halls of the building they where in. She had no idea where she was and everyone she passed stared at her like an intruder but gave nods and looks of recollection to Hemora. What had she missed? Had she done something wrong?

    When she grew even more lost, Hemora turned down the last hallway and brought them face to face with a man that Kary at once recognized. She cried out taking a step backwards and trying to hide behind Hemora. "Hail Sargon, son of Sabbar of the order." Hemora said raising his hand in way he often did before he killed. It would be the only time anyone would ever here the samurai talk "normally".

    "Hemora son of the black of the order." Sargon's golden eyes found Kary and watched her intently. "so she is awake?" He asked a grin flickering his face. "Why so shy? Afraid that i will kill your friend?" He gave a warm chuckle. 

    Karyudo looked up at him from behind the folds of Hemora's pink kimono. "How-How'd you..?"

    "I can smell the scent of another of my kind from anywhere, even if his blood is only half." Sargon laughed eyebrows narrowing over yellow eyes. "It is all over you. " The god among the darkness laughed. "Don't worry yourself, nothing is wrong in Rayllom. He's still in slight control of him self though his blood ahs began to boil. They won't call out for Sargon until 500 have died in a tragic accident." His smile was warm, though the fangs gave ti a rather feral look. "He will not become the next Garth, the reason he kills is out of the love he denies. Garth killed for power."

    Hemora cleared his throat rather loudly. "The matter at hand Sargon, must be attended to that it must." 

    Sargon nodded. Reminders of his betraying brother where never a good thing for the ancient Sanrixian. "Right. Kary it seems that your dragon has been waiting for you. You missed her when she hatched but she waited for you. And she is waiting now." He pointed towards the mountains. "She has waited in solitude, far within the peaks. A place that can only be reached by the means of dragons." He grinned at Hemora.

    Karyudo slightly confused at the moment nodded her head. "I'll fly with Hemora." She answered, and no sooner said then done, Sargon turned tail and lead the way farther down the hall. Light poured in from somewhere up head and when Kary reached it she saw that it was an entirely open balcony, that reminded her of what she had seen in pictures of the Greek and Roman coliseums. Just the way it was decored and carved, mind you.

    Sargon's form shifted as seamlessly as Vortex's always did, into a large black dragon with glowing golden eyes, ones that mirrored his normal ones. Kary wondered if this was just something he did, and just something Vortex did. She never bothered to ask if either could change their eyes.  Hemora shifted a little more clumsily into his scaly black dragon form and someone walking past the balcony dropped the basket they where carrying. If dragons could blush Hemora was doing so, he flicked his tail about nervously, and folded and unfolded his wings as the woman stared up at him calmly. 

    "You've brought him back?" She asked, hazel eyes remaining stationary on Hemora though the woman addressed the Sanrixian. "The people will not like it." 

    "He has sworn never to return Kat. This is his son. Uncanny resemblance though..." Sargon growled in a ancient draconic voice that made Kary shiver. She never knew dragons could speak, well, dragon-shifters. 

    The Sanrixess nodded, her golden brown hair flowing like a halo as she retrieved the basket she had dropped. "Just hurry and get him the the air, or the people will surely think him to be..." She looked both ways just in case anyone was looking. 

    Please don't. Hemora begged, green draconic eyes pleading with the woman. It is bad enough without them knowing. His head gestured to Kary. Kat nodded and began to walk away, as Kary decided to keep her trap shut and climbed onto Hemora's back. A draconic sigh and he was up in the air, following Sargon's lead.

    Kary had never ridden dragonback ever, at first she was unsure of herself, clinging onto Hemora's neck like a frightened child. But soon enough when they where clear of the large black marble building and soaring through the sky at an altitude only know to those who can fly freely through the air, Kary began to enjoy herself. The huntress released her grip and looked around, letting the wind whip through her bright fuchsia hair, and closing her eyes as if she herself where flying. 

    The batosi laughed, a great rumbling sound that shattered Kary's fantasy. You groundsfolk are funny, that you are. I believe Viper did the same thing, that he did. The pretending to be the one doing the flying, i suppose. Hemora said and for effect pumped his large black wings.

    "Sorry if it offends you samurai." Kary said shouting over the wind, she saw one of Hemora's fur tipped ears flick backwards so she knew he was listening. "But it is a great experience! I wish my blood had dragon in it. Especially blood like yours! you are a great flyer!" 

    Hemora flapped his wings a few times before answering. Tis a great experience, that it is. Dragon blood is a curse and a blessing. I myself am a dragon Karyudo, i only assume human form not the other way around. So you might say i have human blood? But i don't. There are a limited amount of us left, dragons with the old blood. My father is the only son left of the two that created the magic that allows things to shift into other things.

    "tell me Hemora." Karyudo said quietly, though she knew she was not by far underestimating the dragon's hearing. "Who's blood courses through your veins that you are so ashamed of?" She had wondered long, for she had an idea, there where a limited amount of pure black dragons on Rayllom, even fewer with a full set of frills. In fact, there was only one ebony dragon with a full set of frills. 

    Hemora's neck swiveled around so that the right side of his face could be seen, along with his odd cross shaped scar. Tell you the name of the one who betrayed the code, the one who is shamed the name of all black dragons? The one who caused the 7 year war? Tell you the name of the black samurai? I think you already know. And he would say nothing for the rest of the journey. Which coincidently wasn't very long, for at the moment he turned Hemora dove down, following Sargon into the mountain crevice. 

    Karyudo clung tight to Hemora's shoulder to avoid falling off as he pulled into a landing. Sargon shifted along with Hemora back into their normal forms and Sargon stepped closer to what appeared to be a cave. He called to something inside with a name so foreign it make Karyudo grow curious to what waited in the depths. "Vussenrieth." 

    Out came something that made Kary wonder, a pink snout with a pink horn and a small silver stripe that ran the length of it's two tone metallic silver/fuchsia body. The dragoness spread her silver wings as she viewed on newcomers with frosty rainbow eyes. There was something odd about this dragoness, something that seemed familiar to Karyudo, like she had known her for a very long time. 

    "Ryslen blood. Looks like a little Utopian too." Hemora whispered, with a wink at Kary. She rolled her eyes, Hemora had always 'fancied' ryslenesque blood in lady dragons, something Kary couldn't and wouldn't understand.   

    Trexx. Look. Her hair is the same color as me. Do you think it's a sign? Do you think this is her? The dragoness wondered aloud, and from behind her came a streamline dark violet racer, Trexx. At this Karyudo screamed and in ten seconds flat she was on top of the medium sized racer, kicking and punching her as hard as she could.

    "Stupid! Terrible! Evil! rotten!" She said, only getting in two good kicks and a good punch before Hemora grabbed her around the wrist. "That's the dragon!" Karyudo growled, trying to break free of Hemora's iron grip. "The one who drug me here. Who left Vortex there to do god knows what!" And with that she turned on Hemora, threatening to knee him in the crouch. He released as any male would do and she charged at the violet dragoness.

    She was struck down as a lightning fast silver tail lashed her in the side and two large pink paws caught her on the fall. Her back slammed into the ground and though she tried to wriggle free her efforts her useless, for the second time in her life she was pinned down without a way out. And this time Vortex hadn't been the one doing the pinning. This strange fuchsia/silven beast had whip lashed the 4th finest and 1st fastest assassin in Rayllom. 

    I will not allow you to hurt Trexx. She did nothing she was not told to do. Sargon told her she'd find you leaping from a rooftop and she went to get you so you could have a chance to meet me. He said that you and i where supposed bonds. But i could never bond to someone foul enough to strike down an innocent. She growled, the dragoness' fangs where strong and beneath her smooth hide, muscles rippled and tensed. I ask you now assassin. who are you and what do you want?

    Silent tears from both mental and physical pain streamed down Kary's face as she clenched her teeth. "I am Karyudo, last of the spirit shifters of the fourth order. It is my sworn duty to attain and maintain watch over a escaped demon catagrapher named Vortex who was greeted 80 years ago as an accident using the blood of a catagrapher, a cxi demon and that of one of my tribe."

    "As the last of my kind i was assigned to kill him, but i was hunted down by Ellias the bounty hunter along with the rest of the people of my tribe. Ellias, once one of us, the only elven spirit shifter betrayed us all, working as a double agent. Vortex saved me, and has repeated saving me for the last three years, and in which i have unwillingly given him my heart." Karyudo paused, taking a breath and ignoring the throbbing in her head. "Stand aside now dragoness. I have no quarrel with you. I only want to reek the damage onto the one who pulled me away from the only love i had left in the world. I am so naive, looking only for the good in others..." She tried to shove herself up, using everything she had within her but the Dragoness knocked her down again and held her in place. 

    You have gone through much, Karyudo of the spirit tribe. The dragoness said. And so have i. Abandoned at birth, left to grow up here with the twisted bondless royals of the Halloween frenzy clutch. We both have had our hardships those yours is much greater. I do say this; though the stench of a demon reeks from you i believe you. His scent is evil, but yours is quite the opposite. You are good underneath your rough apperance, and for that reason i release you. She did as she said and stepped back. You would not kill an innocent dragon. 

    Kary gasp, thankful to have the pressing weight removed from her. She pulled herself to her feet slowly, watching Trexx with a vengeful eye, and taking a few steps forward she began to run. More tears streaming form her eyes she sat down, deciding against it. And she began to weep. Hemora went to her and draped a comforting arm around her. "She's had a long day that she has. I will take her back to her room for now, i suppose. Tomorrow, when she is more aware of things i am sure she will come to realize who you are, that she will. "Hemora's eyes met the frosted rainbow ones of the fuchsia/silver dragoness. He shifted to his dragon form and allowed a frantically crying Kary to climb onto his back before he kicked off and headed towards Azon's main hold. 

    Wait! Vussenrieth cried, leaping into the air after the pair and beating her wings frantically to catch up with the dragon at least twice her size. 

    Hemora halted as if he half expected this and allowed the dragoness to join him, flying on his right side she had to beat her wings three times to his one. A problem, that there is? He asked calmly. 

    If i let her get away again i might never get another chance. I know she is the right one. Karyudo do you hear me? She asked and Kary nodded, watching the pink silver dragon as though in a daze.

    "And i understand Vussenrieth. You and i would be a great team." She wiped the tears from her eyes. She had never told anyone, especially not Vortex, for he'd call her stupid, or Hemora she feared he'd be offended, that she had wanted a dragon bond. Now she had one, and one that matched her perfectly. A weak smile spread her face as she tried to restrain the tears. 

    Hooray. No more 'pack muling' for me, i suppose. Hemora laughed though he said nothing when Kary made no effort to try to leap to her new bond's back as reached the Sanrix.  

     This just wasn't Kary's day however, as soon as the two dragons landed, Sargon following a few minutes later, a smug grin planted on his face a giant white dragon appeared in the sky. "Who is that..?" Karyudo asked, assuming that since it was around evening time that all the dragons of the Sanrix where about to settle down. 

    It looks like Sesshouix. Vuss said but on taking a second glance as the beast neared  she let out a shriek and dove behind Hemora, who remained in his dragon form. he's mutated! Sesh has mutated! he grew like 6 heads!  She shrieked mentally, the idea that Sesshouix might have spawned more of his kind not forming in her mind. She knew that white bastard dog demon dragon, and she thought him to be quite the womanizer.  

    Hemora laughed. Hail Kashouix, Viper What brings you here so soon, what it does? Karyudo blinked taking it in that the feral white hydra belonged to her mild mannered and intelligent friend. She was glad to see him, but at the same time taken aback. Viper leapt off his dragon and rushed to Hemora. 

    "Vortex!" He panted, having to lean down on his legs to catch his breath. "He....he.." He took a  deep breath staring at Hemora, who's glad welcoming look had vanished. "The Vortex....he's gone...I've lost him."

    Kary felt cold as she heard him speak, the words she seemed not to believe. "He is going to kill again....without any consent....it seems he takes pleasure in it now....extreme pleasure..." Viper panted. "This time we can't let him. I couldn't do anything about the first few, and then i just didn't want to get in the way. He's so...untouchable now..." His eyes caught Karyudo's and Viper ran to her, almost crying, not believing what he saw. Hemora had refrained from telling Vortex and Viper that he knew where Kary was and that she was alive for that matter. 

    "Kary...you're...you're-"

    "Where is he?" Kary demanded, ignoring the pain as Viper hugged her to tightly, opening up the wounds on her torso again. 

    "Who? Oh....Kary...don't...he's not...himself anymore...he's...a beast..."

    "Where?"

    "Seventh street. Cloud 9...."

    And with that without even saying a word Karyudo jumped onto Vuss's back and she teleported the pair immediately. Though their bond was new and not yet as strong as others, they understood each other, almost immediately. 

    "Shouldn't we stop them?" Viper said, staring at Hemora.

    No. Hemora said a smile spreading his draconic face. Maybe finally they will admit their love, that they will. That or Kary will kick Vortex's butt for raping other women whilst she was gone, that she will and surely can. Hemora laughed and walked off, his draconic feet not making sound on the grassy landing space, he headed in the direction of the mountain caves. Off to flirt with the females again...

Vussenrieth is form Ryslen Weyr

***

    It was time. Karyudo knew it deep in her heart. She'd have to restrain him, with everything she had. So she could tell him, so she could come clean, admit it. Vussenrieth's wings pounded hard through the rain, lightning crashed down around the pair, and thunder ehcoced loudly as if it where surrounding them on all sides. Thank you for your aid Vussenrieth. Karyudo said as the pink/silven dragon came to a landing in front of the bar that just happened to be the same one that Vortex and Kary had first met at.

    You are welcome. Vuss nodded, retreating into the shadows of a building to keep herself dry as she could. Be careful; this guy you love seems to be the dangerous type. 

    Kary nodded as she entered the bar, completely drenched in both water and her own blood, her eyes seeking one man only. Her side pounded along with her bad leg and a few other small cuts and scraps that where leaking crimson all over her. 

    Strobe lights pounded all around and it didn't help the pounding in Kary's head. That's when it hit her, a door open to her left, at the rear of the building. A bloody handprint on the wall almost gave it away. Vortex had taken his most recent victim in there. Taking a step forward she reached the door in no time at all, pushing through people who gave her dirty looks. She didn't care, all she was concerned about was him. 

    Pausing at the door, she knew she wanted to go in but something held her back, something halting her anxiety. Peering around the corner she tapped the door open and stared into the darkness. Her eyes adjusted and she saw it, Vortex, in his human form deeply entwined in passion with some other woman. A human woman. He had sworn on his life blood that he would never be in contact with humans, and now he was...with one?

    A small gasp escaped Karyudo's lips as the tears slid down her cheek. She knew he heard it and she flattened herself against the wall, not wanting to be seen. "What is it?" The voice of a strange unfamiliar woman came form the inside.

    "Oh nothing." Vortex said in that slick voice he used when dealing with  the matters of the heart. Kary could feel her heart breaking, he had never used that voice with her. Only with the other women they came in contact to. Sliding down the wall she let out an involuntary groan. This was wrong. Why was she here? Why was she even trying to get his attention?

     She opened her eyes again and ba-boom! Thunder crashed and suddenly the whirling techno music and neon lights where gone, power failure. It must have been a serious storm outside. The bar's owner, Roxanne had passed out flashlights to her guests. But Karyudo remained in darkness, her heart burning with anger and jealously. 

    She decided to confront him, one final time, in front of whatever woman he had. She didn't care anymore, she just needed to see him one more time, then move on with her life. She still had Vussenrieth, and she had sworn never to leave Kary's side. 

    Crawling in the open doorway she moved with swift and precise speed, right above where the pair rested. Karyudo's eyes burned with rage and she raised her arm, ready to strike the stupid woman who had stolen her man away from her. She brought it down, only to be caught by a human's arm as a pair of fierce blue eyes opened. They glowed in the dark with rage and the woman beneath him stirred form his sleep, screaming as she saw the glint of the blade on Kary's arm. 

    She screamed even more when she watched the "human" she had just slept with transform into his demon centaur form and twist the arm of his assailant around, the blade on his other elbow at her throat, gently slicing in, drawing blood. Vortex' temporary playmate passed out clod on the couch, her eyes rolling into the bakc fo her head. "Whoever you are" He hissed, his voice deadly and cold. "You have failed and your master won't be pleased to know that you didn't stop me. No one can stop me." A cold wicked laugh. "Now that i have nothing to loose, show me what you're made of!" The last words where more like a roar as he released the woman he did not know to be Kary. 

    She came at him, slicing and throwing wild punches and he dodged them, throwing his own. A few from both sides hit, though the advantage was clear, the Vortex was winning. They battled in the dark, mere seconds that felt like minutes, 2 minutes that felt like an hour. One final blow, the Vortex slashed her across the stomach. Karyudo went down hard, screaming in her rage. A draconic roar from outside ehcoced threw the building as Vuss felt her bond's pain. 

    Kary held her back with mental words and wiped the blood that ran down her chin. Vortex's silhouette moved towards her, only his eyes glowing fiercely. He grabbed her arm and she yelped, it was bleeding already, but his extremely hard grip hurt the bruised muscle tissue. "So he sends a woman to do his dirty work. Tell me who you are, before i kill you assassin."

    Karyudo screamed at him, trying to break free of his iron grip. "You overgrown worthless womanizing demon!" Vortex laughed coldly, his eyes narrowing threateningly. "I'll tell you who i am, and i don't care if you slit my throat. It's worthless for me to live if the only one i care about doesn't give a crap about me. You know she told me you where evil." Karyudo said, a plan forming in her head.

    "Who?" Vortex growled taking the bait and tightening his grasp.   

    "Karyudo of the spirit clan. Just yesterday, she told me that you had given up on her. Left her to die in the quarters of Azon with only Hemora to watch over her."

    "YOU LIE!" Vortex roared, slapping Kary across the face and snarling angrily. "Karyudo has fallen. And when she fell she took my life with her. I have nothing to live for anymore assassin and just for that i will make your death a slow one. Not even i would result to playing the feelings of another to lead to their own freedom." He raised his hand, ready to strike again.

    "What if i told you she was still alive?" The huntress said, in an inquiring voice, listening closely to the people outside. It was too late, her plan was spoiled, they had found the switch. On came the lights. On came the pain.

    Vortex could not believe it, he felt like he was, half asleep. His eyes wide he stared down at the thing that had pushed him to far, tormented him from the inside with words speaking about his lost love. And there she was, beaten by his own hands, lying before him on the floor. His love, the huntress, close to death again. Damage dealt by his won hands. "K-Kary..." He whispered, dropping to his knees both eyes wide, one hand reaching out as if in a dream. It couldn't be, she couldn't be there, in front of him..

    But Karyudo did not smile, or take his out reached hand. She slapped him as hard as she could across the face. Half stunned he touched his cheek, then looked at her, still unbelieving. "I leave you for how long and you go and give yourself to another woman?" Tears stained her face, and she folded badly bruised arms, ignoring the pain. "I don't know why i even came back for you.."

    "Karyudo." Vortex said crawling forward on his knees so that he was closer to her. "I...I.." He swallowed. "I thought you died. I gave up, i didn't know that Hemora knew.." It hit him that his friend had kept something from him and he clutched his fist. "Karyudo i looked at every dragoning place on the face of this planet and on others. Imaskeshii and i searched every hold there was." He sighed looking down. "After a while i gave up searching, and gave up on myself." Something flashed in his blue eyes. "I fought, and fought and killed and slaughtered the innocent, without you there was no purpose for me. I lost myself in the darkness that consumed me." 

    Kary knew his words where honest, before her he had been a force of destruction, leaving mass chaos in his path. But when she was with him, his purpose contained him. Life without purpose is a life without meaning. Karyudo wiped the tears from her eyes and threw her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. "Hay hado les evoda ivyos." 

    Vortex wrapped his arms around her waist and tucked his head into her shoulder. "How can you say that. Looks at what I've done to you. All I've put you through." He said, his fingers tracing over the large bleeding cut he had just inflicted to her moments before. 

    Karyudo was silent for a moment. "Vortex, i wouldn't care if you sliced my throat and killed me. I think I'd still love you. Because i know that you would never hurt me intentionally." 

    "Your right." Vortex said. "I'd never intentionally hurt you. But when your gone from me, i loose it, and i cannot distinguish friend form foe. If you had not stopped me i would have killed you. Like i killed so many." He sighed. "I wish i could tell you how much i missed you what i did to try and fill the hole in my heart, but i do believe you'd kill me for the things I've done."

    "Let's just not talk about it. I know you're not perfect, and you now I'm not. Now can we please go back home? That girl is going to wake up soon." Karyudo said, gesturing to the all to still figure of he woman on the bed. 

    Vortex laughed rather cruelly. "No she's not." He smiled a wicked smile. "It's demon nature to kill your mate after you bed them." He saw Kary's horrified look. He shrugged, he couldn't help it, it wa sin his blood. He was fierce, and when he was experiencing such pleasure he had a tendency to bite people. She would have died anyway, even if when Kary had attacked he hadn't stuck her in the neck with his elbow blade.

    "That's.....mean..." Kary said getting to her feet with Vortex's aid. The words she was looking for wasn't coming some they killed their mates?  Considering that Vortex's demon blood was the extra bad kind, it was amazing he could feel love at all. Something hit Kary. "Why didn't you kill me then?"

    Vortex looked at her, something clouded beneath those electric blue eyes of his. "Honestly, i don't know." He shrugged. "Maybe i sensed that you where stronger than the average human that i usually took as my prey." He helped her to the door and both walked through the bar. The whole attitude of the bar was light and happy and the two dark and forsaken assassins stuck out oddly, but no one noticed. They where gone so fast that no one would remember them. No one ever did. 

    The rain had stopped, along with the storm but the dark clouds remained, covering the sky with a  forbidden look. Karyudo spotted her bond right away, her silver/fuchsia hide standing out amongst the darkness, radiating a kind of warm glow. The dragoness dashed towards them, skidding to a halt right before collision. Oh Karyudo i was so worried! What happened in there? You're hurt! Oh my gosh! Kary...are you ok? Vussenrieth asked staring at Kary with frosted silver rainbow eyes that suddenly noticed Vortex, she stepped back. Is that him? Kary nodded. He doesn't look like i pictured him alright. Though he does fit the dangerous guy look. 

    Imaskeshii stepped from the shadows, all 27 heads staring at Karyudo, his  bright red eyes glowing fiercely in the dark, his natural habitat. His dark blue hide could barely been seen, so it looked almost as if his three crowns and many reds eyes where floating in midair. And what is this Vortex? Imaskeshii asked a feral light awakening in his eyes as all 54 eyes fell upon Vussenrieth and her fuchsia-wolfess bond. This time you chose a dragonrider to dull your lust for your queen? He laughed evilly and took another step forward on his graceful midnight blue feet. I shall enjoy this one much.

    Karyudo didn't bother to ask, she knew Vortex and probably what the large feral beast was talking about. It seemed both had bonded to beast that reflected them quite well. As Imaskeshii neared his main head dropped and examined Kary with crimson eyes, eyes the color of Vortex's red markings, the color of fresh blood. Kary promptly smacked him across the muzzle, so taken back, Imaskeshii blinked, unsure of what just happened. "I am Karyudo you over grown leech. And who is it that my Vortex has bonded to?"

    "I call him Imaskeshii, it means 'majestic king'." Vortex grinned smugly. "Sorry bud, but you can't eat this one. This is my queen." 

    Imaskeshii laughed draconically. Surely you wouldn't pick something as scrawny and...pink...as this wolfess for your mate would you? He blinked as Vortex nodded. Fine then, and my assumption therefore would be that that silver pink dragoness with wicked build is your bond? Kary nodded, an even more feral look filled Imakseshii's many eyes as a wicked dragon smile curved his lips. Then she's mine! He laughed and leapt towards the quivering dragoness. 

    Vuss shrieked, turning and fleeing as fast as she could, Shii following her all the way down the narrow alley way. "Shii! No torturing! you can't eat her either!"

    I wasn't planning on it! The majestic growled, pinning his prey to the ground with on paw as she tried to bite at one of his legs.

    Kary! Get him OFF! Vuss screamed, now trying to claw him with her paws. No use he was closing in. 

    As soon as Vortex saw what his bond was attempting to do he was over there faster than anyone could think. "Imaskeshii!" He growled and the hydra stopped looking over at Vortex. "Do not do that in public! And especially not to a dragoness you hardly know! I thought it was against your ways anyway, you said you'd rid the world of half-bloods!"

    Another fearful scream form Vuss and she wriggled free and ran to Kary's side, realizing what the twice as large ten times a fierce majestic was planning on doing. "Poor sick bastard." Kary said shaking her head. She had never really liked hydras much, coming forma  line of strict and orderly shifters, who of the few who bonded bonded at least half or whole silvers. The very first made his alliance with Silver Storm, and the line just followed suit after that. 

    Why not Vortex? You do it all the time? Imaskeshii said, still trying to figure out what was wrong. Vortex grabbed one of his crowns and explained it to him in his ear. Ah right....ok...the hydra said shaking his main head. I'll wait then. 

    Vortex walked back over to Kary's side, followed by a large blue-black hydra, one as fierce as his soul was. Kary smiled and took his arm, she didn't care any more what he did while she was away. In fact she didn't even want t know anymore. They where both killers, and their is nothing innocent no matter what the person ahs done, in the art of taking human life. 

***

It had been a long time since the bonding of the three assassins, and Hemora had grown rather, lonely in the process. His claims to not needing anyone bit at him sarcastically whenever he thought about bonding, the words echocing repeatedly in his head. He was older than most, all but a legend in his own time, and the son of Cormyr. A dragon himself, he needed no others