This is the Room of Torture's archive page

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Sitting by the weapons rack, Pup picked at her finger nails with a long curved knife and hummed a tune to herself.

Aproaching Pup softly, Poe fingers the rusty thumbscrew she has in her pocket.

Looking over at Poe, pup smiled. "Oi, Poe! Whatcha doin?" She grinned and put her knife into a pocket.

Poe grins and walks over to Pup. "just fingering what things i have before i stock up." She holds out her thumbscrew. She says as she points over her shoulder. "I brought a toy fo ryou to play with, Pup. He's noce and fresh!"

"Oh really? How lovely! Where tis my new toy?" Pup asked overly joyful now. "I haven't had a toy in quite a little while."

As Poe leads Pup to her new toy, she relishes at the groans of Pup's new toy awakening from his drugged sleep. "here you go, Pup! He's all yours! I'm going to stock up."

Pup gave her a wicked grin. "Have fun with that dear friend." She turned and, forgetting about Poe, she started 'playing' with her 'toy.'

Poe grins as she walks over to her closet next to Pup's and opens it, taking out various poisons and little 'toys'. Calls over to Pup, " Pup, can I borrow one of your thin chains? I need to try something next time i head out!" Smiles happily as she hears the muffled screams of Pup's new playmate.

Pup, hearing Poe's question, opened the door a little bit, letting other people in the manor hear the screams. "Of course Poe. You know you can borrow any of my chains that I'm not using." 

Looks around at Pup's assortment of chains. "Hmmmmm. I like this one. It's more like a rope, but as bitter cold as metal." Grins as she walks out of the closet and over to Pup.

"Pup, I think he needs a break. Let him get some energy back, then start all over, so you don't ruin him all in one try. Sound reasonable?"

"Hmmmm, I suppose so....." She came out of the room of torture and walked over to Poe. "Would you like to join me once I start up again?"

"Enthusiasticly I will join you!" She rubbed her hands together. "Thank you for the offer." As she takes a small dart out of a pouch at her waist, she croons to it softly, " You and I have a play date later." Poe put it back. "Lead on, Pup!!"

"Okidokie!!!" Pup cheerfully skipped to the room of torture to start torturing her toy again.

---

*Cykes walked around outside the manor, wondering what happened to the others*

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Pup skipped into the room and gave her newest toy a good kick in the gut to wake him from his break. "Guess what my toy? Mistress Poe has come to join the fun of teaching you with me." She smiled even wider when he pleaded and begged her to not let 'Mistress Poe' join. 

Poe walked in with a grin on her face. "Hello there, dear. Remember me??" Leans down close to Pup's toy and croons in his ear, " You will like this!" She laughes. " Or not!!"
Takes out her dart and softly touches it to his skin, just below his eye, barely breaking skin. He flinched, then starts to relax. " He'll wake up in a second. What this does is cause mass hysteria, excrutiating pain, and extreme lust, all in such large quantities, that it'll make him want to kill himself. It's quite fun to watch them jerk around and such." Poe giggled.

Pup giggled at this too. "Ooooooooh, this shall be Sooooo much fun!" She went over to a closet and pulled out two chairs. Putting them down, she sat in one of them. "Take a seat?"

"Need you even ask, Pup?" Says Poe as she sits down. She reaches into her bag and pulls out a paperbag full of popcorn. "Want some?" Poe says as she reaches into the bag and watches with delight at her poison going to work. "Don't you just love the screems?"

"Mmmmmmmm, popcorn. Oh yes, the screams are simply lovely!" Eating some popcorn, pup listens to the screams and watches as her toy twitches and suffers. "He will live through this, wont he?"

Poe nodded. "Of course....this potion wasn't made to kill. I may an assasin, but i do enjoy torture explicitly."

Laughing, pup nodded. "Most excellent my dear friend! I would hate to lose my pet too soon. After all, I still had planned other things for my deal pet." She lifted the toys head wit hher foot. "Isn't that right my pet?"

Pup's 'toy' looked at her thru narrowed eyes, clearly in pain, but having mastered it, he was a bit more couragous. Poe chuckled and walked over to him and stared down at him. "Why don't we have him taken to my room?" Poe nudged Pup and winked. " My room is a lot more," she coughed "peaceful, i suppose." Then she leaned and whispered into Pup's ear. " Being an assasin's room, he probably wouldn't make it past the first trap. What do you say we let him try to make it thru?"

Pup thought for a moment about it and whispered back. " A very tempting thought, but, do realize that I will then have to a new pet then." She pouted at that. "Finding new pets is no fun at all."

As Poe thinks about this, she sees Pup's new toy recovering from his little 'adventure' with her potion. "Hmmmmm. I agree when you put it like that. It is fun finding them, just not so fun getting them back here." She stands up and says farewell. "Well, I'm off to my room to change, then to find more little toys for you to play with. One of my scouts says he has found the perfect target. Male, blond, about twenty five years old, in perfect health. How's about it, Pup? Sound good?"

"Ohhhhh, that one sounds much better than this one! lets send this toy to your room, for at the mention of this new toy I have grown tired of mine olf one." Pup smiled and got up off of her chair.

Poe smiled. She held Pup's old toy by the arm and half walked, half dragged him to her room. " Here's Poe's Room, dear. Make it thru, and I'll let you go." Pups old toy ran into the room, then dropped to the floor, dead, because of the first snare. "problem solved." Poe said as she walked into her room.

---

a few hours later.....


Poe walked in. "Hello?? Any one home??" She looked around and strapped her pet to a table. "Hmmm..no one's here."

"although you can't see me, that doesn't mean I'm not here..." *Cykes appears from the shadows*

"And I am always somewhere in this manor," stated Pup as she entered through the hidden side door.

*looks at Pup* "hmmm..., I have never seen you around here..., you are?"

Poe looks at Cykes, then at her toy, clearly jealous as she starts tracing patterns up her toys arm with a rusty knife.

*Cykes looks at the toy dreamy* "I wish I could be that toy..." *shakes head* "what the..., I don't want to have my arms cut!"

Poe looked at Cykes. "Why in the world would you want to be my toy?" Looks around for the skin graphter thingy. Changes her mind and reaches past Cykes for her darts.

"why in the world wouldn't I want to be your toy?"

"You two are having way too much fun without me." Taking up a chain, Pup went over and dragged out her own pet. "I almost feel left out. Hmmmm, all well. Oh, and by the way Cykes, My name is Pup. I'm the owner of this mansion, though at times it seems that Poe takes over."

Poe glared at Pup and grabbed her darts. She stalked angrily to her table and opened the bag. She reached in and grabbed on, quickly jabbing it into her toys chest. She ttok it out and gently rubbed the area where it had gone in. She crooned softly in his ear. "That will get you ready for the times to come.....mass hysteria, extreme pain, and countless other goodies my friends and i have in store for you." She went and pouted in a corner, watching her toy have seizures.

"so you're pup and Crysta..., ok..." *looks satisfied* "say poe..., do you really need that toy to have seizures? there's a too big chance it'll die right away..."

Poe sighed and threw a dart at her toy from where she was sitting. The seizures quickly stopped and he fell asleep. She walked over and ran her hand lightly through his hair. "He's all yours when he wakes up, Cykes."

Pup tilted her head to the side. "What is wrong, torture sister? You seem rather down today? I don't like seeing you down like that."

Poe shrugged and leaned agianst the table. She walked her fingers absent mindedly down the table. "I don't know. I can't figure it out myself."

"I'm available for help..."


"As am I. After all, We are practically a big, torture-happy family." Pup smiled and went to go put her toy away.

*grins* "I really need to get a toy myself too..."

Poe looked at Cykes. "Si lipet."

*blinks* "ah..., I remember..., how about you, can i get something for you?"

No one saw the wolf enter the room and sit in an empty corner. Anya cocked her head as she listened, then went and rubbed against Poe, tounge darting out once to reassure the woman. She could sense all of the pain that was eminating from her and wanted to do what she could to help.

*Cykes looked at the wolf* "anya..., you don't have to be in that shape here..., we know what you are..."

Glancing at Cykes, Anya changed back to her human form. "I learn quicker in other forms than I do in my human or elven forms." Anya put her arm around Poe breifly then walked back to the corner. She didnt want to be in the way of anyone, and wasnt sure of what she was supposed to do either.

"I didn't mean to say you're not allowed to be in that shape..., it just feels awkward to talk to a wolf..."

"Doesn't it though," Pup sighed. "I've had to deal with this kid for quite some times, but I must say, talking to her while she's a wolf is better than talking to her while she's, lets say, a bird. Just plain awkward...."

Poe smiled at Anya. "Thanks dear. Are you going to play with my toy or not, Cykes?? I would like to teach Anya for a bit if you aren't." Poe looks at Cykes, forgeting her hand was still stretched out.

Anya glared in the direction of Pup. "I have only been a bird twice when conveying messages for others....just because I wound up going in the direction they were....and you happened to be the recipient doesnt mean anything!" Shift back into wolf form and lay down, wondering what was to come.

"oh..., of course..." *looks distracted*

Poe looked closely at Cykes noticing the look, "What is the matter Cykes?"

"oh, nothing..., I thought I heard something"

Poe put a hand on his arm. "Where? I'll go check it out." Already her eyes started changing from bright blue to dark maroon.

Anya shifted into panther form immeadiately, her own eyes a deep amythyst color. She would have to be careful that she didnt get anyone that was supposed to be here. "You search down. I will go up!" Anya slipped out and started searching.

"Odd, there shouldn't be any strangers in here...." Pup looked around, her ears twitching, trying to hear anything.

Poe walked around the table, stopping now and again to listen, then finaly came to a rest where she had started. "I don't sense any strangers." She said, her eyes turning back to their usual bright blue.

Anya strolled back in, once again a wolf. She shook her head then went back to the corner. She could tell by the look she recieved that her eyes were still amythyst

"Any news Anya?" asked Poe, turning to her toy.

Pup walked over to another corner of the room and sat there in the shadows. She took out a small razor blade and held it above her arm, thinking of what to draw into her skin.

Poe notices Pup right before she sinks the blade into her skin. Poe runs over and tackles Pup, holding her down. "Oh, NONONONNONONONONONONO!!!!! None of that, Pup!!" Puts the razor in her pocket. "No cutting allowed!" Looks over at Anya. :get me a chain until she comes back to her senses. Please!"

Snarling, Pup dodged to the side before anyone could catch her and went to another corner, wrapping herself in the shadows there. She took another razor blade out of her sleeve and frowned. "Any true torture expert has more than one weapon on them."

Poe rubbed her head where she had hit the wall, quickly losing conciousness. She slumped to the floor.

Pup looked over at where Poe had slumped to the floor and frowned even deeper. Putting the razor blade down, she went over to Poe and sat by her head, finger brushing her hair. "You shouldn't worry so, my friend."

Anya lost control then. Her eyes turned red and she flew at Pup. Her body changed into half elf/half dragon form. She tried to pull herself back, but couldnt and hit Pup full force, knocking both of them over. All that came out of her was a menacing growl as a blade materialized in her hand.

Poe struggled to sit up. Her eyes went wide as she say Anya posed over Pup with a blade in her hand. "Stop it!" she yelled, struggling to her feet. "Stop it this instant!!"

Pup snarled and kicked Anya in the chin, sending her flying the other way. "ARE YOU CHALLENGING ME ANYA?! she roared. she grabbed a chain off of it's hoop and swung it in a lazy loop.

Poe stepped in the way and held out her arm, wrapping the chain around it. "I demand to know what on Earth is going on! How hard is that?"

Anya only heard the word challenge and saw a person in front of her target. She launched herself over Poe and at pup again...trying to get at her.
Poe saw Anya go over her head at Pup. She grabbed the chain wrapped around her arm and threw it upwards, encirlcing Anya and pulling her down. She pulled a dart out of her bag and quickly jabbed it into Anya's shoulder, then lunged and tried to jab in Pup's arm. The seditive in the dart started working on Anya immediatley.

Anya tried to get up, but couldnt. She felt darkness closing in on her and tried to fight it. She turned back into a wolf, and laid on the floor, panting heavily. Her body spazmed once and everything went black.

Poe circled Pup and darted behind her quicker than any living being on earth and jabbed Pup in the shoulder.

"Why you.....How DARE you do that! I'm going to........" Pup tripped and fell over, the sedative taking affect in her bloodstream. She blinked several times, trying to clear the darkness that was creaping up on her.

Poe slid down the wall and put her head in her hands.
"What happened??" Poe moved Pup and Anya to tables and strapped them down for their own safety, then fell dozed on the floor next to the door.

2 houyrs later
Anya took a merntal assesment of herself.  She rememb ered searching for intruders ten going back to the torture room. She tried to sit up, but found herself strapped to a metal bed. "What is going ON?!?"

Poe materialized out of nowhere and stood beside her. "you and Pup were going to kill each other. I had to intervine." Poe looked as if she were going to cry."I don't want that to happen again. So I sedated you with one of my darts."

On the other metal bed, Pup started twitching and growling, waking up from her sedated sleep.Her eyes opened, blood red from her vampire battle-lust, and they looked around, searching for her opponent.

Poe went over and stared down at Pup. Her eyes turned maroon as she stared down at Pup. "I'm not an enemy, Pup...come back to us." Poe took out another dart, prepared to use it.

Anya glanced over and felt her eyes turn back to an amythyst color. She lifted her body off the bed, snapping bonds as she did and glared at Pup. She got ready for the change, knowing it would happen and that anything happening after she did would be lost to her until it was explained. "Here I be..come and get me Pup!" she said the name sardonically.

Pup glared at Anya and in a fury destroyed the straps that held her down and knocked aside Poe and her dart. Jumping up, she growled at Anya and charged, her claws extending out of her normal nails. "NOBODY CHALLENGES ME!!!"

Poe, being knocked to the floor, felt what vampire in her rise in battle lust and she jumped up and whirled around, her eyes going blood red. She screamed and hurled herslef at Pup.


Anya looked about, momentarily confused. She saw Poe and Pup, bared fangs, facing each other. She felt her own self change and jumped between them, shoving both against a wall and summoned chains that could not be broken. She fastened them both securely and took all the weapons that she could find on them. Menacingly the words rolled out of her mouth, more growl than voice, "that is ENOUGH!!! Calm yourselves...NOW!" She had an eye on each of them, blindfolding both so that they couldnt see one another. She remembered that they couldnt stay in a blood rage if they couldnt see their enemy.

Pup screeched and twisted, trying to get loose at her opponent. Her breathing, which was hard before, started to slow down "Release me Anya. I am in control now, or at least enough control to not attack."

Anya wasnt sure she should do as she bid, but did anyhow...standing in front of Pup in case she was wrong.

Pup stretched and popped her neck. She glared at Anya, growling quietly. "Don't you EVER do that again Anya. Remember what I can do to you. If you chain me again you will have to face my true temper again, and I know you still have scars from the last time."

Poe listened quietly. When she heard that Anya had scars from Pup, she screeched and wrenched from teh chains, tearsing at the blindfold. She knocked Anya out of the way and launched at Pup, her fangs bared.

Pup grinned and sidestepped Poe's furious attack. "Tis the only downside of the blood rage; you don't have much control. Sure, the extreme strength is nice and the bloodthirst is okay, but the control issue is rather awful."

Poe settled into a crouch and studied everything in the room. She heard Pup's words and calmed down, remaining in bloodlust, but her eyes were purple, a very grave sign. She was both vampire and dark elf, warrior and assasin. She stood up and hurled the dart in the hands at Pup.

Pup moved to the shadows, using them to block the dart, and growled at Poe. Her eyes started to go red again, but they didn't go entirely red, letting her keep control. "Was that a challenge, blood sister?"

Anya glanced at the pair of them and stepped into a corner, gaining control of herself and turning into an elf. She would have to keep control of her demon self. She invoked it, and found that for the first time, she was able to control herself, to an extent. She looked at both the hiding Pup, who had a pulsing green aura and poe, whos aura was a lavender color. 'That will be the elven affect.' Anya thought to herself as she stared at them...waiting to see what would happened.

Poe glared at Pup, then sank to the floor writhing in agony as her demon tried to come out. "Help me! Someone! I mustn't let him get out!"

Pup ran over and grabbed one of Poe's sleeping darts and poked it into Poe's shoulder. "I hope that helps," she said in a growl-like voice.

1 hour later

Poe woke up and immediatley wished she hadn't. Her head throbbed and she couldn't move. "What the...."then she remembered. "Damn..."she said softly. She was strapped to a table.

"Yup, now YOU are strapped to the awful table. See how you like it." Pup sat on the other table, still ignoring Anya and was picking under her nails with a knife.

Poe grinned and reached behind her back and stopped, confused. She lifted her head an glared bloody murder at Pup. "You!" she spat "You took my belt!"

Pup smiled innocently. "Tis only fair, love. You took away my weapons and stuff when you strapped me down."

Poe struggles against the ties. "For your own safety!" Leans back panting. "I swear I'm gonna die..."

frowning, pup asked. "Now why is that? I am very confused now..."

Poe looked at Pup confused. "You're not going to kill me?"

Pup smiled. "Of course I wouldn't kill you! Why on earth would I do that? After all, you are like my sister and all sisters fight."

Poe grinned. "Aye, but not all sisters have fangs." She motioned at the ties with her head "You gonna let me go anytime soon?"

"Oh, of course!" Pup took the buckles and unclasped them.

Poe giggled and tackled Pup. "Haha!!"

Pup laughed as she got tackled, happy that the mood was now much lighter than before. "Well, I'm glad that we have finished our little fight now!"

Poe giggled and lay on her back, staring at the ceiling> "Me too. Gosh...to bad Cykes missed it....he would have cracked up laughing." Poe looked at her toy, then over at Pup. "Wanna play?"

"You know I do! Let's play!!!!" She ran over and gave the toy a 'gentle' kick to wake him up. "Guess what toy? I get to play with you too today!"

Poe's toy groaned and shook his head. Poe poked her toy sharply in the side, then went to go get some special pairing knives. "Never say no to Pup, dear. Then she'll do what ever you say no to." Comes back with a bucket. "Want to go get your needles?"

Pup snickered. "Yes, dear toy, what ever you don't want to happen will happen. I suppose I will go get my needles now." She ran out of the room and came back moments later with her needles. "Ready!"

Poe giggled and slid her knife down her pets chest, opening the flesh. Her pet screamed with pain as blood seeped out of the incision. "Your turn Pup."

Anya let all of the anger drain from her. She stepped out of the corner, again in wolf form, and fixxed her icy blue eyes on Poe, wondering what she could do...What she should do.

Poe noticed Anya in the corner. She waved her over. "Come on over and play with me, Anya!!"

"Yes, Anya, come and play!" Pup started poking needles into the toy in random places, making him sweat in pain from them. "Hmmmm, where should the next one go...?"

Poe squeels and whispers the answer in Pup's ear.

Anya changed into her elven form and quietly stuck a hand out for a needle. She knew a good place and the 'pet' wouldnt be able to breathe from the pain.

Pup giigled at Poe's suggestion and poked the pet in that stop, making him scream. She handed a needle to Anya as she enjoyed the sound of screaming.

Anya walked over and stuck the needle right next to his ear, not pushing it ver deep, but deep enough to cause excruciating pain as he writhed on the floor.

Poe giggled and watched him. "Good one Anya!"

"Ahahahahaha, yes, very good Anya. Perhaps we wont have to teach you much after all!" Pup smiled at that. She didn't feel like training anyone anytime soon.

Anya stepped back and blushed slightly. She had done something right and didnt want to mess up her mentors opinion now. She had her back against the wall when she felt a sharp pain in her side. Looking down, she could see a dagger in her side. She looked at Poe, feeling darkness close in on her as she slid to the floor.

Poe looked at Anya, shocked. "Are you all right, Anya?" Poe caught her and lay her on an empty table, staunching the wound with her cloak. "Pup!! We need a healer and fast!"

Pup growled at the site of blood and left the room to get a healer. A few minutes later she returned with an aged woman in her arms and Pup set her down near Anya and growled at the lady to get to work.

Poe bit her lip and watched the woman pour a liquid that looked like water over the wound. It healed up with out a sound. Anya twitched once and fell asleep. Poe sighed and sank to the floor. "What is going on here? How did she get a dagger in her side?"

The next day
Anya could feel every limb on fire. She felt like someone had set a brand against her side. She tried to sit up, but couldnt. She gasped. "What..."Even to speak hurt. Her throat felt like there was needles in it.

Pup walked over to Anya and held a glass of watered-down blood to her mouth. "This ought to make you feel better Anya. Drink up and tell us what happened yesterday."

Anya started to sip the liquid, but wound up spitting it back out and coughing. She coughed up a dart, then was able to both breathe easier and talk. "Ouch....My head hurts, and that is watered down and cold!" She looked at pup accusingly. "I dont know....I was standing there one minute then basically on fire and on this bed now. What time is it? How long have I been out of it? What hit me?" Anya was so confused, she was lucky she knew her own name.

Poe tried not to let tears come to her eyes. "We were playing with me toy, then you kind of gasped and looked at me, then slumped to the floor with a dagger in your hand. Then i picked you up and put you on a table and told Pup to go get a healer." Poe looked away and started pacing by the door. "God, I need a hug...or a fight...something to calm me down." poe walked to her toy and held a bowl under his arm, then quickly stabbed it at a vein, when the bowl had filled halfway, she took the bowl to Anya. "Here." then continued to pace.

Anya took the bowl and drank the blood. She felt the fire that was still in her throat lessen and was finally able to sit up. Snagging the still pacing Poe, Anya hugged her in thanks then pondered what had happened.

Poe stopped pacing and then sat down on the floor, also thinking. She had a distressed look on her face.

*appears from a cloud of black smoke the drips down from the ceiling, bows when he sees poe and anya* "greetings, my ladies..., can I be of service?"

"Yes, you can. Can you see if you can find out were this knife came from? It was syuck into Anya last night." Pup handed him the knife, which had Anya's dried blood on it.

*Cykes immediately has a sharp look in his eyes* "can I examine this in my room for a while?" *walks out*

Poe followed Cykes. "Good to see you. What exactly do you plan on doing?"

Anya tries to stand up so she can follow, but winds up in a crumpled heap on the floor instead, too weak to stand by herself. She glares int he direction of Pup's retreating back. "Just leave me in the dark why dont you. I am the one that got stabbed."

Poe leaves Cykes's and sits next to Anya. "I'll stay here with you 'till they get back."

"Thanks." Anya said dejectedly. She wished she were stronger. She grabbed a stray needle off the floor and took aim. The needle sunk deep into the stomache of the pet across the room. Anya felt slightly better for it.

Pup went over to Anya, picked her up, and carried her over to the pet and set her down next to him. "There, that better? Now you wont be so bored while we wait for Cykes to get back."

Poe sighed and picked at the scabs on her pets chest, re opening the wound. "He won't be back untill tommorrow. I recognized the look in his eyes. He will be in there all night. It's best we leave him alone." Poe looked at Anya and Pup, then grinned slowly. She leaned over and bit her toys arm, taking a deep draught of blood. He moaned and twitched. Poe wiped her lips and swallowed. "ok, I'm better now. So, who wants to play?"

Anya looked about, and didnt see what she wanted. Instead, she put a lasso of her magic about the mans body, wrapping it tight and watching as he squealed in agony. She loved using her powers to inflict pain on people. She gasped and severed her magic, feeling completely drained. She slumped back onto the floor.

"You idiot! You know that you are weak as it is! Why are you so stupid sometimes?!" Pup growled at Anya and grabbed her arm, forcing magic into her , which is painful, to give her energy.

Poe severed Pup's magic and picked up Anya. "Let's put you in my room. It will help you rest and regain your strength. You'll be back to your normal self in no time." she laughed and walked to her room, putting Anya on her hammock. "Literaly!" Poe walked back to the room of torture and sat down on her toys chest.

Anya was left alone in the dark. Pups magic tingled through her for several more minutes and made her feel better. She went into a trance and drew what magic she had back to herself. She also felt another magic that was definately Poe's about. She saw one of the threads pulse and wondered if it was notifying Poe of her magic use.....

*Cykes returns with a worried look* "it appears this is the possession of an assassin..., could it be we are targeted for our hobby?" *looks around and finds the room empty except for anya hanging in her hammock*

Pup looked over at where Poe sat on her toy and got up to find something to do. She went over to check on Anya and saw Cykes in there. "Have you found anything?"

*Cykes looks at pup* "I have, in fact, this attack was a message..., somebody has hired an assassin (an untrained one...) to scare us..."

Pup looked at him seriously for a moment and then busted up laughing. "You've got to be kidding! A hired assassin? That's hilarious! Oh, this is going to be way too much fun for us. I cant wait to play with this guy!"

Anya peeped her eyes back open. She was enraged that she wouldnt be strong enough to hunt this guy as well. She shifted to wolf form and tried to slink out of the room.

Still laughing, Pup lashed out and grabbed a hold of Anya's tail, stopping her in her tracks. "Hahahahahaa, I think not my furry friend! You're too easily targeted by this assassin and have already been hurt. Not a chance!" 

Anya glared momentarily at pup. She changed into a worm and wiggled away, changing back into a wolf as she ran out of the room.

*Cykes sighed* "you know..., she is prepared now..., she knows she is targeted..., "knowledge is power""

Poe apeared in front of her and petted Anya's head before walking over to Cykes. "I'm hunting this person down. Today." Her eyes turned blood red as her fangs slowly slid down. "No one hurts my family. No one." She glared at everyine in the room. "No one's going to stop me. When I find this fellow, he's going to wish he had never set foot in this mansion. I'm playing with him the moment I catch him. I'm not bringing him back to the mansion." Poe walked to her closet and looked at it, not seeing it. She finaly blinked and grabbed her belt, swords, whip, chain, and a black outfit that consisted of a short black skirt, tight fitting black shirt that laced in the back, and high heeled boots that came up to her knees. She enveloped herself in a smoke, then came out dressed. She walked slowly towards the door, but stopped by the chain which was still dangling from the ceiling.

Anya had been about to run out the door of the other room, but turned and walked back in with Poe. While Poe changed, Anya sat patiently and waited for her, determined that she would be able to go too. She wanted to kill the one who had got her and was going to have the satisfaction of ripping him to shreds. She glared at Pup, waiting for the challenge she knew would come at her decision, and she was ready. She had pulled enough of her own magic to suppliment the magic Pup had used to strengthen her and was ready. She would have to have a long sleep, but not until her enemy was dead.


Pup frowned at Poe as she succumbed to the battle lust and stated. "You know Poe, it would be way more fun if we let the assassin think himself in control and play with his mind a little. Why would we just let you have fun with him? And, if we all are playing with him, none of the family will get hurt."

Poe whirled around and growled. Her eyes turned purple and she flung a dart at Pup, then lunged after it, screaming her challenge. "I will do as I please!"

Pup dodged the dart and Poe. As Poe flew by, Pup round-house kicked her in the chin and growled. "Fighting isn't going to get us anywhere with this Poe! For all we know, the assassin could be targeting another one of us at this very moment."

Poe didn't hear her and stood back up, wiping blood from her chin. She looked at it. Her blood. She felt a pain in her forearm. The dart stuck out. She looked around confused and sank to her knees, holding herself up with her arms.

Anya saw Poe going down, saw Pup standing there, trying to convince Poe to stop. She knew nothihng would be solved by them and snuck out. She headed down the stairs quietly, going after her would-be killer.  She felt something thwap into her side, felt her wolf fur get soaked, smelled blood. She hit the floor, howling in terror, all rational thinking gone. Only her animal instincts remained.

Poe snapped awake. "Anya!" She screamed as she darted past Cykes and Pup. "Anya!" She saw a figure climb out the window to her left. She threw her cloak over Anya to keep her still, jabbed a dart into her shoulder to keep her asleep, and sent a mental message to Pup and Cykes. " I'm going after him, Anya's been hit..." Then she dove over the edge of the window and landed on the ground, using her leg to sweep the assasin's feet from under him. She was on him in a flash, holding him down. He was stronger than she expected, and he threw her off and crawled on top of her, pressing his hand to her throat, slowly trying to strangle the life out of her. She brought her knee up and hit him on the spinal cord. He grunted and fell unconsious on top of her. She tried to push him off. "I would appreciate a little help here!" She yelled up to the window. "Anyone?"

Pup jumped out of the window and grabbed the assassin by the scruff and threw him off. "There you go!"

Poe sat up and wiped off her skirt. "I think I need a bath...he smelled like mortals." She scratched at her skin. "I have NEVER been that close to a guy before. 'Tis odd....I imagined if I were that close to someone...he wouldn't try to kill me."

*Cykes examined the man who was thrown to a tree and was hit unconscious* "what do you want me to do with this?"

Poe stood up and looked at the man. "I don't care. I have to get back inside to Anya." She went to the window and put her hands on the sill. She started to put her leg in, when she saw a reflection in the window of someone raising a dagger above Cykes's head. "Cykes!" She jumped at Cykes and tackled him out of the way, feeling the dagger scrape her shoulder.

*Cykes hit the floor and immediately stood up, unwinding the hooked chain from his wrist, he spun around and threw the chain at the man, missing him by an inch, the man started to laugh, but soon stopped as Cykes pulled the chain back with all force driving the hook into the man's neck* "poe, are you ok?"

Poe nodded and stood up, brushing off her outfit. She took the dart from her arm and winced when the needle snapped off inside if her arm. She sat on her knees and tried to get it out with one hand.

I'm going to check for more..." *disappears through the window*

Poe glared at his retreating back. "Thanks for the help!" She muttered. She looked at the man and crawled over to him and healed his neck, then dragged him inside to the room of torture, then ran back to Anya and put her on the couch in her room. "I'm so sorry about this, dear." Poe said as she took a vial of red liquid off of her mantel. "This will heal you completely. It will hurt, alot, but it till heal you completely and re energize you."

Anya tried to shift, but found that the dart had paralyzed her. She could feel fire in her side and whimpered. She felt herself lifted and heard Poe's voice, but couldnt comprehend what she was saying. She felt like her head was filled with fuzz. She could smell blood and wanted to hunt, but couldnt. She was set down on something soft and whimpered again as something in her side wiggled. She saw a red vial inm Poe's hand and stared at it aprehensively.

Poe titlted it to her mouth and made her swallow it. She cringed at the pained look on Anya's face and turned away as Anya fell into a deep sleep. Poe wiped the hair off of Anya's face and walked into the room of torture. She stood above the asassin and glared down at him. "You have no idea what you have done. You will die painfuly and slowly. That I promise."

*Cykes reappears through the window* "well, I have good news and bads news..., which do you want to hear first?"

"Bad news first please Cykes. I feel like killing something." Pup glared at Poe's victim and looked over at Anya's sleeping form. "I really need to kill something."

Poe looked at Cykes."I agree with Pup. Bad news first , if you will."

*Cykes smiles broadly* "we don't have enough space for the good news..." *smiles even broader* "the good news is that we are surrounded by a small legion of peasants..."

Poe smiled. " "Tis all quite fascinating, Cykes...but I wanted the bad news first...."

*Cykes glared at poe* "the bad news was that we do not have neough rooms for them to fit in..., don't you want them as toys?"

Poe blushed and looked down. "I'm sorry...."

"well, that's not necessary either..., I wasn't mad or anything..., just confused..."

Poe continued to look down and mumbled. "All right..."

"are you ok?"

Poe looked up at Cykes. "Yes, of course." She smiled.

"you don't really sound like it..., let me have a look at that wound..."

Poe nodded. "Alright."

*as Cykes takes poe's arm, he notices the dart, and the broken needle attached* "I'll need to get out that needle..., and you're probably poisoned..." *looks at poe*

Poe went pale, but kept a straight face. "Alright." Fear shown in her eyes.

*looks at poe, examining her* "you think you're ready for pain? this won't be easy..." *takes out a small thin knife*

Poe grabbed his other arm. "I'm an assasin, the first thing they teach us is pain."

Anya stirred slightly, feeling brutal agony... She rolled slightly and fell back into blackness...hearing the word pain echoing through her head....

Poe looked at Anya, feeling sorry. She took her arm away from Cykes for the moment and walked over to her, sharing her pain.

Anya felt the darkness lightening, felt the presence of another....but could do nothing. She tried to shake her head, but felt like there was a collar on her. She moaned in pain and was still again.

Pup looked over at Anya and Poe and frowned, wondering what to do about the problem of all of the peasants outside. "I don't suppose they could fit in the dungeons, now could they..........Hmmmmmmmm, what to do with them all. I guess we could feed them to the dragons....."

Poe looked up. "I say about half and half. Feed half to the dragons, and put half in the dungeons."

"Yes, I suppose that would work well." Pup looked at Poe and grinned. "Would you like the honors of rounding them up?"

Poe grinned back. "Naturaly. Would you like the honors of feeding them to the dragons?"

"But of course I would! Why on earth wouldn't I?" Pup took Poe by the arm. "Shall we go?"

Anya seemed to be having a bad dream. She tried to wake herself up but couldnt. It felt like someone was stabbing her paws and she yelped in pain.

Poe turned when Anya yelped. She ran to her and lay down beside her. "I'm sorry, Pup...but you are going to have to do it by yourself." Poe closed her eyes and linked her mind to Anya's, taking away all of her pain. Poe groaned and stumbled to her hamock and colapsed in it while Anya slept peacefuly.

Anya felt Poe join with her and all her pain taken awaw. She used the link to talk to Poe. 'Thank you, but you dont have to take all of it. I know it is much, but I can handle some of it. What exactly happened anyhow?' Anya felt the darkness that had pressed her lighten and started to drift to sleep, but fought it, waiting for the answer first.

the next morning...

Poe yawned and walked into the torture room, crossing over to her toy, who was looking a bit thin. She walked over to her closet and pulled out some food. She let him eat as she looked for her whip. "Where did I put it?" She rubbed her arm and scanned the room. "Hmmmmmm...."

*Cykes dangles from the ceiling where he slept and examines the whip* "an interesting thing, this whip..., especially the poisoned coating...
, and I like the craft of this..." *hands poe her whip* "here you go, is your arm alright?"

Poe smiled and flipped her toy over, exposing his back. "Thank you. You slept in here?" Poeran her hand over the whip before she lashed her toys back once. He winced, but didn't say anything. She did it again, wincing as it jarred her injured arm. "My arm is doing fine. Do you want to look at it??" She started to lash at her toy, but stopped when he started to feel the pain of the poison. She put her whip away and reached for a bottle of wine. "Want some, Cykes?"

*smiles* "yeah..., it's very comfortable up there..., upside down..., glad to see your arm is back in shape..." *hold out a cup* "yes, thank you..."

"Mind if i come up there and join you?" Poe smiled back. Pours the wine in and pours some for herself.

"sure..., after all, it's your room..." *sips his wine*

Poe watched him. "How can you do that being upside down?" Poe shook her head to clear it. "I thought we were in the room of torture....not Poe's Room...." She sipped her wine and climbed up next to him.

"are we??? but I thought I brought you to your room? hmmm..., this room must be bigger than I thought..."

Poe grinned and poked Cykes. "Yes, it is." Sighs contentedly as she leans back and listens to her toy scream in agony of the poison. "So, what was that stuff you gave me last night? After i had it, i was out like a light...i haven't slept in almost three weeks."

"to be honest..., it wasn't only antidote..., it also makes people sleep..., deep and dreamless..., just to give you some rest..., you looked tired..."

Poe set her cup down and swung upside down to face Cykes. She looked at him for a moment, then hugged him. "Thank you."

Anya felt the pain returning slowly, but it was her normal pain only, not that extra little bit that had overwhelmed her. She knew her pain was fierce on any day but dealt with it quickly, dismissing it so she could do what she must. She sank into a light slumber. 
“Anya looked about, seeing nothing but blood. She walked into the main torture chamber and found the heads of every dragon sitting on the tables. Quickly now, she ran to Poe’s room, elven heart pumping fast, violet sparks floating all about her arms, unnoticed and yet tingling with the power that she was radiating into them. She looked at the empty hammock and turned to the couch. There lied Poe, Pup, and Cykes, decapitated. Their heads were in the hands of their bodies and sitting on their chests.  Anya screamed. Having no weapons to be found on her own persons, she sent a thread of her magic to the dagger at Poe’s waist. It floated to her smoothly. She discharged the rest of her power into the room, setting things on fire. She drew the knife quickly across her left wrist and collapsed, not having the energy to slit the right one as well. She felt the warm embrace that was the fire, the chilling embrace of death…’…She sat up. Anya noticed that it was only a dream. Looking down at her wrist, she could still see the blood dripping and gripped it tightly. There was nothing there. She stood up, again a wolf and shook herself out, glad she couldn’t see the blood in this form as well. Anya took another minute and succumbed to her wolf self, letting the urges and instincts embrace her fully and tenderly. She didn’t know what had happened, but she was in a manor of some kind. She looked about and quickly tried to get her bearings, to find the way back to the blessed wild. Her heart was hammering and she was panting with the terror of being a caged animal. She heard voices, smelled blood and terror, her own fear scent mingling thoroughly with the rest. She could hear breathing nearby and quickly went to the darkest corner she could see, putting her back against it and crouching, hackles raised. She snarled her challenge, her warning, wondering what torment would come now…..

Poe looked at the floor suddenly, watching Anya run into a corner. She motioned to Cykes with her head and crawled to the rafter above Anya. "What should i do?"

"I don't know..." *Cykes looked at anya* "what is she doing?"

Poe shrugged. "I don't know."

*cykes looked at poe* "hallucinating?"

Poe nodded. "Looks like it. So, what do we do?"

"I don't have any magic..., can you look for any enchantments? I'll go and see if I can find anything strange..."

Poe watched Cykes leave. She blushed slightly as a few thoughts crossed her mind, then she set to work. She realeased a few tendrils of magic that quickly put Anya to sleep, then she scanned her body for anything unusual. She noticed the cut on Anya's wrist and gasped. "Oh dear." Poe jumped down and ran over to her, quickly healing the wound with magic.

*Cykes searched the room thoroughly for any tracks and then came back* "there's evidence of non members in this room..., there's blood in the traps..., traps that we dodge..."

Poe considered this. "What should we do?"

*cykes was thinking for a moment* "at least, we must secure anya..., she's clearly being targeted..., and we must find out who's doing this..."

Poe agreed. "We can take her to my room and keep her there...no one can get through it if the traps are on."

"unless they have our reflexes... (and a good map...) otherwise it's indeed impossible..." *grins slightly*

Poe grinned and picked Anya up and put her in her room, activating the traps on her way out. "I have it so anyone trying to get in that is not someone who resides in the manor that i know can not get into there."

*grins* "what traps did you activate? all of them?"

Poe grinned back and put a hand on Cykes shoulder. "Naturaly. Safety first, right?" She winked and laughed.

*grins broadly* "isn't that a little... cruel?" *evil look*

Poe smiled and looked at Cykes. "Isn't that generaly the whole point?" She ran a finger down his cheek and turned as if to start walking away.

*touches his cheek briefly, looking softened, than shakes his head shortly and looks like himself again* "you're right about that..." *grins*

Poe turned back to Cykes and kissed his cheek. "I'm going to check on Anya. Why don't you stay and get aquainted with my toy?" She grinned to herself and walked off into her room.

Pup grinned as she watched the three of them from the hallway and started walking to her room, humming to herself. She stopped humming and sniffed the air, noticing an odd scent in the air. "Oi, Poe, come here and take a whiff. I think it's our intruder."

Anya awoke, still a caged and confused wolf. She sniffed about experimentally, avoiding all the tingles of magic she felt. She couldnt get near the door so went back to a dark corner and laid there, fur bristling. She wanted back into the wild, but couldnt escape because to touch the magic was death. Her wolf self wondered how she knew that as she waited for something to happen, something that would allow her to escape or doom her indefinately....

Poe apeared at Pup's side and sniffed the air. "Hmmmm...i smell blood, and sweat...." She grinned. "He's afraid of us....I also smell fear and dispair. He knows he won't make it out alive, and he knows we will find him."

Anya jumped and turned at the voice, growling and backing away. Her instincts were telling her to run, but there was nowhere she could go. Anya felt her tail brush the wall and stood there, growling in warning. Anya wondered what this human was going to do to her now that she was awake.....

Poe felt Anya's anger. "Anya, it's me...It's Poe.."

Anya glared at the human. She didnt know what she was going to do, but that she had to escape, to get back to the wild where she belonged.

Poe saw the change in Anya and bit her lip to keep from crying. "Anya, don't you recognize me?" When Anya just glared, Poe backed up and ran from the room, tears streaming down her face.

Anya felt the pain and saw the tears of this human, and wondered what happened. She tried to follow, seeing how easy the human left, but hit some sort of block and was cast back to the middle of the room.

Poe pushed Anya back with magic. She continued to silently cry, curled into a ball behind the table where her toy lay.

Anya continued to lay in the room, wondering if there were any other wolves about either.

Poe cried, but stopped when she heard footsteps in the room. She pulled a Beretta 92FS and a silencer form her belt. She screwed it on as she slowly rose to look around, aiming with her elbow. "Who's there?" She felt, rather than heard the evil laugh that came from the hallway. She remembered Anya in the other room. Anya! Run! Forget about the traps...they won't effect you! Run!!! Poe screamed in her mind to Anya, hopeing fervently that Anya would understand and make a break for it. Poe stepped out into the halway to cover Anya if she should come out of the door to the hallway.

Anya continued to lay there, giving up all hope for anything. She heard a human voice in her head that told her to run, but ignored it...she didnt want to beleive anything that was not a fellow wolf at the moment.

Poe felt Anya's resistance and realized what happened. She groaned and shifted into wolf-form and ran into her room to Anya, nosing her around the traps and out of the room. run, child, run... Poe said, looking at her. i mean it.

Anya cheered at being free and at another wolf's presence. She heard the urgency, and was jolted back to reality. With a shock, she collapsed and realized that she had lost herself to her animal side. She looked at poe with amythyst eyes. "Where is the threat?"

Poe shifted back to her dark elf form and looked around, glad for the Berreta. "I don't know."

Anya sniffed about, sensing nothing and finding nothing. She shifted to her own elven form and hugged poe fiercely. "you just saved me."

Poe returned the hug and looked behind her, pushing Anya into the room and behind the table her toy was asleep on. "How can you sleep at a time like this?" She slaped her toy awake. "Now, thats better. Anya, what should we do with him?? i think that we've been way to easy on him."

Anya sat down sadly. "you do what you wish."  Anya stared at the toy.

Poe felt Cykes lurking in a corner close by. "Cykes? What do you think we should do??" Then she asked him mentaly. what did you find? Anything? And what should we do about Anya??

Pup walked back into the room frowning to herself and sat on the toy thinking to herself. The toy grunted, interrupting her thought and she slapped him with her metal-plated gloves, drawing blood.

Poe grinned. "Nice to see ya safe, Pup."

"Hmmmm....oh yeah, sure........ Poe, doesn't this whole thing with our intruder seem a bit too well planned?" Pup winced at the thought of it.

Poe thought about this as she twisted her toys fingers to impossible angles. "Your right."

Anya just sat there, not hearing the others. She pulled a dagger out and contemplated it.

Poe sighed without turning around and made the dagger burst into flames and completely destroyed it without hurting Anya. "anya, dear, you really need to stop doing that." Poe thought about their enemies, which where few. "What about the Kins?? Remember them, about four years ago? They tried to burn down the mansion and almost killed you. Something not easily done, as I remember." She wrenched her toys arms above his head and shackled them there. "What do you think, Pup?"

"Hmmmmmm, I suppose that could be true. The Kins aren't all too strong, but they're vicious little beasties. Perhaps that could be it. Either that or our vampire cousins how think us part-breads as a disgrace......" Pup wondered about this as she shackled the toy's legs.

Anya burst into tears, feeling her own pain and that of Poe's. Poe's pain was her own reflected basically. Anya sobbed into her arm, trying to stay quiet and not be noticed by either of the other women in the room.

Poe noticed and threw her arms around her and nodded her agreement. "Do you think that they tag-teamed?"

Pup thought about this before answering. "That cold be it. Perhaps we shall send out some of our birdies to check it out and watch them. What do you two think?"

" I think that would be fine pup."

Poe loked around with a sly grin on her face. "Can i fly in with the little birdies?? Youknoww how i can sneak around and be silent if i want to, which i do right now. Can I, Pup??"

"Of course you can! Now, lets decide which Birdies to send and who to send with them. Do you want to go with the birdies Anya? You'd get to go visit the tavern and think for a while...." Pup looked at Anya and winked.

Poe caught the wink and sat down beside Pup on her toy. "I think a stop to the tavern would be lovely, Pup. I'll introduce Anya to a friend i have there. Remember my cousin Brent?" Poe wiggles to get a better position and started thinking about the birdies to send. "What about Freya?"

Anya sat there listening. Suddenly she spoke. "Would you be able to bring me back if i lost myself again?" She asked Poe solemnly...

Poe pulled Anya on top of the toy with them, hearing a ribb or two crack> "Of course, Anya...you're family now. I would never lose you." Whispers to Pup. "Just don't tell Cykes where I'm going. He'll freak."

Anya relaxxed in Poe's arms and let herself be cuddled, enjoying the warmth that was next to her...

Poe cuddled Anya and rocked her back and forth, talking with Pup about different birdies they could send in. When she had run out of ideas, she thought of one impossible. "Here's a long shot, but what about Eric and his crew??"

Anya sat there, being rocked and let the tears that still wanted to flow go.

Poe kept holding Anya until the tears were gone.

Anya wiped the last of her tears away. "Who's Eric?" She was sad to hear how weak her voice sounded.

"A friend of mine who can change into a raven. He's an assasin like me...we trained together. So, Pup....do you think we should ask him?"

"That a grand idea Poe! Do you remember where to find him? I sure don't." Pup grinned.

Poe smiled and slid off of her toy. "Yeah, I do. I'll go get ready." She ran to the door and truned. "Remember, don't tell Cykes. Ok?" Then she ran to her room and changed clothes, equiping everything she needed. She came back in and walked over to Anya. "You ready to go? Or do you want to get ready first?"

Anya stood quietly, a bag appearing in her hand, violet sparks dissapearing from the air around her. "I shall follow you."

"Good." Poe ran to the other side of the room and opened a window. She looked out and glanced back at Pup. "We'll be back later." She took Anya's bag and stepped out onto the sill, mentaly calling her dragon. When he got there, she helped Anya onto it and slid on behind her. "See you in a bit, Pup." With that, they flew off north.

Anya held onto Poe tightly, not accustomed to flying on a dragon. She always flew with her dragon....

Pup waved goodbye to them and looked at the left-behind toy and smiled sweetly, making him groan. Walking over to him, she whispered into his ear "Just you and me now until they come back or if Cykes comes in. What do you think we should do?" 

---

Poe and Anya landed some few hundred miles away close to a tavern that was well lit and noisy. "Brent is this way. He'll know what to do to get you extra protection from those assasin wannbes." Poe led the way into the tavern. All noises stopped, then resumed when they saw it was her. She ordered to ales and went to a table in the back. "I'll be right back." She said to Anya as she walkedd towards a tall boy of about 16 that was looking at them. She talked to him before she came back, with him in tow. "Anya, this is Brent. Brent, this is Anya." Brent inclined his head. "How do you do?" He smiled at her and sat down. Poe sat down beside Anya and faced him.

Anya looked around, hand resting on dagger. She sat there studying the boy that Poe brought. " hi" she said then remained silent.

Poe whispered to Anya. "He's my cousin, so he's safe." Poe turned to brent and tooka sip of her ale. "Brent. We, well, I need a favor. We need to know where Eric is....I checked out his hideout, and he wasn't there. No one's been there for a long while." Brent leaned forward and slid a peice of paper to her. "He left this for you." Poe quickly scanned it and looked out of the door. She stood up. "Anya, stay here with Brent, I'll be right back." Then she walked to a room in the back, returning with two large packages.

Anya continued to stare at Brent. When Poe returned, Anya eyed the packages she carried.

Poe set the packages on the table. "Ok, Anya. We have to go now. It could quite be a matter of life and death for you." She grabbed the packages again and walked out of the Tavern to her dragon. She handed the lighter of the packages to Anya. "For you. Eric was expecting us."

Anya took the package gingerly. She looked at it thn at Poe.  "What is it? Where is this Erik? What onearth is going on here?" Anya realized she was yelling then and shut up.

Poe sighed and opened her package, revealing lightweight armor. "Lets get back to the mansion, then Pup and I will explain."

---

back at the mansion

---

Pup sat in an armchair, watching out the window for Poe and Anya to get there. She could sense them coming a while ago, so she cleaned up the place from her fun with the toy and sent him to his kennel. The thought to herself as she waited, hoping that the two had found something useful.

Poe landed the dragon and helped Anya down, then ran to where Pup was, dragging Anya with one arm while carrying the packages with the other. She burst into the room and plopped the packages onto the table and quickly started putting on the armor Eric gave them. She handed the paper from Brent to Pup. "Someone found them and he wants to see Anya and I ASAP." She slid a sword into one of her back scabbards. As she slid a second one in, she asked Pup. "Can you hold the fort with Cykes 'till then?"

Pup smiled at her. "but of course I can. It's a simple matter of letting the smaller dragons roam around on the grounds outside of their corrals and inside the mansion. Me n' Cykes will do just fine."

Poe looked worried as she helped Anya into her armor. "This stuff is the toughest, the most lightweight, and the most flexible armor there is. Assasins prefer this stuff over anything else." Poe truned Anya around and sat her down. "Pup, she wants and probably needs to know whats going on. You want the honors of telling her?"

Anya fingered the armor as she waited for someone to explain.

*Cykes entered the room in the shape of a shade, materialising quickly* "I was called?"

Anya jumped. She pulled a dagger quickly and stepped back, winding up sitting back in the chair.  Seeing it was Cykes, she sat back in the chair and put the dagger back, feeling her heart hammering from the shock of having someone maerialize in front of her.

Poe quickly pulled her cloak around her to conceal the armor and smiled at Cykes. "Hello, did you find anything?" She sent a mental message to Pup, Tell Anya what happened mentaly...I don't want Cykes knowing that I'm going to leave for the relative's place with the 'birdies' here soon...as i said before, he'll freak.

Pup nodded as if to herself and started explaining it to Anya mentally, making sure Cykes couldn't here. Anya, a couple of days ago an assassin somehow got past our defenses and got into the mansion. You have been targeted by him since he got here and have been seriously injured at least twice because of him. At the moment he is in a cage in Poe's room if you want to go give him a bit of a beating. Anywho, currently we are trying to figure out who sent him and why. Poe is leaving with our 'birdies' soon, so if you have something to say to her, say it mentally.

*Cykes noticed the nod from pup, and looked on edge* "you know I can't hear mental notes..., I have the feeling I'm being left out of something, I still have a very good eye for body language..., something is going on, isn't there...?" *looks at poe* "what's with the cloak? you usually don't wear such a warm thing indoors..." *then apologizes to anya* "sorry I scared you..., but you of all people should know shapeshifter abilities..., why so jumpy?" *jumps to the ceiling, dangling down for more comfort* "so..., I seemed to have missed a lot..., what's going on?"

Anya glared at the fire, thinking. She aked Poe mentally when are we leaving? "I'm just jumpy by nature Cykes."

Poe looked away from Cykes briefly. "I've always worn things like this." She said quietly. Soon. Pup just needs to make a distraction so we can leave without Cykes knowing... Poe looked at Cykes again and grinned "So, what did you find out? Anything of interest?"

*still dangling from the ceiling* "no..., to be honest..., I fell asleep..., I needed to rest, and I thought I could use the chair for a while..., but I fell asleep..., I did find this on my way here though" *holds up a dead rat* "it was following me..., and it had an aura around it..., I considered that unusual, so I decided to kill it and bring it with me..., maybe you can find something..., is it a animal companion or something?"

Poe gingerly took the rat, her cloak falling open for a brief second before she closed it with one hand and holding the dead rat with another. "I'll check." She put it on the table and held it there with magic while getting a few chemicals from a shelf nearby. She came back and poured a drop from each bottle onto the rat, making it twitch. Her toy started screaming in pain in the other room. "Yep, its an animal companion." She handed the rat up to Cykes, still keeping her cloak closed, but loosly.

*cykes looked down from his spot* "is that armour?" *then looks at the rat, forgetting what he saw* "well, well..., it seems we know his owner..." *grins* "should I get the toy to explain this phenomenom?"

Poe sighed with relief at his forgetting. get ready to go, Anya. We'll be leaving as soon as Cykes starts playing with my toy. Okay? She grinned up at him again, then walked over to the window and threw the rat out of it, motioning for her dragon to get ready. "Sure. Go right ahead and do that, Cykes. I'll just go and take a walk with Anya." As she leaves the room she motions to Anya for her to follow with a slight twitch of her head.

Pup grinned at the situation and ran to Cykes, hooking her arm ander his, and dragging him to the toy. "Come on! I never got to finish playing with him and he's still probably terrorized. We could probably get some answers out of him without too much prodding!" To Poe she thought Well, that worked out well. Do be careful with my dear 'birdies.' They haven't been out for a couple of weeks.

*pulls himself loose* "you don't want to know the answers he's going to give us, poe? and you're acting a bit nervous..., is something going on?"

Anya grabbed poe's arm..."this might be urgent poe....we must talk right now!" Anya glaned to Cykes,wondering if he was going to object.

*cykes looked from one to the other, suspicious* "hmmm..., if you have anything important to say..., we should all know..."

Poe squirmed slightly and grabbed Anya's arm, pulling her out of the room. "It's probably a girl-to-girl thing....broing and uneventful....See ya later!" Together, Poe and Anya ran out of the mansion. Poe forgot that her window was open and that Cykes was close to it. She climbed onto her dragon and pulled Anya onto him behind her.

Anya looked up in time to see the open window. She threw a concealment spell about the entire court and prodded Poe to hurry. She couldnt hold the spell for long.

Poe looked at the window and saw Cykes there looking out for the briefest of seconds before Anya put the spell. She heard Anya, and told her dragon fly. She put her hand back to steady Anya as her dragon took off and flew Northwest.

*cykes sighed* "they're going somewhere, aren't they?" (he saw poe looking)

Poe flew northwest until she came to a span of forest. "Land here."She told her dragon. "This is where Pup's birdies are...and Eric too..."

Pup frowned and looked at Cykes. "Does it matter? They are safer together anywhere than alone in their rooms here. Though I hate to say it, the mansion isn't an unbreakable fortress anymore...."

"I know..., so..., I was right that you guys weren't telling me things...?" *cykes looked out the window, trying to see through the conceilment he assumed was there* "it's probably better this way..., I wouldn't have let her go..." *suddenly he grins* "even though she's an assassin of great skill"

Poe walked into an old chicken shed and grabbed the leads of three birdies. She whispered where to go in their ears and let them loose, watching them go. She went back to Anya. "Ready to go meet Eric?" She said with a grin.

Anya nodded her head, swallowing back her aprehension. She rested a hand on her dagger and vowed to stay close to Poe.

Poe grinned and threw a dagger at a nearby tree. Someone hiding there caugth it and returned it. "Hello, Eric." Eric stepped into the moonlight. "Hello, Poe. And you must be Anya. A pleasure to meet you." Eric handed Poe and Anya a bag each and quickly disapeared into the night, leving behind a paper where he had stood. Poe picked up the paper.
The Kins are behind it all. They went to the Eastern Tribe of the Kins and have been helped by your relatives. Poe cursed and looked away. "I wonder how Cykes and Pup are doing." She said, looking back the way they had come.

*cykes sighed* "let's go and torture that toy, I need something to distract my mind..."

Poe sent Pup a mental message. It's bigger than we thought, they brought in the Eastern Kins as well. Grab Cykes and get over here now!

Pup jumped at the message and growled. "Cykes, the rules of the game has changed. We need to go to where Poe is immediately. She has found out something." Pup ran to an open window and jumped out of it, racing to where Poe was.

Anya stood there, shocked. She turned to Poe and waited for some kind of explanation.

*cykes walked out of the room* "I'm getting some stuff..., and I'll set up the traps in the manor..., you go on ahead..., you can guide me to you later pup..."

Poe handed the paper to Anya and watched Pup approach.

Anya read the paper quickly. She grabbed Poes shoulder. "The eastern tribe is who killed my parents...." Anya felt like she was going to faint, but suppressed the urge and shifted to wolf form. Changing her mind, Anya shifted back to elf.

Poe put and arm around Anya and sat down, pulling Anya with her. "Sit down, Anya. You'll feel better soon enough."

Jumping over the last rock, Pup walked over to them and sat down. "Well, what is it? It sounded bad by the feeling of your message to me."

Poe found the paper and handed it to Pup.

Anya leaned against Poe gratefully, not really seeing anything except her parents' corpses and her captors. The only that had saved her was their lack of knowledge.

Poe rocked back and forth while Pup read.

Pup read the paper and folded it back up silently. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! HOW DARE THEY UNITE! WE HAD A TRUCE WITH THE KINS AS LONG AS THE BOUNDARIES WEREN'T CROSSED AND NOW THEY'VE...THEY'VE.........GRAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Pup roared into the night and punched the nearest tree, shattering it and blowing the pieces through the next two trees. Her eye, blood-red in rage, narrowed and she looked at Poe and Anya. "We need to go hunting NOW!"

Poe grinned and stood up, strapping her bag to her dragon. "Lets head out, then."

Anya stood weakly and stumbled over to the dragon. She used some of her magic to boost her energy and block the images. Climbing onto the dragon, she hesitated and felt the vision of her parents coming back. She fought it as best she could as she finished boarding the dragon.

Poe passed a vial from her cloak to Anya. "Drink up. We have a long way to go."

Anya took the vial and drank it. She shuddered at the nothingness quality of the liquid but felt better almost instantly. She looked to Poe. "What was that?"

Pup growled and jumped up onto the dragon's back impatiently. She looked at Poe and snarled. "Can we go now?"

Poe grinned and jumped on, telling her dragon to go. "You bet!"

Anya screamed over the wind to Poe, while leaning against Pup slightly, "What was that stuff you gave me? I dont even feel scared right now!"

Poed grinned and laughed. "A special little thing that I make wkehen i ahev to do a particularly difficult assignment."

Pup, growling softly, look at Anya slightly leaning on her and gave a quiet snort and looked ahead, trying to deal with being so close to any living creature without going berserk on them.

*cykes comes soaring through the wood in shade form and stops at the dragons, then materialises* "can anybody fill me in on the events? I brought some stuff..." *shows a bag of weapons and tools from his back* "I thought we could use this..."

Poe grinned and reached down, pulling Cykes on. She then handed him the piece of paper for him to read. When he was done, she took it back and made sure that everyone was seated. She prodded her dragon and he took off going South west

Anya leaned forward and embraced poe, still not used to the flying. She knew her livingness was bugging Pup.

Poe hugged her back and leaned into the wind, feeling the dread of the mountain looming in front of them. "I don't like this at all. Where are the birdies?"

Pup sniffed the air, confused. "I can't smell any of them, but I do smell something........dead-smelling....." Pup looked around and at the ground, confused at what the dead smell was, for it certainly wasn't any of them.

Anya shifted to her elven formand sniffed.  She plugged her nose and shifted back into a human. "What is that?"

Poe switched to night vision and looked around. She gasped at what she saw. Carcasses of people and animals lay slaughtered everywhere. She saw a birdie aproach and land on Pup's shoulder whispering in her ear. "What is it, Pup?"

Pup's`face darkened in anger as she listened to what the birdie had to say. "The Kins have gone insane! they must have! Slaughtering these...these...Peasants! Absolutely absurd! I will not have it. Either that or the Kins are wanting us to hunt them." 

Poe considered this as she spurred her dragon back to the mansion. "I'm not sure what to think." She fell into silence. She suddenly whispered something to her dragon and jumped off of him, running to the mountain while the dragon flew to the mansion, binding everyone to his back as he flew. Poe ran through the carnage and up to the mountain's base.

Anya tried to slip the ropes but couldnt.  She couldnt even shift. "Damn her!" Anya said in anger.

Poe looked back sadly before she started to climb the mountain. "I'm so sorry." She whispered. "I'm so, so sorry."

Pup watched Poe start climbing the mountain as the dragon took them towards the mansion, holding them on his back and growled. She looked at Anya and frowned at her struggling against the ropes. "It's no use Anya. You can't overpower a dragon's mind."

Poe struggled up the mountain side, keeping the top always in view. She came to a fault in the mountain and slipped inside, relaizing it is an opening. She slipped a small knife from her pocket and carved a small 'P' in the stone near the floor. She sent a message to Pup and Anya. I'm in the mountain.

Anya started to go beserk. She couldnt do anything to help Poe. She couldnt even get off the dragon. Her eyes turned amythyst.

Pup nodded at Poe's message and thought back to her. I do not know what you are doing in there, but are you finding anything useful? Or was it a false lead?

Poe snuck down the hallway, following voices. listen to this.... She tuned Pup in to what she was hearing.

Anya looked back at pup and noticed that she was communicating mentally. "Is that Poe? Whats happening? Is she ok? ANSWER ME!!!!!" Anya for the 2nd time that night was yelling uselessly and started to cry, facing the front so Pup and Cykes couldnt see her face.

Pup frowned at what she heard and as a side note she linked her mind to Anya's mind so Anya could hear as well. Poe, this is rather disturbing. I think their planning to start a rebellion against us 'part-bloods.' What could possibly drive them to do such a thing?

Poe shrugged. I don't know....wait...some one's coming!

Anya's body went stiff and her eyes turned red. She shifted to her demonic form and all but severed the dragons' hold on her.  Get out of there NOW Poe! I cant get to you so flee for your life she hissed through the link.

Pup growled at Anya and thought. Anya, Poe can handle herself. She a freaken assassin and part vampire for gods sake! This information could tell us what the heck is hapening!

Anya felt more tears coming and forced herself back to some sort of calm. Her eyes still had red streaks in the amthyst as she looked back to Pup.  She's the closest thing that I have to any family. I dont want to lose her too Pup

Poe smiled and scaled the wall, watching three people come out of a cave entrance. Thank you for that, Anya...but I can't leave now...I'm learnign to much...I'll keep the link open so you can hear everything... She followed the people down the hallway, listening from the ceiling when they stopped.Listen to this.... Poe tuned her whole self in to listening to the conversation below her.

"Why aren't they dead yet?" said a cruel voice. A whining voice replied.
"We had men working on it day and night...but those stupid halfbreeds and a shade caught them...We haven't heard anything from our insiders. We put a healer at the mansion to see what she had to say....Nothing....." The cruel voice cut in.
"I don't care, we want them dead! They are a disgrace to the race of vampires and elves...We need them dead by the next full moon."
"Yes, My Lord. Why the next full moon?"
"Because, it marks the passing of an old century. They were born on a night that set them in the middle of a prophecy that says they will destroy the Drisdan Clan. My clan. If we want to continue with the plan, they must die!"
They walked down the hallway out of ear reach. Did you get that? asked Poe, shaking.

Pup sat there, totally stricken by what they had just said. "The prophecy.......no, that couldn't be it..........We can't be the part-breeds from the prophecy. Surely there are more of us out there that are part of this..this....madness." Pup groaned and fainted, terrified of the fact that she was part of that prophecy.

Anya looked about confused for several seconds. She then caught pup as she headed for the floor, easing her down so that she wouldnt crack her skull.  do you want me to get Cykes in here until you return and explain what happened? Or should I fend for myself for a bit? Either way I hope you are coming home.... Anya broke off and waited sadly for Poe to respond as she tried to revive Pup and locate Cykes with her powers.

Yes, please, Anya. and tell him everything, including the prophecy...i have a written copy of it in my room. Poe opened her eyes and calmed herself, marking the ceiling and the wall with the 'P'. She reviewed what she had heard and slowly climbed down, as silent as death.

Pup twitched on the floor, growling and clawing at the air. Inside of her head she was fighting an opponent she could not defeat. She was seeing part of the prophecy......

Anya did'nt dare leave Pup alone so she entered her mind. pup,come back to us please.  I need your help. There is too much danger for any of us. Come back... She withdrew somewhat and went for Cykes, keeping the link with Pup so she could monitor her.

Okay...I'm going to follow them....keep me posted with Pup and Cykes. Poe walked silently down the hall, always keeping the two men in her earshot, which was better then vision.

Pup twisted and twitched, but eventually she stopped seeing things and jumped up out of her faint. She looked around and, seeing no one around, she almost panicked, but then realized she was linked with Anya again. What's going on Anya?

I'm geting Cykes, Poe is following the guys in the cave. Go to Poes room and find the written copy of the prophecy. We'll be there shortly Anya continued heading across the grounds.

Poe grinned as she saw the men stop. She crawled forwards and hod in the shadows just outside of their vision. She looked at their faces and didn't believe what she saw. She didn't recognize the shorter of the two, but the taller she did. Her eyes went wide as she jumped up and ran down the hallway towards the entrance where she had come in. Something reached out and grabbed her by her throat, choking her. She grappled with the thing, but the lack of air caused her to quickly lose conciousness. Get....the....book...Then she slumped down, unconcious.






Pup raised her head and felt Poe's struggle and depeat and roared into the air. She run over to Poe's room, grabbed the book, grabbed Anya, and jumped out the window, already yelling to Poe's dragon. "DAMN YOU! TAKE US TO POE NOW!

Poe awoke, but didn't open her eyes. She kept her breathing slow and shallow as she mentaly took stock of her body. Nothing broken, cold floor underneath her, the dripping of water some where nearby. She sat up slowly and opened her eyes, seeing bars. A cage.

Anya felt Poe's shock. Her eyes turned blod red in an instant. She ran for the manor and was snagged by Pup. She glared out the window as they waited for the dragon.

Poe stood up and ran her fingers over the bars, recognizong the material. "Silver." she whispered to herself. "Damn those..." She stopped and shrank into the shadows while a guard came in and looked around the cage for her. As she watched the young gaurd, she realized that he was frightened. She grinned and stepped out of the shadows, outting a tortured look on her face. "What do you want?" She asked, stopping near the bars. The young gaurd went white and stammered. "H-h-his Lordship w-w-wishes a-a word w-with you, m-m-milad-d-y." Poe smirked at his mention af his lordship. "Tell him if he wants to talk, he'll have to come to me. I'm not moving for his sake." The guard bowed and quickly left. Poe sank against the wall and leaned her head back, waiting.

Standing by the window, Pup waited for Poe's dragon to turn up. Getting impatient though she jumped out the window and started running for the dragon corrals. "Hurry up Anya! Poe needs us!"

Anya shifted into an owl and glided to the pens, landing on her dragon and shifting back into an elf. "Wait for Pup, then we are going. I must ride you my dear." Anya stared across the grounds, now the one waiting as her dragon spread his wings, ready to take off.

Poe glanced over at the cage door when she heard footsteps aproaching. A tall, dark haired, pale faced man stopped in front of the cage and looked in. "She walks in beauty, like the night. Of cloudless climes and starry skies; and all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and eyes. Byron." He said, looking keenly at her. His gaze made her wish she wore more clothing. His gaze was hungry, devouring. "What do you want, Child?" He asked her.
Poe looked bored and gazed at the ceiling. "Freedom would be nice. But seeing as how you won't give that to me, I want you to leave." The man smiled fondly at her, as if he were gazing upon a beloved one. "I can not do that. You are bound to the prophecy, no?" Poe ignored him and let her mind drift to her friends.

Pup ran over and jumped onto Anya's dragon, quickly getting a good grip on one of the spikes. "I'm not liking the feelings coming off of Poe Anya, so make this thing go already!"

Anya's dragon launched even as Pup told them to go. They shot for where Poe had entered the mountain. She thought about what Cykes could have done to help had he been with them.
Poe felt them approach and sat up straight, interrupting the man. She looked around as he asked. “What is it, dear one?” Poe glared and sat back. “Nothing, old man. Nothing you need to be worried about, anyway?” She mentally watched them come and saw that Cykes wasn’t with them. Where is he? Did he follow me in here? She wondered.

Pup held onto the dragon for dear life, not totally used to flying yet. "Anya! Is this as fast as we can go?!* Her eyes were rather wide and she was forced to shout over the wind.

Poe looked at the man, trying to recognize him. "You've been here for over an hour...what is it that you want?" She snapped. The man smiled evily, his fangs showing. "You always did get to the point, my dear. Okay then, here it is, plain and simple. I want you to help me bring down your friends in exchange for your life." Poe went pale and stood up, hurling herself at the bars. The man stepped back just in time. Poe's arms reached through the cage bars, looking for his neck. She ignored the burn of the silver as she clutched the bars tightly. "Which friends?" The man looked suprised. "Why, the two girls at your manor, that's who." He looked amused. "Who else?" Poe looked relieved that he didn't know about Cykes. Try to find Cykes before you get here....they don't know about him yet...maybe there is a way that you can survive if you stay with him. She sent the mental message to Anya and Pup. The man glared at her peaceful face and took a step forward. That was all she needed. She grabbed his jacket and slammed him against the bars, cracking his skull. She watched him collaps and searched his coat for the keys. She unlocked her cage door with them and snuck out the way she came.

Pup snarled at what the man had said to Poe, but then smiled at what she did to escape. Nice one Poe. You should have grabbed him though so we could have another pet... She turned to Anya, still smiling. "We should start landing soon. They might have guards around the entrance now."

Anya urged her dragon to do so and launched from his back when they were still in the air, landing and crouching on the ground before running to the edge of the hill, looking at the tunnel mouth to her left.  Its all clear here. she said to both Pup and Poe

Poe crawled out of the tunnel and ran to them both.

Pup jumped off of the dragon once it landed and ran to Poe when she got a safe distance from the tunnel entrance. She jump and hugged Poe with all of her strength, glad to see her near-sister home.

Poe hugged her back. "I'm so glad you guys are safe."

Anya ran up and embraced both. "At least now you know who's targeting me....and we all know why. I think they thought I would be the easiest to take out." Anya released them and climbed onto her dragon, waiting for them to join her so they could get back to the manor.

Pup smiled and climbed back onto the dragon after Anya. She looked down at Poe and grinned. "Are you coming, Poe dearest? I'd rather not find out how quick their security is once they find out you're gone."

Poe looked behind her as a howl reverberated through the mountain. "Yeah...lets get out of here." She jumped on the dragon and settled in.

Cykes walked around outside the manor, wondering what happened to the others.

Poe saw Cykes from the dragon and sqealed with joy. She jummped off the dragon as soon as it landed and ran to him.

*cykes saw her coming, and smiled* "hello there.., where'd you go..., I lost you somewhere along the way..., what heppened?"




Pup calmly jumped off the dragon and sighed as she walked past Poe and Cykes to the front door. "Oh, not much really, Poe just found out a bunch of info, got captured and caged, and then escaped with us." 

Poe hugged Cykes tightly, shaking. " 'Tis true...." She said quietly.

*hugs back* "I'm glad you're safe now..., but don't try not to tell me..., I need to be prepared for anything..., and that's not possible with too little information..., ok...?"

"I need to get some sleep..., I'll see you guys tomorrow with diner? we can talk things over then...?"

Anya nodded in agreement and ran up the stares, wolf paws causing a whisper. Not wanting to be alone, she ran into Poe's room and curled up in the corner, again an elf, armor glining in the moonlight coming from the window.

Poe nodded and went up to her room, covering Anya with a blanket and curling herself in a chair by the fireplace after starting a fire in it.

Pup sighed and went to her room to sit on her window-sill. She looked out at the stars and meditated there until she fell asleep.

Anya awoke sometime later. Poe was curled in a chair near the fireplace and she appeared shivering, the fire all but out. Anya stoked it, adding more wood then put the blanket that had been placed on her over Poe. She sat near the fireplace on the floor, thinking and trying to get the dream she had just had out of her head.

Poe felt Anya awaken, but was to exhausted to wake up fully. "Thank you." she mummbled tiredly, wondering why her arms and hands burned.

Anya sensed something was wrong with Poe. She walked back over and looked at Poe for a moment, then noticed the slight redness of Poes hands, which were just visible. She moved the blanket down some and pulled a sleeve up, gasping at what she saw.  Get down here NOW, Pup. Poe needs medical attention, and I cant do that alone...I dont trust myself to. It looks like she got a few slivers of silver embedded in her arms, and its burning her. Anya forced Poe back to wakefulness as she waited for Pup to join them. "Poe! Awaken, now. Do not sleep! Please come back to wakefullness. CYKES!" Anya shouted, thinking about what he could probably do to help, if he were around.....She glared at the door, waiting.

*cykes materialises from the shadows in the room, transforming from thick black fog into his own shape, then walks over to anya and poe, examining the situation* "what happened???"

Poe yawned and pulled away from Anya, pressing against the back of the chair, quickly falling asleep again.

Pup stormed into the room, dragging a vampire healer in with her. She took a quick look at Poe's hands, shivered, and turned to the healer. "FIX THAT NOW!" The healer jumped, terrified, and quickly went over to Poe, bringing out a jar of special salve and some tweezers.

Anya also shivered as she walked over to help the healer with Poe. She knew that the silver would continue to burn Poe and eventually kill her, but Poe would struggle as the silver was removed. Anya carefully lifted Poe out of the chair and onto the floor, cradling her head carefully in her lap as she held both of Poes arms carefully so the healer could work faster.

Poe felt someone poking at her arm, digging into it, rippling her flesh. She cried out and fought back, unaware of herself. She jumped up and ranout of the room, not realizing she threw Anya against the chair. She ran to the window at the end of the hall and jumped out, disoriented and frightened out of her mind.

Pup leaped out of the window after Poe and grabbed her feet, making her fall. Pup pinned Poe's arms down and got her into a strangle-hold. "Poe, listen to me. We need to remove the silver splinters from your hands. You don't want to die and leave us, do you?"

Poe felt her strength quickly leave her, and she slumped over, unconcious.

Anya shook her head to clear the stars from her head. She rushed over to help Pup with Poe, and found her unconcious. Anya joined with Poe mentally, trying to keep her alseep, knowing that would be the only way to keep her quiet enough to get the silver out of her. Anya collapsed to the floor as well, breathing heavy. "Hurry.....I cant sustain this for long, she's almost gone."

Pup called for the healer and snarled at her. "If you don't get those slivers out by the count of five you will find yourself being our newest toy. Understand? Good. 1................2............" The healer ran to do as she was told and got the slivers out by the count of 4. Shakily bowing she ran back to the manor, afraid of what they would do to her. 

Poe slept fitfuly, crying now and again at memories that she purposfuly hid away from herself. She whimpered at the pain of the removal of slivers.

Anya stayed joined with Poe, helping her where she could, but not interfering. She layed next to Poe, giving her most the energy she had. Anya shuddered with every memory that resurfaced in either of them.

Poe cried out in pain when the next memory surfaced. Her parents massacered faces. Her siblings lying slaughtered in the middle of the burnt wreckage that used to be her house. The aoin and agony of not knowing where her next home would be, or when her next meal was. She cried as memory after memory filed in after that. She felt unbelievable loneliness and absolutley no desire to live after they stopped. She got up and walked out of the room, mumbling that she was hungry. She slowly stummbled into the room of torture and found her sharpest knife, then walked to the end of the hall, crawled out of the windwow, and to the dragon coral.

*cykes saw everything happen, but didn't know what to do* "should I stop her...?"

Pup crossed her arms and sighed. "Nah, let her do what she will. She wouldn't leave Anya behind like that anywho; cares too much for her. And once she thinks it over, she'll realize that she cares way to much to leave us."

*think* "so...? how can you be so sure...?"

Shrugging, pup simply stated "Because me, her, and Anya are like sisters. We know each other's problems and pains through our mental connection."

"shame I don't have that connection...., people tried it on me..., but it just won't work..."

Poe sobbed quietly., shaking as she raised the knife over her wrists. She slowly slid the knife over one, slowly pressing in, drawing a line of blood. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... Everythings all my fault...."She whispered as she curled into a ball and cried, wishing someone would have stopped her from doing this.

Pup walked over to Poe and squatted, looking at her. "Poe, are you okay? Cykes is going nuts in there cuz he doesn't know what to do when you're like this. Do you need a hug?"

Poe continued to sob and turned away from Pup, hiding her wrist and the knife. "No, I'm not okay, Pup."

Pup scooted over to Poe and put an arm around her, gently taking away the knife. "Please don't do this Poe. It wont get you anywhere, ya know. Besides, is this what you really want? To leave me n' Cykes n' Anya?"

Poe cried and tried to heal her arm, but couldn't from the loss of blood. "Help me please, Pup..."

Anya sat down on Poe's other side and healed her wrist.  Are you going to pay attention to your link now? Anya let her agitation show as well, but also let her care, friendship, and other feelings flood them both, knowing it would help. She held her own wrist out so that Poe could nourish herself enough to go feed. She also forced some more of her energy into Poe.

Poe felt some energy come into her and she stood up, wrenching her arm from Anya. She stumbled to the mansion and sat on her chair, looking into the fire, reflecting on everything.

Pup watched as Poe left and looked at Anya, frowning. Anya, help? I don't know what to do in this situation....

We have to make her want life.  I'vegiven her enough energy to sustain for about two hours.  She isnt responding to her link either.  Im going to go and just hold her for now....stop her if she tries again.  You get her Brent from the tavern. Anya ran to Poe and embraced her, not doing anything else but comforting her.

Poe cried softly and leaned into Anya, feeling sleepy.

Pup nodded and left to go get Brent. She returned a while later, Brent over her shoulder (who was protesting and had been fighting her the whole way there) and dumped him unceremoniously on the ground in front of Anya and Poe. "There we go Anya. He shouldn't be too bruised up to help..."

Brent stood up and brushed himself off, glaring at Pup. He turned to Poe and spoke quietly into her ear for a while. Poe seemed to relax. She nodded at whatever he said, then spoke quietly in his ear. Brent looked undecided of what to do when he took Anya nad Pup aside, leaving Poe to doze on her chair.

Anya followed Brent carefully keeping her link with Poe. "Whats wrong with her?" Anya hissed when she knew they wouldnt disturb Poe.

Brent glanced abck at Poe and started explaining. "I think Poe is going through some kind of transformation. The silver did somehting to her. If the transformation is good or bad, I don't know. But all you need to do is make sure she doesn't try and leave the mansion to go back to her old village, or back to the mountain. She's getting to be more and more like....." Brent went pale and ran back to Poe, checking her pulse. He stood up and looked at the two women "She's turning back into a mortal."

Anya ran back over and cuddled the now sleeping Poe.....tears streaming down her own face.

Pup jumped onto the back of and sprawled on it, watching over her two friends. "Is it......is it possible? Can that......happen?" She shook her head in sadness and laid her head down, looking like a stretched-out cat.

*cykes thought for a moment* "i've heard about it..., but I never thought it would be possible..., how serious is this?"

Poe shivered and looked up, wondering why hse felt so weak. She saw Anya beside her, Pup above her, and Cykes standing close by. "What's going on?" she saked, sitting up, rubbing her arms.

*looks torn* "you're becoming a mortal..."



Poe went pale and looked as if she were going to faint. "I'm what?? But how? Is that even possible?"

*points to Brent* "he told us..."

Poe looked at Brent and sighed. "He's probably right..."

"you know who he is?"

"Yes, he is my cousin, Brent."

"so it's true then..."

Poe nodded slowly. "Yes, I guess it is. He is dark elf...my mother's sister's child. My father was a vampire, my mother a dark elf."

Pup's ears twitched and she grumbled in her sleep, rolling over. Unfortunately, she was sleeping on the back of the chair and rolled off of it and hit the floor with a 'thud.' Sitting up, she rubbed her head and yawned. "Have I missed anything....?"

Poe sighed and leaned back. "Nope."

Anya was still crying, but wiped the tears away. Can I give you some energy now dear? You wont last long unless yu have some.....Or you can try some blood...i'll give you some of mine if you wish.  Anya hugged Poe again as she waited for the answer.

No thank you, I'll be fine. Poe hugged Anya back.

"NO YOU WONT!" Anya screamed. She shifted into a wolf and attacked the chair that Pup had been sleeping on, reducing it to spinters. Anya paced back and forth across the room, trying to calm herself, her amethyst eyes looking like rubies everytime they caught the firelight.

Poe looked frightened and sat down on the coffee table, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them rocking back and forth.

Anya continued to pace, trying not to attack anything else. She knew she was scaring Poe worse, but couldnt stop herself.

Pup blinked her eyes, still not all the way awake. "Do not be so harsh Anya. Being a human can't be so bad. At least she wont be hunted for being a half-breed now like us."

"She will still be hunted...And she is still a shifting dark elf. These....fools wont know that she is mortal. She wont be as able to defend herself because she wont have as much magic now!" Anya paced relentlessly.

Poe cried softly, rocking back and forth. She thought about what to do, and her mind went back to a class she had at the academy, before she came to the mansion. She remembered her chemicals teacher saying something about turning an object back to what it was before. She then remembered another thing he had taught her. A protection spell. She thought about which one to do first, then ran to the room of torture and locked all of the doors, grabbing bottles of chemicals and other objects, including beakers, a burner, things to stir with, and other neccesary objects. She quickly put together the spell by memory and let it simmer over the burner, taking it off and replacing it with the second spell right before it started to boil. She finished the second spell and poured both of them into seperate vials, which she put into a case and snapped it shut after labeling them individualy. She went over to the doors and unlocked them then opened the windows to air out the faint smell the chemicals produced.

Pup, leaning against the wall outside of the room Poe was using for her smelly experiments, sighed. Feh, what does a person around here have to do to get some peace and quiet? Before my two adopted sisters moved in it was peaceful here. NOW, though, it seems that everything has shattered and hell has frozen over while heaven has caught on fire. Sheesh, and yet I'm glad for the uproar. My life was rather boring and pathetic before..... Pup shifted her weight a little and waited patiently until Poe was done.

Poe stepped out into the hall and smiled at Pup. "Hello there! How are you doing?"

"Hmmmm, I'm doing fine." Pup points to the room. "You done in there?" She tilted her head at the smells coming from the room, curious of what they came from.

Poe just smiled and rocked back and forth on her heels. "Yep!"

Anya continued pacing, trying to calm herself some.

*cykes was sitting close to the fire, his hand stroking the flames absently* 'what will happen now..., if everyone's immortal..., what will poe do...?' *he thought by himself*

Anya calmed herself, but continued pacing, thinking. 'I'm not immortal myself, but I was attacked.....that would be because I'm a shifter is my guess......Poe would also still be hunted, and still be a shifter.....That means I need to see this prophecy right now! And find Poe...I want to know what those potions were that she made...I couldnt read the vials for some reason......and she doesnt want Pup to know about them which means whatever they are, they are either dangerous, or untested.....Why did I ever choose a vampire for a friend?' Anya glanced up and glared about, looking for Poe and wondering what she could do to stop her if she tried anything stupid. Anya spotted Brent still standing in the corner and grabbed his shirtsleeve, towing him with her in persiut of Poe, asking him mentally as she went Are you a shifter as well...this could be important! Anya tried to hurry down the hall, but was having a time of keeping Brent with her.

Poe saw Anya coming and ran back into the room, hiding the vials in a secret spot. She didn't want Brent or Anya to find out what the second vial, the vial that changes sometthing back to what it was before. She took it out and replaced it with a vial filled with water. She hid the vial in her pocket and walked past Anya to her room and shut and locked the door.

Anya's nose hit the door hard.  She sat downn heavily and waited by the door, ears flat.

Poe heard a thump outside of the door and ignored it, taking out the vial. She pulled the top out of the top and looked at the dark red contents. She considered what she was doing before raising it to her lips.

Anya leeched her way unde the door jyst in time to stop Poe. She knocked the vial away and glared at Poe, waiting for a response.

Poe used the last of her magic to stop the vial from spilling its contents and to hold Anya against the door while she raised the vial to her lips again and drained the contents. "I'm sorry, Anya, but I had to do that....for all of us. For our safety." Poe put a hand to her stomach as pains wracked her body. Her skin went pale, her eyes turned bloodred, and her fangs slowly came over her bottom lip. Poe grinned, then winced and sat on the closest chair as further changes came over her.

Anya slumped against the wall, wondering what she was going to do if the vial had been tainted or if Poe had made the potion wrong. Anya felt like not living anymore, but watched as the changes took Poe one by one, restoring her vampire characteristics.

Poe grinned and stood erect, savoring the renewed power running through her veins. She howled to the full moon and cut it off mid-howl. "That was odd."

Anya sat there, not moving. She jumped when Poe howled, but that was it. She had no further wish to survive as she once more thought of her parents' death.

Poe saw Anya's change of mind frame and sat down beside her, holding her close and gently rocking her.

Anya felt herself being rocked but didnt really care. She felt the tears start to flow silently.

Poe rocked Anya until she fell asleep.

Anya fell asleep but was thrown into a nightmare. She screamed and lurched to her feet, backing into a corner.  Sh was shaking, her hands looking like vibrators in the moonlight from the window.

Pup walked over to Anya and slapped her hard, knocking her over. "Enough of these nightmares Anya. Poe! Can you make anything for her nightmares?"

Poe thought about it, then shook her head. "No, I can't Pup. These nightmares will stop only when she comes to terms with herself."

"Damn! Well, she'd better get over it sometimes soon. It seriously irritates me and she knows it. Hmph!" Pup walked over and leaned against the wall, bored out of her mind.

Poe smiled, glad everything was close to being normal again. She felt a very old and familiar prescence aproaching the manor. She stood up excitedly, sniffing the air. She ran to the window and looked out, seeing the small familiar form walking slowly towards them.

Pup's ears twitched and she strode over to look out the window next to Poe. Upon seeing the figure, she tilted her head and asked "Who is that?"

"My friend and former assassin, Victoria." Poe laughed. "She's almost as good as me. You'll like her. She's loads of fun." Poe watched impatiently for Vic to come closer.

Anya stood in the corner, just shivering. She couldn't really do anything for the fear that had taken over her. She wondered what was going to happen now.

"Hmmmmmmm, that's good. We always need more fun in here." Pup looked over at Anya and sighed. "Especially with the waves of depression that are coming off of her."

Poe smiled a bit and looked aorund. "Its ok, Anya...VIcs a good person."

Anya continued to just stand in the corner, still shaking.

Poe hugged Anya. "Its all right, Anya. Vic is a good person...she just doesn't like any major authority."

Anya felt somewhat less shaky in Poes arms and started to sit weakly.

Poe sat her down and held her wrist in front of Anya's mouth for a drink.

Anya shook her head. "You know I only drink blood when i'm too weak to hunt. You forget I am no vampire."

Poe got up and stood by Pup, looking out of the window. "We could change that..."

Pup looked at Poe and then at Anya, grinning. "Yes, we could very easily change that, thought I wonder how your blood would react with the vampire gene." She winced and looked back out the window, remembering the tests that she had seen done to other species using vampire genes.

Poe looked out the window, savoring the moonlight* "What say you, Anya?"

Anya contemplated silently for a moment. "What would the change be like?"  Anya was fairly sure there would be no problems with the change being as they were both dark elves.

Poe thought about this. "It won't be any different than you are now...except you will have a lust for blood unlike before. Right Pup?? It's been so long since my change....i don't really remember that much. But from what i do remember, it isn't that much of a change. You'll grow fangs and acquire dark powers." Poe turned to Anya. "So, what say you?"

"Where do we start?"

Poe looked at Pup. "I'll let Pup take care of this...I only know i was changed, but not how to change people."

Pup grinned at Anya. "Don't worry about it Anya, I don't need to bite you. Actually, I will have to prick the ends of each of your fingers on both hands and do the same on myself. Then it will be a bit like a blood trandfer. Really easy."

Poe looked confused. "I was bitten, though...but whatever." Poe smiled and sat on the window frame, watching.


"Well, you can be turned by being bitten, but that's a bit harder on both the victim and the biter. The biter will be more tempted to drain the one they're changing if they do it that way." Pup looked over at Anya. "Which way would you prefer me to use?"

Poe looked out the window. "I say prick her fingers....the guy who had me put into the cage was the guy who changed me before i became an assassin."

Anya looked at poe. "Pup. the biting would be fine. I know how you are about needles, and I hzte the feeling of them myself."

Pup nodded and then looked over at Poe. "You'll need to hold her down. The changing does some interesting things to a person's nerves." She looked at Anya. "Thanks for that Anya. I promise to be careful when biting you. Lets get this over with."

Anya tensed up and waited for the bite to happen, her eyes closed and shivvering slightly. She was ready to be sister to Poe and Pup in every way that she could. She waited for what seemed like ages, wondering what the fangs would feel like in her.

Poe sighed boredly and walked over to Anya. "Come on Pup, stop being cruel. She's scared as it is." Poe moved some hair off of Anya's neck and bit into it, her fangs making two small lasscerations in Anya's flesh. Poe drank some, then used a fang to prick a vein in her wrist and hold it to her neck, mixing the blood. She finished and licked her wrist, clearing the blood. She walked Anya over to her hammock and had her lie down in it. "Come and get Pup and I when you awaken."

Anya felt Poes caress, felt a pinching sensation, felt weakened. She leaned heavily on Poe then collapsed on the bed, falling to sleep almost instantly. Her last thought was of how hard it would be to school control into herself.

Pup watched the whole process and shuddered as the smell of blood hit her nose. She was always a bit more sensitive to the smell than most full vampires and hated that fact deeply. She looked over at Poe after she put Anya on the hammock and smiled. "Thanks for doing that Poe." Pup looked down at her hands and winced, noticing that she had gripped it so hard that there where hand marks that ruined the nice smooth surface.

Poe used magic to warp the frame aroud the marks, creating a design around, in and from Pup's hand marks. "I really hope this does work, Pup. I'd hate to see her get hurt." Poe noticed that Vic was sitting by the tree and sent her a quick mental message. Poe sat up at the reply, almost losing her balance at the turn of luck. "You won't believe what Vic just said...we have allies in the Kins....and in several other small out-groups over the course of several leagues. One person from each clan is coming here by the next full moon to discuss what to do with everything. Vic is one of them." Poe stood up and ran to her book and flipped through it. She walked back to the sill and sat down, reading it to herself. "Pup, the prophecy is coming true...but I can't understand most of the ancient text...read it to me, please?"

"Hmmmmmm, very well.
'Three came forth, one blood shared
Out of the enemy lines, a few that cared
Come from the darkness, new to the light
to follow the three in the war of the night
One of three, the keeper of the hold
two of three, the friend of the bold
three of three, the sadness told
All of the three together shall fight
against their kin and others in the night.'
Thats as far as I can remember...."
Pup thought to herself about the last line. "I wonder who the 'others' are?

Poe looked over at Anya's sleeping form. "Well, we know which one she is." she laughed softly. "The others...hmmmmm...."Poe got up and paced, closing her eyes.

Pup sat on the window sill and looked over at Anya. "I wish she would wake up....... the more brains, the quicker a solution is found...." She sighed and watched Poe pacing.

Poe ran it over in her mind, then stopped cold. Trembling, she turned around to face Pup. "Were-wolves."

Pup froze and growled. "I should have known! It figures they'd drag them in! I wonder what they bribed the wolves with to get them to help........ This is definitely not good!"

Poe thought of another potential. "They could also bring up the Zombies....brutal, mindless, undead, ugly creatures that don't die or go away easily..." Her hand momentarily strayed to a scar on her shoulder where she had been attacked many years ago by a Zombie.

1 hour later
Anya started to stir. She could sense humans nearby and craved their blood. She stood slowly and started walking about, hunting the blood she yearned to have. She spotted 2 others inthe room on her way to the door, but ignored them, having more desire to feed than to talk.

Poe put a block in front of the door that prevented Anya from getting away. "Not so fast, Miss Anya." Poe put an arm around her and walked her over to Pup. "Tell us how you feel."

Anya growled at being hindered and glared at both. "I must have blood. Let me go."

Poe flipped her hair off of her neck. "Help your self...we need you to stay in the room to help us with something."

Anya tore away from Poe and glared more. She looked about her then spotted the window. She launched through it and started her decent.

Poe followed her, yelling. "ANYA!!! THATS NOT A MORTAL!!!"

Anya landed smoothly and ran back into the manor, heading for the stairwell down.

Poe landed awkwardly and felt her wrist snap, but she ignored it and ran after Anya, throwing a blindness spell around her. "It'S ALMOST DAY TIME, ANYA!! YOU NEED TO BE BACK INSIDE!"

Pup watched the two of them from the window and shook her head, frowning. "This is going to be a bit more difficult than I had anticipated......" She looked across the horizon at where the sun was about to come over the mountains. "They have about 3 minutes before the sunlight hits."

Anya started down the stairs, heading for the life signs she felf.  She tripped and started hurtling down the stair at a fast pace, hearing feet behind her.

Poe looked up and saw Pup, then looked at Anya. She saw Vic signal to her and felt her message and smiled, realizing what she was going to do. Poe grinned and completed the spell Vic started. The spell transported both Anya and herself back into the manor just as the sun rose. Poe slammed shut the blinds and slumped against the wall, watching Anya dangle ing the air for a moment before hitting the ground.

Anya hit the floor and scrabbled back up, heading for the nearest window.

Poe tiredly used the link with Vic to put up blocks on all of the nearest windows. She looked at Pup. "Think we should let her get a little burned?? It'll teach her real quick not to go out with out a protection spell during the day."

Anya looked about, frustrated. She screamed then sat, feeling rather weak from all her fighting.

"I don't think we have to worry about that at the moment. Once she get her strength back and runs for it again we can let her get slightly burned." Pup grinned and watched Anya as she screamed ans sat and giggled to herslef.

Poe smiled. "I think that is a good idea. Its how we both learned." Poe grinned broadly. "And look how we turned out." She started to giggle helplessly at the thought.

Anya sat there, now quiet and almost too weak to hold herself up. She felt lightheaded and started to sway back and forth.

Poe crawled over and forced Anya to bite her neck and drink the blood. "Goodness, Anya. You need to learn that you can only have my blood for the next two days to build up your immunuties." She sat back when Anya was done drinking. "Geesh girl, I don't think even I was that hungry when i was changed." SHe smiled softly.

Pup chuckled softly at Poes comment. "I remember my first thought after being changed. It was 'I'm hungry." I made sure my captors new that too. I very nearly screamed it to them over and over until they fed me." She smiled to herself proudly at that accomplishment.

Poe grinned. "I was acrossed the hall and i heard it as i was feeding." She giggled as she rememebred putting a scar on her captors neck because Pup's screams had frightened her.

Anya sat back and licked the last of the blood from her lips. She wa still hungry, but tried to control that. She was starting to remember all that was and had happened. She finally knew who she was and could start to think rationally to an extent. That was what had stopped her drinking, the knowledge that Poe was a friend. Anya stod, and started to sway again, nearly toppling over. She gave in to her hunger and sunk her fangs into Poe's neck once more.

Poe went pale and held her own until Anya was done eating. "You better now?"

Anya sat back down, her eyes amethyst. Shaily she answered at last. "I....dont know.......Why do I feel like I cant get enough blood......and rather weak?" Anya could tell her vioice was rather weak sounding. She wondered if her not eating in the last three days had anything to do with it, or if the others knew she hadnt eaten.

Poe shook her head. "One thing you will learn is that you need to eat every day, or at least every other day..." Poe sttod up and handed Anya a packet. "This is the only solid food we can eat and actualy get nutrients from. Eat up." She walked back to the table and put the book down.

Anya looked at the packet aprehensively. "What is this?" Anya wondered what she had missed during her transformation as she studied the packet further.

Poe just smiled and ripped it open, tearing off a piece and eating it. "Its good food...don't ask what it is quite yet." She smiled and readjusted the curtain to block more of the sun.

Anya looked at the contents then looked back up, setting the packet aside. "I only consume fresh meat......if that's what this is"

Poe glared at Anya and crossed her arms. "Just. Eat. It."

Anya shook her head resolutely.

Poe growled and stalked out of the room.

Anya continues to just sit there, refusing to eat.

Poe walked back in, stoic, and knelt on Anya's shoulders and turned the food to liquid before forcing it down her throat.

Anya choked and gagged on the liquid.

Poe sat back when she had swallowed it all. "There...not to hard..."

Anya shuddered as the last of the liquid went down her throat, then hurled. Whatever the food was, her body rejected it. She leaned on one elbow, trying not to throw up again.

Poe looked concerned and used magic to clean it up, making it disapear. "Hmmmm...."

Anya curled into a ball and rocked slightly, trying to stop the intestinal pain that had started with the emptying of her system. Anya moaned quietly.

Pup frowned at Anya's pain. "Perhaps we should feed her some deer or something...." She looked over at Poe with the question in her eyes.

Poe looked back. "Perhaps...but what if she needs..." Poe shivered."Human meat...."

Anya continued to rock, the pain not subsiding. "Rabbit." She muttered quietly, knowing that was whatshe had survived on since birth. She hoped they understood and that the pain would stop.

".....rabbit? Very well Anya. Rabbit it is, I guess...." Pup walks out of the room for a few minutes and returns bloody-handed with a couple of rabbits. "There will have to do, though they look a little skinny......"

Anya grabbed the rabbits eagerly and started eating, shifting into a wolfout of habit as she ate.  Slowly the pain was subsiding.  Finished, Anya laid in the corner, her wolven instincts taking over. She settled down for a nap.

Poe looked away and handed Pup a rag. "I think she's going to be difficult to handle until she groes into her memory again. Remember what terrors we were when we were changed?" Poe grinned at the memory. "Constant little jail breaks..."

"Little jail breaks?! They had to keep on moving us from jail to jail because of all the damage we caused. It probably took them months to find all the prisoners that escaped!" Pup laughed at that. "Well, we sure did give them hell for changing us, eh Poe!"

Poe giggled and rocked back and forth. "Indeed. Remember the first time they tried to feed us normal food?? I nearly killed my gaurd I drank so much of his blood." Poe giggled and rubbed a scar ont he back of her head where they had to hit her to dislodge her. "Remember how we decided to start this mansion together, Pup?"

Anya sat up and yawned, shifting back into an elf. She craved more blod and headed for the door to the hall, intent on getting some. Her stomache didnt feel quite right, but she was going to ignore it, focusing on the hunger.

"cha, I remember that Poe. We wanted a place where we could be what we are without dealing with complaints from others. Where are you going Anya?" Pup looked over to where Anya was leaving.

Poe looked over as well. "Anya..."

While all this is happening, Vic released a phasing spell and teleported in. There was a 'poofing' sound, and she apeared in a a pink/gray cloud of smoke. "Stupid spell...I knew I shouldn't have gotten it from that stupid gypsy."

Poe looked up at Vic, A huge smile spreading acrossed her face. "Vic!!" She got up and ran over to her, hugging her tightly. "I'm so glad to see you again!! How are you?? Up to no good as usual, I hope." Poe grinned mischeviously.

Vic grined. "Oh Poe I you have no clue... what mischevious things are we gunna do today cause I'm like in a mischevious withdrawl so it better be good girlie."

Poe smirked and lovingly buffeted Vic accrossed the back of her head. "We are mainly deciding what to do today. What do you wish to do? Torture? Hunt? Bring in...hin...and have a torture fest?"

Vic thought about this."Ooooh I don't know...You pick."

Poe looked over at Pup and Anya. "Here, let me introduce you to Pup and Anya." She motioned to each of them in turn. 

Vic said her greetings in an english accent. " 'ello."

Poe smiled and sat down on her chiar. "So, Vic, have a seat. Why have you come here? Trouble brewing?"

"No... well... ya but i hate boy drama so no not really." Vic said, pouting.

Poe grinned and located her toy in the other room, trying to break loose from his chains."I say we pay my toy a visit..and you can take it out on him." Poe giggled.

"oh come on poe he needs to come out of the closet somtime."

Poe smiled. "No, he is my toy, and i need to play with him here soon...or else he might get stronger and resiliant to our techniques."

Pup smiled at Vic and waved to her. "Hello there! Poe, when was the last time you played with your toy? I know I haven't played with mine in a while because of all the action that was going on. Hmmmm, now where did I tie him up........" Pup went looking for her toy, intent on finding him soon.

VIc stood up, adamant."POE! He's my toy and if you play with my toy ill hurt you...hi Pup."


Poe just laughed and stood up, pushing Vic down into the chair she had just vacated. "Stay here out of the way, or come and learn. You pick. As for me, I'm going with Pup to play with my toy."


Anya slunk into the outer room and shifted back into her elven form, fangs glistening in the light.  She had found a blood source. Anya walked over and contemplated where to bite the man, who was convienently shackled. Her fangs werw centimeters from his neck when Poe and Pup walked in. She stared at them, ready to bite, but frozen in place.

Poe saw Anya and sighed. "Go ahead, Anya. I'll get a new toy later." She grinned and patted Anya's head on her way by.

Anya sunk her teeth in and drank, draining the man in moments. She looked about, still craving blood, but feeling close to full. She ran after Poe, wondering what she had missed and what she should know, now that she could think somewhat clearly.

Poe grinned and incinerated the man's body and went to her closet and pulled out a large box, made of dark wood and intricatley carved. She set it on the table in front of Pup and grinned. "Remember this?"

Vic looks shocked "do you have any idea that you just killed my BF GOD poor guy well i guess you have to be single to mingle" then smiles and looks around.

Poe looked disgusted." Your boyfriend was part of the Kins, Vic...your enemies who WANT TO KILL YOU." Looks around and sses Cykes in a corner. "OH NO YOU DON'T!!" Steps in frint of Vic. "You stay away from Cykes!"

"oh really ha i didnt kno well hes dead now i dont think he wanted me dead tho he thought i was pretty he thought you were funna and he thought jess was weird "

Poe smiled, but continued to stand in front of Cykes. "Cykes is alive, my dear girl..."

vic looked confused "who is cykes....oh.."when she saw Cykes staring out of the back corner.

Poe looked back at Cykes and smiled, then looked back at Vic. "Cykes is very unique. You have to be careful around him. Unless you've known him for as long as I have, then you can poke and prod mercilessly."

Anya stood there, also looking at Cykes. She glanced back to Poe and started to shivver, though she knew not why. "Cold....." She mumbled very quietly, hoping that she wasnt heard after she realized she had said it out loud.

*Cykes stood there, being looked at* "morning everyone..."

Poe walked over to Cykes and took his hand, walking him over to the group.

*walks after poe* "so..., hello new person...?"

Anya felt Cykes next to her. "Hi Cykes." Hoping he wouldnt take it wrong, she leaned against him, shivvering again as she did so. 

Poe sat down on Cykes's other side, still holding his hand. "Cykes, this is Vic, Vic, this is Cykes."

*cykes looked at anya* "anything wrong...? I missed an aweful lot lately..." *then looked at vic and sticks out a hand* "greetings..."

Poe leaned against Cykes and spoke in his ear. "She was just changed over to a vampire, so she's a bit scared."

and cold Anya thought, shaking her head to answer Cykes, not trusting her voice.

Poe walked over and started a fire in the fire place, then returned with a cloak, which she placed arounf Anya.

*cykes sat down, not knowing what to do*

vic comes up with a very delayed reaction... "y would i do that Poe"

Anya pulled the cloak tighter about her and scooted closer to the fire. She looked into the flames and saw part of her past there. She saw the flames of what had been her home, her parents corpses laying inside.  single tear rolled down Anya's cheek as she knew the transformation was done, knew she was no longer just a shifter out for revenge. Knew all that had happened to her.

*cykes stood up again* "orry people, I need to go now..., I've been called upon..."

Anya nodded, not truly hearing what had been said.

Poe looked sad as she let go of his hand and waved. "Good bye, Cykes. See you later."

Pup looked and waved goodbye to Cykes and then walked over to the window, feeling a slight breeze through the thick shades. "Sometimes I miss the sun......."

Poe nodded and walked over to her, standing by her. "I do to..."

Despite the cloak, Anya shivvered yet again. She broke her gaze from the fire and glanced to the others in the room.

Poe looked at Anya and softly smiled, coming over and sitting next to her, putting an arm around her.

Anya leaned on Poe, shaking. She hid her face on Poe and released the few tears that had come with the vision of her parents.

Poe rocked Anya back and forth soothingly, using magic to block all of the visions while Anya was with her. She started to sing a lullaby.

Anya muttered for Poes ears alone, "Your friend is going to think me a weakling." Anya could hear how shaky her voice was and wondered why it was that way.

Poe smoothed down Anya's hair. "No she isn't...she's gone through the exact same thing." She continued to rock and sing the lullaby.

Anya felt her body relax, and felt Poes magic pulsing around her, through her. Anya tried to block Poes magic, but found that she was too weak. Anya gave up and just relaxed in Poes arms.

Poe kept on rocking Anya until she fell asleep, then she placed the same spell over her to keep Nighmares from coming. Poe looked up at Pup and shook her head sadly.

*appears in the room in his usual, thick, black fog* "sorry about that..., had to 'persuade' someone to give me this" *holds out a shadowsteel chain with a slim killing hook on the end* "I've been watching this baby for some time now..., and I knew she was meant for me..." *he looks at poe briefly* "so that was the reason I had to leave for a while..., but before anything else happens..., can anybody clue me in on the recent developments? I have missed a lot..."

Anya rolled slightly, then sensing another presense, sat up with a dagger in her hand. She was still shaking.

Poe put a hand on Anya's dagger hand and pushed it down. "Its just Cykes, Anya." She looked at Cykes and grinned. "You could have asked for mine." She pulled one out exactly like it and slowly starts to swing it in a lazy circle. "Did you mean anything particular by that look?" She grinned softly, slowly walking closer to him.

Pup snorted, trying to hold in her laughter. "Awwww, poor Cykes! Well, you guys have fun. I'm going to go snooping around in town for any new that sounds interesting. See ya!" She got up from by the window sill and walked out the door, still laughing.

*cykes grinned* "I knew you had one..., but I've always wanted one of my own..., you might need yours at a time I would like to use it or something..., and now it doesn't matter anymore" *puts the chain away again, and looks at pup leaving, slightly disturbed* "hmmm..., well, where was I...? oh, right! my look..." *grins, and strays off subject* "I had this new look since yesterday? you like it?"

Poe lept close to Cykes and swung the chain around his neck, catching the hook before it plunged into his neck. "Don't go off subject." Poe looked over her shoulder. "Pup, would you mind bringing me back a toy?" She looked at Cykes agian. "Please tell me what you meant." She tugged on the chain, bringing them face-to-face.

*his eyes twinkling, he grins* "oh, you know..., the usual..." *he grins again, trying to escape the chain*

Poe held the chain firm. "Cykes.."Her voice caught a dangerous tone.

Anya slowly sheathed her dagger and settled back tiredly. She settled back down and sat there quietly for the time being, knowing better than to get involved in the fight ensuing within 2 feet of her.

*cykes eyes twinkled some more* "yes dear?"

Poe's eyes narrowed. "Don't fool around with this...I'm dead serious. Tell me what you meant." She lowered her eyes. "Please...I need to know because..." She looked away, blushing.

*cykes stopped grinning* "what is it...? why is this so important to you...?" *he looked slightly confused* "I didn't mean to..., well..., I didn't think you'd react this way..." *he looked away for a while, than looked back* "well..., if the situation is this serious..., when i looked at you, I was meaning that I loved you..."

Poe's head snapped back around to face Cykes. "I knew it!" She hugged him tightly, laughing and grinning. She whispered in his ear. "And I love you, darling Cykes...So very much..." She kept her arms wrapped around him, then she remembered the hook. She unwound it from his neck and let it drop to the floor before hugging him again.

*cykes looked up in surprise* "you do...?" *he moved into a more comfortable position when the hook was removed, and smiled a little shy* "well..., uhm..., wow..." *he hugged back a little startled, then relaxed a bit* "thanks..., it's been like this for a long time now..., but I never had the courage..." *he grinned* "how ironic..., I can kill men without blinking, but confessing my love for someone, costs me more courage than i have..."

Poe grinned and kissed his cheek. "Well, now that's finaly settled." She kept her hand on his arm and hugged him once again.

*cykes still looked a bit startled, but he smiled* "I suppose this will change a lot..., won't it...?"

Poe smiled softly. "I suppose...but nothing radicly different."

*cykes didn't know what to do, so he sat down* "what will change than...?"

Poe stayed standing up as she turned to look at the fireplace, and the fire that burned there. "Just the way we treat each other..."

*cykes grinned* "and the way we look at each other..., I suppose..."

Poe grinned and blushed, lowering her head so Cykes couldn't see her blush. "Indeed." She said quietly, still blushing.

*cykes thought for a moment* "how about the time we spend together?"

Poe though about that and turned around. "I suppose we will spend more time together...Tell me what you hope will happen with this..."

"I don't know..., I'm not used to this type of thing..., this is the first time..."

"Same here..."

"so.., what do you expect that will happen?"

*cykes jumped up* "damn, I forgot..., I have someone who had some info for me..., I have to go..., I'll see you later?" *cykes leaped out the window and ran towards the forest*

Poe looked confused. "Ummm....bye?" She walked to the window and watched Cykes run, then smiled and turned away, blushing at the thoughts coursing through her mind.

*after a few hours, cykes reappeared through the window* "well, that was useless..., he didn't have anything I didn't know, it's for an assignment..."

Poe got up from her hammock where she had been reading a book. She smiled and nodded. "What assignment?"

*cykes smiled at her* "oh..., nothing special..., just spying..."

Poe smiled back. "Oooohh...fun. I like spying when I'm on an assignment...Its what I did when I jumped off of the dragon and ran back to the mountain...I was also caught." Poe blushed. "How, I don't know...but I was caught...So I need to re-shapren my skills, it seems..." Poe grinned and sat crosslegged on the coffee table. "Anything interesting happen with you lately?"

*cykes poured himself a glass of mead, and took a sip* "no..., not really..., of course there were the usual fights and assignments..., but nothing other than that.., how about you?"

Poe poured some wine and looked at it. "Oh, just the usual 'break out of a prison cell made of silver in a dangerous mountain' type of day." She grinned and took a sip.

Pup walked back in, a little battered, but grinning like a fool. "You wouldn't even guess what I just found out on my little escapade!"

Poe grinned and looked up. "Do tell. I'm curious to find out!"

*cykes looked curious and took another sip from his mead* "indeed..., what happened?"

Pup giggled to herself in utter glee and ran out the room for a moment, returning with a vampire chained up in silver and unconscious. "I found this bloke in one of the bars in town completely and totally drunk and since he didn't have any money to pay for all he drank, the owner was all too glad to let me have him for a small fee. And the best part is this; he's one of the kin! Anybody feel like questioning time?"

*cykes emptied his mug and grinned* "that indeed is interesting..., I feel like we might actually get some information from this guy..."

Anya shook her head and moved so she was right next to the fire.

Poe giggled and handed her drink to Anya and stood up next to Cykes. "Indeed...Lets het to it!!"


*cykes grinned* "shall I get my toolbox?"

Anya set Poe's drink on the mantle and retreated to Poe's hammock, wrapping up in her own cloak as well as the one poe had given her.

Pup looked over to Anya. "What? you don't want to join the fun of this Anya? Well, whatever. I plan on enjoying every second of this!"

*cykes stood next to poe* "and so shall we, won't we?"

Poe looked up at Cykes, then ran to the room of torture and waited on a table until Pup and Cykes got into the room.

Pup grabber their prisoner and walked out the room to the torture room, where she slung the unconscious vampire onto the table. "Ooooh, I'm shivering with excitement! Let's get started already!"

*cykes followed pup* "well, let's get going" *cykes smiled wickedly*

Poe giggled and used her magic to undo the chians, then quickly strapped him down onto the table. She looked up at Cykes and grinned.

Rubbing her hands together, pup grinned wickedly. "Well well well, what technique shall we use on this one my dear friends? I'm feeling the excitement in me building by the second. Don't you just love this feeling."

*cykes thought for a moment* "how about we split his kneecaps to wake him up?"

Poe nodded and sat on the vampire's chest. She bent down and bit his neck, taking a sip and effectivly waking him up. She grinned at his confused face and giggled. She jumped off and stood next to Cykes, standing close beside him.

Anya, feeling drained, cold and yet restless, rejoined the others. She stood near Poe and Cykes, but not close enoug to seem as if she were intruding.

Poe turned and pulled Anya closer, putting an arm around her. "Come and join...or just watch, if you wish to."

"I'll just watch for now." Anya said as she leaned against Poe and pondered why she was soo cold. She kept both cloaks about her tightly.

Poe whispered in Anya's ear. "You'll be cold for the next few days while your body adapts to the changes."

Anya nodded, undestanding of the full implications reaching her. She realized the fear Poe had said she had was real and was thankful Poe and Pup and Cykes were all there to help her with the change.

Poe hugged Anya and lay her head on top of Anya's

Anya just stood there, leaning on Poe, who was also leaning on her. She wondered what Pup was going to do to the toy.

Grinning at Poe, pup looked at the toy in curiousity. "I wonder. Tell me vampire. What is your objective?" Getting no answer, she looked over at Cykes. "you want to play with his kneecap?"

Poe giggled with glee and stepped up to the vampire. "This is going to be fun." She gave her best sadistic smile and giggled.

Anya stepped over as well and suddenly made a jab. She pulled a curious dagger from behind the vampire and handed it to Poe.

Poe looked at it and dropped it suddenly. "Ouch...it burned my hand..."She kicked it over to Cykes and looked for a wet rag.

*cykes picked it up carefully and examined it* "this is cruel work..., it has poisoned needles on strategic spots on the handle..., so that only the hand that it was made for, can hold it..." *cykes looked at poe worried* "that means you're poisoned..."

Anya looked at the vampire, then struck him. She continued to hit him, not caring that she had hit hard enough to break her hand the first time.

Poe wrapped her free arm around Anya's waist and hauled her off of the vampire. She used magic to heal Anya's hand and then set her down next to Cykes and placed a foot on her chest to keep her down. "Eh...nothing new..." Poe went pale and swayed a little bit.

Anya fought then got free and went for the vampire again, using some magic to steady Poe. She felt a massive drain on what energy she had, but didnt care. She knew not how she had avoided the needles herself.

Poe used the last of her magic to force Anya off of the vampire and fastened her to the floor with chains that couldn't be gotten through. She put her hand on the table to steady herself. "I'm going to wash my hand. I'll be right back." She slowly walked off, using every surface to lean upon.

*cykes looked at poe, still worrying* "make sure to use antidote too..."

Poe stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Which would be what?"

Anya fought against the chains, but couldnt get free. Her amethyst eyes were shot through with red and she was shaking with her fury.

Poe groaned and held her stomach as she released Anya. She slowly collapsed to her knees and put out one hand to steady herself as she held the other to her stomach.

Anya collapse as well, joined with Poe mentally beyondvwhat she had ever been before. "Poe...." She gasped, reaching toward her fallen friend.

*cykes dropped the dagger from shock* "poe...?" *he ran towards her* "what happened??"

Pup frowned, checked the bonds that held the vampire to make sure they were secure and then went over to Poe. "Do you know what type of poison it is that is affecting you?"

Poe gasped for breath andd writhed on the floor.

*cykes' eyes showed a single tear, but he tried to stay cool* "it is obvious she cannot give us any clues on that..., we need to get her stable and in a better state than she is now..., and have that dagger analyzed..."

Anya gasped and triedbto talk so the others ould understand her. "It...its some.....thing..strong...not much time.....hurry" Anya lost herself tobthe pain that was flooding Poe.

*cykes face was grim* "pup, if there's a way I can take a part of her pain, or the complete pain, I want to do that..., can such a thing happen through a link as anya and her have? if we can take away the pain, she might be able to give us more information..., and we can analyze me as well..., mentally..."

Poe struggled to sit up, and once she managed ot do that, she parted with her link from Anya and mentaly slammed it into the vampire. As images flooded her mind, she stableized a little bit, enough to stand up and limp slowly to the chemicals she had in her closet. She set them down and downed one at a time, then slumped to the floor, leaning against the table for support.

*cykes sat behind her for more support, holding her in a more or less stable position* "what can we do?? can we establish a link like you have? would that help??"

"Pup winced as she too took away some of Poe's pain. "I can try Cykes, but that's all. I have never tried to create that link with someone who doesn't have our mental power." She screwed up her face in concentration, looking for a 'hook' inside Cykes to link him with Poe. Finding a small on that would work for a little while, she linked the two and sat down hard, exhausted from the effort. "No wonder I never tried to do that! It saps a person of their energy to do such a small thing." 

*cykes gave a short cry of pain when he was overwhelmed by poe's pain and feelings* "and this will work???"

Poe leaned back against Cykes and closed her eyes, unable to keep them open. "You...have...to..." Then she sighed and slumped forward, unconcious.

Anya slumped forward as well, then hesitantly spoke. "Cykes, that poisonnremedy you gave her last time, it will slow this poison. This poison is 3 poisons in one, and that will eliminate 2 and give her time. The 3rd, I know not."

Poe twitched slightly and sat up, holding her head. "You need to get his..."Then she slipped into unconciousness again.

Vic walked in and gasped. "You guys killed Poe!!!!"

Poe felt Vic walk in and woke up. "No...he....did...or is trying too..." She motioned to the vampire on the table with her head and leaned back against Cykes.

*cykes carefully started to examine poe's mind, trying to find out what she meant, after a while, he felt that he was being pushed away* "is it possible that the vampire is doing something to her mentally, after she placed her link in him???"

Anya nodded and rejoined Poe, feelingbher own pain absorb Poe's as she did. She started searching and found a metal block around part of Poes mind. She wondered if the vampire was making her fall unconcious. She felt another presence try to attack herself and blocked eveeything.

Poe felt three people in her mind and retreated into the utmost part of her that she kept hidden from everyone. The pain...the memories....the hurt....all of the secrets that could hurt others that only she had.

Pup sensed Poe retreating and sighed to herself, sad that she didn't know what to do. She walked over to the other vampire and growled at him. "You, my dear boy, are causing far more trouble than you're worth." At the she invaded his mind, completely and utterly ripping down the defenses he put up in his mind. 

Poe felt the vampires pain slowly fade as she kept on retreating, un aware that she was bringing a link with someone with her.

Anya curled into a ball, still feeling the strange presence trying to invade. She started to cry at the pain that was being caused.

*cykes felt useless, he didn't know how to fight mentally, although his physical capacity outmatched that of the vampire many times, he cursed, and stood up, walked to the vampire, and gave him a short punch in the face* "and now you take your mind back, worthless pile of dead meat!"

The vampire smirked and turned his face from Cykes and over to Poe, his undead eyes gleaming visciously. "She is one of the three...she must die." His voice grated against every ear in the room. "She is the only one of the three we have seen, so she is the first to die..."

Poe shivered, curled into a ball and wept.


Pup grinned and moved until her face was inches from his. "You're right. In fact, she is two of three. And guess what?" She moved closer until she was whispering into his ear. "I'm one of three." The vampire gasped, but before he could say anything, Pup clouted him over the head, knocking him out.

Poe vaguely felt a prescence leave her mind, and she ventured out a little bit. She slowly woke up and uncurled, wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand.

Anya felt the presence leave her as well and went completely limp with releif. She hoped that Cykes had figured out what she meant and that someone could get what was needed to Poe quickly as she tried to recover from the presence.

Poe swung her hand over to Anya for her told hold onto while they both recovered.

Anya took Poes hand and just lay there.

Poe smiled and crawled over to the table by where everyone was, curled up by Cykes, close to Anya and fell into a natural, untouched sleep

*cykes held poe, watching over her in her sleep* "what is this about the 'three'?"

Poe stretched and sighed, then resumed her former position.

That Evening....

vic poofs in as usual and sneezes.

Poe jolted upright and looked around, awakened by the sneeze. "What the..." When she saw Vic, she smiled and layed back again. "ello there Vic...Where have you been?" Poe looked at Anya. "You missed all of the fun..." She coughed and held her stomach, then her head and groaned.

*cykes woke up because he was still connected to poe's mind by a thread* "oh..., hello vic..., have we introduced properly?"

Poe jumped when Cykes spoke. "Oh...I didn't know you where there...sorry." She turned and gave Cykes a hug. She turned to Vic. "Vic, this is Cykes...Cykes, this is Vic, also known in the assissin world as Princess Victoria." She grinned and leaned back on her elbows.

"cykes i think youre a figment of poe's imagination" vic said

Poe glared at Vic and sat up, growling. "He's as alive as you and i are....more so, actualy. If he's a figment of my imagination, then how come Anya and Pup can see him as well?"

vic smiled at poe "put your claws back in poe im just kidding"

Poe looked at her hands and saw her claws really were out. Her eyes widened. "That hasn't happened in a while..." She grinned as she retracted them. "So, what have you been up to lately?"

Pup opened her eyes from where she had fallen asleep and looked up to see Poe talking to a person she was not familiar with. She stood up and looked at Vic, growling quietly.

Poe looked over at Pup and grinned. "Pup!! Come over here and meet Vic." she turned to Vic and smiled. "Vic, meet Pup, owner of the mansion."

vic looks at pup"kool name i was goind for somthing more snazzy like rose or fang but poe named me vic"

"Hmmmph, that's interesting. Nice to meet you Vic. As Poe said I am the first owner of this Mansion but Poe is the co-owner of it since she s my near-sister." Pup looked over to where Anya was at. "And I suppose Anya is too...."

Poe poked Vic. "So? You helped choose it...we could tell them your nickname..."

*cykes raised a hand* "what about me???" *he gave a dry chuckle*]

*vic looks confused* what, tia???

*cykes grinned* "just me being me"

"No.." Poe looked guilty. "Then you don't know the nickname we gave you back at the academy??" Poe loked behind her and scootched over to Cykes and leaned agianst him.

*cykes looked a little confused* "now I don't know what we're talking about..." *puts an arm around poe*

"Don't worry Cykes, you aren't the only one." Pup looked at Poe and then at Vic, her head tilted in confusion. "I'm am soo confuzeled now..."

Poe smiled at Cykes and then looked at Vic. "Trust me...You'll get used to her...eventualy..."

Anya sat up with a start and pulled two daggers. She looked about frantically but saw not what had invaded her dreams. She glared at the table where the vampire prisoner appeared to still be unconcious. She growled as she sensed his presence in her mind and then collapsed the rest of the way to the floor as her head exploded in a bloom of pain.

*cykes groaned* "not again!" *he went to the vampire and lashed out, hitting him on the isde of his head as hard as possible, knocking him out* "pup, if he keeps on doing this, we must kill him in the end..."

Anya relaxed as the pain started to subside. She sat up again and looked about, staring apprehensively at Vic whom she briefly remembered. "Thanks Cykes. I say we kill him now. He knows I'm the 3rd. He got it from me by force.

"Yes. We would have had to kill him anyway because he knows that all three are here. I think that perhaps we could give him a drug that renders his thought process incapable of invading others' minds and then invade his to find out his mission and such about what he knows...." Pup trailed off, deep in thought about what all they could do to their little prisoner.

*cykes thought for a moment* "hmmm..., is it possible that he already told someone else about this? by thought...?"

Anya jumped at the thought then clutched her stomach, suddenly feeling rather hungry. She knew it was the new vampire in her and that she neded some blod soon but didnt say anything about it to the others. "What about sending him out to the dragons? I dont think he's told anyone else yet."

*cykes looked at anya curiously* "why so jumpy?"

Anya glanced at Cykes then looked the other way. "I'm always jumpy. You know that from my almost stabbibg you that one night."

Poe rubbed her head and stood up shakily. She went over to Anya and bared her neck. "Drink up."

Anya shook her head, refusing to weaken a friend further when there was still a poison in her system. "Not until your well. I wont be the one that kills you."

*cykes went over to anya too* "take my blood than..., I'm healthy, and I'm not as dear to you as poe..."

Poe sat down and put her hands over her stomach as it growled. She stood up and slowly walked towards her room. "I'm going to go change clothes and stuff." She limped slowly to her room. "Anya, take Cykes advice, take his bloo..." She stoped and turned around at the door way. "But that would make you a vampire as well, Cykes...unless you drained some of your blood into a bowl, it would change you..."

*cykes grinned* "vampires and werewolves don't affect me..., I've done this before..."

Poe thought about this, then remembered part of the prophecy. She limped/ran to her room and feverishly loked through the book. When she got to the page, she ran back into the room and thrust the book at Pup. "Translate tat part, it should say something about the 'One unaffected by man or beast..."

Anya sat there waiting patiently to find out what was said. She did not take any of Cykes blood.

Poe looked around nervously. "This is the part of the prophecy that everyone skips..I think it says,

...and One unaffected by man or beast,
shall come to claim their rights,
as a son or daughter
of The Lords of the Night...."
Poe paced as she thought out loud. "The Lords of the Night were thr origanal vampires. They were the good guys, destined to over throw their cousins, the Lords of Darkness. There is a difference between Night and Darkness...Night is dark, but not evil, dark is not night, but it is evil..." Poe turned and looked at Cykes, then at everyone else. "I think Cykes is a Son of the Lords if the Night. He's not a vampire, but he's related to them...somehow..."

Anya stood up, shocked. Her world spun for a moment and she clutched Cykes arm to steady herself. "He's royalty?"

Poe thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, unless there is another in our company that isn't affected by man or beast. An I know it sin't Vic, because I attempted to change her, and she cut it off half way, partialy changed...so it is not Vic, leaving Cykes as the only other possibility." She looked sadly at Cykes. "Anya and Pup, you need a chnage of clothes at all?" She walked to her room and looked into her wardrobe. "I have no idea what to wear..."

*cykes thought about what poe said* "I think she might be right..., and although I don't need blood, I do have my connections to the night..., and its abilities..., but anyway, anya, you should take my blood..."

Poe yelled for Anya from her room. "COULD YOU HELP ME REAL QUICK?? OH>>AND IF YOU NEED TO FEED< DO IT IN HERE!!!!"

Anya went in the other room slowly, head still spinning slightly. She waited for Poe to see her.

Poe spun around and hugged Anya, then set her down into a chair. She handed her a flask. "Drink this." She went into her wardrobe pulling out three options. "Which one?"

Anya pointed to the middle outfit and sniffed the contents of the flask. "What is it?"

Poe slipped into the wardrobe and changed into a black outfit. "Its blood...I kept it frozen, so it's clean."

*cykes sat down quietly, thinking about what happened just now*

Poe finished getting dressed and walked out to Cykes and gave him a hug. 

*cykes hugged back without noticing, getting lost in his own mind, and the world he knew*

Poe felt that Cykes's mind wasn't with the present and sighed, leaving the room quietly.

Pup shrugged and went to her room, getting changed into some of her favorite red leather clothes. On returning, she looked over at Cykes and grinned. "Since your royalty now, I guess we're not allowed to be mean anymore.....darn..."

Poe smiled. "I know. I liked toying with him." She grinned and watched Cykes dream in his world, admiring the way his face caught the firelight. He's so peaceful now...he truly does look like a Son of the Lords... She blushed and looked away.

*cykes heard her voice through the link they temporarily shared and looked at her* "what will this change...?"

Poe looked startled,then remembered the link. She walked to the window and looked out. "I don't know, Cykes, I really don't. Hopefully nothing. Not unless you want it to change, though..." She sighed and leaned against the side of the window and put her head in the frame.

*cykes started looking into the fire again* "I don't know either..., I'll just need to think about his for a while..." *he stood up and walked over to poe, putting an arm around her*

Poe leaned her ehad against him and closed her eyes. "Take all of the time you need...I'll wait."

*cykes let her go* "thank you..., I think I'll be walking in the forest for a while than..., do you want to join me? to talk about this...?"

Poe thought about this. "I would like to, yes." She smiled slightly.

"shall we go then?" *cykes put an arm around poe again*

Poe smiled and nodded. "Lead the way..."

Anya slowly dralk the blood then joined Pup in the other room, feeling slightly better for the blood.

Pup looked over at Anya and grinned. "It's been a while since any of us has really taken a walk in the blood forest to think about things. After all; it's because of that forest that we hardly ever get any unpleasant visitors."

Anya nodded her undestanding to Pup and stared into the flames of the fire. She wondered if there was more of the bottled blood as she felt weak still.

Pup sighed and looked over at Anya. "If you get hungry for more blood there's a fridge in that closet over there filled with bags of it. Take as much as you want to."

"Thanks Pup." Anya glanced back to where the vampire was still out cold and thought about torturing him to keep her mind occupied.

Poe ran into the room out of breath. "hey....every...one..."

*cykes walked in after her* "greetings all..."

Pup looked and smiled at the two. "Is everything almost back to normal now?"

*cykes grinned* "well..., I don't think it'll be normal again..., I think I might show more emotions than usual..., but it'll be 'almost' normal again, yes..." *cykes smiled*

"Well, that's better then nothing I suppose." Pup smiled weakly and went back to looking out the window, watching the human that had somehow gotten into the mansion grounds stumbling towards them. "I wonder what would cause him to do that........."

*cykes looked out of the window* "isn't that one of the villagers?"

Pup sniffed the air and sneezed. "I think it is, or atleast that's what it smells like. But why would..well.....anybody human go as far as trying to come here? I mean, it's almost impossible for humans to go through that forest......."

*cykes looked at poe* "we didn't see anyone in the forest..."

Poe looked back at him. "No, we didn't. It was as quiet as a tomb."

*cykes thought for a second, then his eyes narrowed towards the human getting closer* "isn't that the owner of the tavern? what would he do here?"

Poe looked at the human as well. "I'll go ask him what he wants." She quickly left the room and ran down to the front door and opened it.

Bishop, who was outside the door, had just got up on his tip toes to knock gently on the door when suddenly the large wooden mass swung open infront of him. It hit him smack in the face sending the short man tumbling down to the ground, he made an odd noise and rubbed his head looking up at Poe.

Poe looked down and squealed with delight. She stooped down and scooped up the little man and brought him inside. "Bishop! Oh my goodness! How are you?" She stood respectfuly to the side as Bishop walked in further.

Bishop let himself get picked up, he sort of flicked himself out of Poe's arms landing beside her, he looked up, grinning, straightening his hat even though it was perfectly straight to begin with."Ah a'last we meet again Poe". He grinned a toothy grin and bounded around the room in a dance like fashion."Has been to long, to long my dear friend".

Poe smiled. "Indeed it has, Bishop, indeed it has." She started to walk down the hall and back up to the room of torture. "Care to join me and meet the others? Then perhaps we can have a spot of tea and I can show you to your room?"

*cykes came walking out of the room, wondering what that noise was, as he saw Bishop, he walked towards them, wondering who this new guy was* "who is this?"

Bishop grinned and clapped his hands at the mention of tea, he then literally looked up at this man who was much more than a foot taller than him. His eyes went big and he backed up and ran behind Poe."Scary~".

Poe laughed and scooted behind Bishop, bringing him forward. "Bishop, this is Cykes. Cykes, this is Bishop...a very dear friend of mine from my past. You don't really need to fear him, unless you are a foe, then you're better off dead." Poe laughed and looped her arm through Cykes's and held her hand out to Bishop. "It's this way, dearie..."

*cykes grinned, mislead by Bishops appearance* "he looks like a mere child..., is he that good?" *cykes examined Bishop more closely and saw something he considered a personality mask* "hmmm..., I might be wrong about my conlusions..., I welcome you..., Bishop was it?"

Vic wondered if shes one of Cykes' foes.

Sees Vic. Oh, hello, Vic!" Poe smiled and summoned her over. "Meet Bishop....Bishop, this is Vic."

Bishop spun around in a full cirlce, arms out wide in an airoplane fashion, he stopped dead center and glanced up at Vic and then Cykes. "Tis a pleasure to meet you all". He took of his hat and bowed in turn to them both, he then put his hat back on and smiled, bobbing up and down like a hyper child.

vic looks at bishop then at poe is he all there or what

*cykes nodded back at Bishop* "you're welcome..., I suppose..., but what are you doing here...?"

"Is who all there or what"? Bishop looked at Vic, he tilted his head, he blew a bit of hair out of his face but it merely flopped back down covering some of his eyes.

vic realised somthing "I'm not the newest person in here anymore!!"

Poe sighed and let go of Cykes's arm and walked back to the room of torture. "Come on everyone!!" She walked up the stairs and waited at the top for everyone to start walking.

Bishop ran after her, holding onto his as he jumped up the stairs two and a time."Tis a most perfect time for a cup of tea". He skidded to a hault by Poe, also waiting for everyone else.

vic stands by poe "where we going"

*cykes walked alongside poe* "hmmm..., I must say that Bishop has got some good ideas..., tea would do.., hot as hell, and black as tar..., just how I like it..." *cykes grinned at Bishop* "we might be able to get along..."

Poe smiled softly. "Good...we'll have some in the room of torture..." She walked into the room and went straight to her closeet and pulled out some various kinds of tea and three teapots. "These are self-heating. You gave me this one, Bishop..." She pointed to the one in the middle after she placed them onto a table.

Bishop nodded and clapped along with Poe, he looked up at Cykes and smiled pleasently."I would like it very much if we became friends". He then made his way over to the table, he jumped up onto the seat, standing on it, still shorter than Cykes quite comically.

*cykes grinned* "always a comic?"

Poe nudged Bishop off of the chair and dragged it to a shelf that she needed to reach, but was to high for her. "Indeed he is...but be careful around him...He is as deadly as he is fun...I learned that the hard way. Remember that one little rinky-dink assignment we went on years ago?" She looked over her shoulder, reaching for the shelf.

"Ah a most frajabulous and wonderflanky time we had". Bishop watched her take the chair, he walked around the table, able to lean his chin on it without bending down, he grinned rolling his eyes.

*cykes loked at poe* "what happened than?"

Poe turned her head back around and stood on her toes to try and reach the shelf, but was still a little to short, so she tried jumping for the little black box at the back of the shelf. "Well...Bishop....convinced the....guy we were...supposed....to find to a game...of cards...and...he...blew...the...guy....blew the guy up." She jumped once more, lost her footing, and fell.

Bishop hopped over to Poe, he jumped up on the chair and somehow jumped up higher till he was sat on Poe's shoulders, now they could reach."Yes...was a most fun game to...but i don't think he liked it as much as we did somehow". He looked down at Poe and patted her head."What do you want me to get". He reached up at the shelf.

*cykes grinned evilly* "exploding cards..., unusual weapon..., but I must say, it's original..., I myself use hooked chains..., and throwing needles..., as a special surprise..."

Poe stood back up on the cahir and let Bishop reach the box. "I use whatever I want to..." She grinned. I still use that weapon thingy you gave me a long time ago...what was it called again??" She walked to the table and kneeled down so Bishop could hop off.

Bishop hopped down and landed silently, he handed the box to Poe holding his arms up in the air, the box flat out on his palms. He grinned, jumping from foot to foot, he eyed to tea on the table eagerly.

Poe took the box from him and nodded at the tea silently. She walked over to a chair and opened the box, looking inside of it quietly.

Bishop sat down on a chair next to Poe, he poured some tea and while adding some milk he tried to look over and see inside the box also.

She smiled at her curious friend and leaned the box towards him.

*cykes poured himself a mug of tea, and took a sip* "this is how I like it..., strong and hot..."

"What is it"? Bishop looked inside the box, taking casual sips of his tea, every so often for some. reason tapping the saucer on the table. An odd movement but then most of his actions made little to no sense.

Poe smiled adn looked at the box almost lovingly. "Its an amulet that my parents gave me when I was ten...shortly after they did they were killed, and I was taken to be changed into a vampire..." She shut the box with a quick snap and stood up, anger burning in her eyes.

"That's such a sad tale....". Bishop looked honestly on the brink of tears, he sniffed and got out a strangly black and white checked hanky, he dapped his eyes and put it back in his pocket. He looked up and Poe, and pulled a funny face to try and make her smile and not look so angry.

Poe didn't see Bishop as she put on the amulet and walked to the fireplace, starting a fire. "I'll be in my room if any one needs me." She walked out of the room and into her room. _{(Poe's Room)}

*cykes put his mug down, and walked after her* "let me try and cheer her up a little..."

Bishop walked after her also, hanging onto Cykes arms, sort of being dragged a little by the bigger man."Let's play a game with her, it always cheers me up".

*cykes looked down at the little man, blinking a couple of times, and than decided not to make a point out of the fact that he was being used as a matter of transport* "well, let's go than..."

Bishop smiled, still clinging onto him, feet just off the ground, his boots dragging against the floor as they made their way to Poe's door. "I..i reckon we should have a tea party to cheer her up also, and then play some card games...i love card games, they are most fajabulous and adictuous".

*cykes groaned slightly annoyed* "you're not going to cheat are you?

"CHEAT..Bishop would never cheat". Bishops voice went a few tones higher, which was scary considering his voice was usually upbeat and high anyway. He was hanging onto Cykes arms, he began to swing on it, grinning.

*cykes' eyes narrowed, he than took a deep breath, and ignored the man's swinging, and muttered under his breath* "you're lucky to be a friend of poe..."

Bishop made a sniffing noise, he stopped dead in his tracks yanking his hands down to his sides, he looked up in a positivly heart broken manner."Why....why don't you like me"?

*cykes grinned and looked back at him* "did I ever say I didn't like you...?"

Poe heard them and rolled her eyes, walking away from her door. She sat on her couch and pulled her feet close to her and huddled against the back of it, staring into the empty fireplace.

"But...but.....". Bishop was all flustered he then shook his head and grinned quickly changing his mood."Does that mean you do like me then"? He clapsed his hands infront of himself and began to rock back and forwards on the balls of his feet.

*cykes smiled in an evil way* "I never said that, now did I...?"

Poe got up from the couch and slammed open her door for them to come in, then pushed past her canopy and sat on her hammock.
_{all Rping will be done in Poe's Room if it pertains to talking to Poe...seeing as how she is in there at the moment...}

Anya, once more a wolf,slunk into Poe's room to provide her support and be near her friend as she herself was feeling rather down.

---

Bishop nodded and grinned, he followed Pup and ran over to a table, he started to get random packs of cars from nowhere, one pack up his sleeve, the other from under his hat.

Poe's eyes went wide at the sight of one of the decks. She quickly took them and put them in her pocket. "I said no explosives..." She sighed and walked over to a chair and flopped down in it. "Oi, Bishop....Do you mind bringing me some green tea?"

*cykes pulled up a chair next to poe* "this is going to be an interesting game..."

"Yesh, It sure is. Lets play on teams!" Pup skipped in with a tray of cups and teapots and such hazardously balanced with a kettle of hot water on top.

Bishop placed the deck on the table, he then reached into his sleeve and pulled out his own personal faviurite cup and saucer, it was white with black and blue swirly patterns all over it. "Teams, ah yes that would be most fun, but who wants to be partners"?
 
Poe looked at Cykes and raised an eyebrow. "How about it? Want to be partners?"

Pup put her arm around Bishop and grinned. "Well, it's quite obvious that those two are going to be partners and I don't think Anya's going to play, so I guess we're partners!"

"Okay then." Poe scooted closer. "What game are we playing?"

"We shall be a most amaze-a-mouse team". Bishop picked up the deck and began to do some snazzy card tricks with them. He grinned darkly, actually looking quite menacing."So, what should the stakes be"?

Poe grinned, flicking her hair out of her bright blue eyes. They caught the light and flashed dangerously. "Good old Bishop...What should the stakes be? Pup? Any ideas??"

"Well......the losers could have to clean out the dragon-stalls for a week.... or be the slaves of the winners for a week or two....." Pup scrunched up her face at the thought of that one.

"I like the sound of the slave one, they could come to my tea parties and be my best friends". Bishop giggled and dealt the cards quickly to both sides."What shall we play, 3 of one and four of another, it's and easy game".

Poe looked pensive. "Sounds fun. Lets go for it..."

"Alrighty, let's do it. So Bishop, how do we play the game eh?" Pup leaned on the table and watched him deal the cards and made sure that hers didn't fall off the table.

Poe watched closely, a small smile on her lips. She got up and got some tea, then sat back down and took a sip.

"Basically you hve to get 3 of one or 4 of the other so say you could get 3 of the Ace cards and then four of the Five cards". Bishop looking at Pup, showing her his cards to demonstrate a point. "Or you could get three or four cards in a row, like say Four,Five,Six and seven, but they have to be from the same suit".

Pup thought for a moment and then asked. "so, what if you don't have either? can you draw cards or trade cards?"

"Each turn you are allowed to pick one card from the deck, but you must then lay another card down, it's up to you which crds you keep". Bishop tapped his fingers on the table, nodding with the tapping."All cards that are placed down on the table are placed into a pile, when it's your turn if you desire the card at the top of the pile you may take it".

*cykes looked away* "I've always been bad at card games, and I don't like the idea of being someone's slave..., and add to that that he looks and sounds like a pro, so I don't think I'll play along..., sorry..."

"Awwwwwww, come on Cykes! now we'll have an odd number!" Pup pouted and made puppy eyes.

*cykes raised an eyebrow* "pup..., do you really think that that will convince me...?"

"Hmmmm, no. But Poe could and you know it." Pup grinned and looked over at Poe. "Come on Poe! The game wont be any fun without teams and Anya hasn't said if she want to play and I highly doubt she wants to."

Poe looked undecided and then smiles. She looked at Cykes and made her eyes go cyrstal blue. She mimicked Pup's face and made puppy eyes at Cykes. "Please Cykes? I'm not good at them either..." She slipped off of her chair and sat on his lap. "Please?"

*cykes sighed, his face softening* "well, I suppose I don't really have a choice..."

Poe giggled and kissed his cheek before moving back to her seat. "No...not really..."

"let's get on with it then..., just make sure I understand the rules..." *cykes sighed again*

Poe looked remorseful. "I'm sorry if you didn't want to play....I can play by myself...I know how to face off Bishop...."

*cykes smiled* "don't worry..., I've just always lost so far..., and I hate being a slave..., but if you want me to play, I'll play..."

Poe smiled. "Not if you don't want to...I don't like being a slave either...but I'm doing it just for fun..." She heard someone in the hallway. "I think I have a new toy!!" She bounded out into the hall and quickly came back in holding an unconsios Kin-man over her shoulder. She strapped him to the table by her and smiled. "Let's play!"

"Wahahahahahahaha! That's just like you Poe; getting distracted over a new toy! All well, I suppose we could play cards at any time...." Pup looked down, sad that the others wouldn't play cards with them.

*cykes stood up and walked over to the window* "I'll play card games though..., but I won't accept those stakes..., I refuse to be a slave..."

Poe shrugged. "Well....someone killed my last one...I needed a new one..." She stabbed a needle through his leg and walked back to hte table. "Okay...I'm ready...and I agree...lets change the stakes..." She put her boots on the table and crossed her arms.

*cykes walked back to the table as well, placing himself on a chair near poe, leaning back* "how about it? do you agree on changing the stakes?" *cykes looked at pup and Bishop*

Poe lay a hand on his arm and looked at him.

*cykes looked back at poe, his look softening* "what is it...?"

"Nothing...just looking at you.." She smiled.

*cykes "blushed* "I'm nothing to look at..."

Pup pouted at the changing of stakes, but nodded. "Very well, I will agree to changing the stakes I suppose."

Poe smiled and loked at Pup. "Into what? Pray tell..."

"Hmmmmmmmm. I don't know yet, but it cant be a kind of servitude to others for Cykes' sake. It should be some kind of tedious chore...." Pup frowned as she tried to think of one.

Poe thought as well. "They could clean the gutters on the roof....they haven't been cleaned in almost a century or two...they should be over loaded with...stuff...." She reasoned.

"Cha, you're right. There is probably some interesting stuff up there, especially since I heard a rumor amongst the servants that the pet caretaker puts some of the bodies up there cuz the graveyard we have is getting a little.....crowded." Pup grinned at this.

*cykes started to grin* "that's something I could accept..., it's hard work, but at least I won't be a slave to do whatever my 'masters' want me to do..."

Poe clapped happily and nodded at Bishop. "Lets play!" She grinned and waited for her cards.

Anya slunk into the room, staying in the shadows and moving very slowly. Her black fur helped mask her movements as she stealthily made her escape.

Poe snapped to attention as she felt Anya leave. "Anya!" She cried, jumping up. She looked around wildly, her eyes taking on a slightly glazed tint. She doubled over and put one hand on the ground as she writhed, felling the pain of Anya's departure. She turned into a wolf as well and sniffed around the room for Anya.

Anya made it out and headed for the forest.

Poe stopped suddenly and emitted and ear-splitting howl before she ran out of the room and down the hall, knocking over a few chemicals in the process. They fell to the ground and shatterd, the shards going everywhere and the liquid sloping over Poe's wolf body. She ignored them and ran after Anya, stopping breifly by the front door, as if unsure whether to follow or not. She looked torn for a moment, then followed Anya into the forest.

*cykes ran after her, using all of his Nightblade speed, keepig an eye on her, he phased through trees and bushes to keep up with her* "what is going on here...?"

blood forest

---

*cykes lead her out of the room and the mansion, into the forest* "so..., what am I then, actually?"

Poe walked slowly, her skirt swishing aganist the ground. "To me, you never changed...only your title....I still think the same of you as always..." She blushed and looked at the ground.

*cykes grinned a little* "that is not what I meant..., I have always known myself to be a simple assassin..., not something mentioned in a prophecy..., so I don't know what I am..."

"Oh.." Poe blushed deeper and turned away so Cykes couldn't see her face. "Hmmm....I think you are a partial vampire...Unaffected by man or beast....aka a vampire, or someone with vampire blood in them....Does that make any sense?"

"hmmm..., in the way that one of my parents was one, but the other wasn't?"

Poe nodded. "Or grandsires on either your mother's or father's side, correct."

*cykes sighed* "I never would have guessed that I would once be in a prophecy..."

Poe hugged him. "Nor did I...but here we are...Right in the middle of a particularly dangerous one..."

*cykes hugged back, holding poe in his arms* "true..., but what is it all about? what does the prophecy state?""

Poe laid her ehad ion his shoulder. "Basicly that we will overthrow the Kins and our relatives and set you up as the new leader."

*cykes gasped* "ME!? I'm no leader...!"

Poe looked at him. "Of course you are!! People look up to you and follow you..."

*cykes looked at poe* "they do??"

Poe smiled and kissed his cheek. "Indeed they do, Cykes."

"why that? I am nothing special..." *cykes blushed from the kiss*

Poe ran her finger down his cheek and grinned, then took his hand and satrted walking again. "Nice color for you, by the way."

*cykes blushed even deeper* "you didn't answer the question..., but thank you..."

Poe grinned again. "I know i didn't. Because its so simple. You're a natural leader...every one follows you...."

*cykes thought about this* "but I don't even have magic like you, anya and pup..., people look up to you more..."

Poe stopped and turned to look at Cykes. "You know who people look up to more...you mortals. People fear us who have powers. They follow out of fear...not out of love and devotion like they do you."

*cykes looked disturbed* "they love me??? I spy on them, I assassinate them on occasion, I blackmail them, and I threaten them, and they love me???"

"Because you are mortal, Because you are like them. Something they can understand...or think they can understand. They can't understand us...us vampire types. We're too....different."

"but I'm not human..., I'm a Nightblade..."

Poe looked confused. "What is a Nightblade?"

*cykes grinned* "an unknown race of dark elves..., there's the main race, and the rogue race, shunned by their brethren..., because we refuse to use bows..., we prefer melee..., we're expelled for that..., and we'd be killed on sight..., but why ask? you're living with one..., me..., you know me, don't you?"

"Yes, I do know you, but I didn't know that part of you..." Poe grinned and playfully tackled Cykes, nocking him to the ground. "But I don't think I'll kill you...I love you to much..." With that, she leaned down and kisses Cykes softly on the lips.

*cykes was completely caught by surprise, and before he knew, he was on the ground, being kissed, then he gently kissed back* "and I think I wouldn't like to be killed by you either..., I..., well, I love you too..."

Poe blushed deeply and sat up and looked away. "I'm sorry....I..I..I couldn't help myself..."

*cykes blushed too, still lying down* "don't worry..., I was just surprised..."

Poe lay back down a little away from Cykes and looked up at hte sky.

"why do they call this the Blood Forest..., it's so peaceful..." *cykes looked at the sky as well*

Poe smiled and glanced over at Cykes briefly, looking at his profile, the returned her attention to the sky. "I don't know exactly, but Pup does. I think it had something to do with this being part of the land that the Lord's secured from and older, but less sinister version of our relatives..."

*cykes grinned* "our relatives less sinister??? that can't be real..., we're all sinister..."

Poe grinned. I know...'tis odd..."

*cykes sighed* "I wish I could meet them..."

Poe rolled to her side and looked at Cykes. "Meet who??"

*cykes looked back* "my ancestors..."

Poe nodded. "Ahh...i understand. I wish i could have met them as well." She sighed and rested her head on her arm and smiled softly over at Cykes.

*cykes looked back, smiling* "I wonder wat they're like..."

Poe thought about that as she sat up and leaned on her elbows, scooting a little closer to Cykes. "I don't know. But they must have been amazing if they were anything like you..."

*cykes reached out and put an arm around poe, pulling her closer gently* "thanks..., but you're amazing too..."

Poe smiled softly and blushed, laying her head on his shoulder. "Thank you..." SHe said quietly. She reached up to kiss his cheek.

*cykes looked at her* "you really are beautiful..."

Poe blushed deeply and hid her face against his chest. "Thank you..."

*cykes held her for some time* "but shouldn't we be talking about what is happening now..? *he grinned* "we seem to have been a little distracted"

Poe started to sit up. "Oh, yes...I supose we should...."

*cykes pulled her back down gently* "we can do that this way too..., and this is a lot more comfortable, if I'm honest..."

Poe smiled softly and resumed her position with her head on his shoulder. She draped an arm acrossed his chest and sighed happily. "Indeed it is..."

*cykes looked at her* "can I ask you something? what do you like in me? what part of me attracted you?"

Poe looked up at him. "I don't know, really. Everything about you did. The way you talk...the way you evalutate the situations before going into them. Just everything about you." Poe smiled and looked at the sky. "And you are so very handsome to look at as well..."

*cykes blushed* "but that's just my calmness..., I'm not used to rushing into things..."

Poe smiled. "But that is part of what draws me to you..."

*cykes put an arm around poe* "thanks..., I don't know if I'll be able to accept this gigantic event completely yet..., but I'll try..., thanks for supporting me..."

Poe smiled and hugged him. "It's nothing. Really. I would do it forever if I had too." She sat up and used her arms to support her as she leaned back and looked up at the stars.

*cykes hugged back* "what is a Lord of the Night actually?"

Poe brought her knees to her and turned to face Cykes, wrapping her arms around her legs. "They are, or were, vampires who believed that everyone should be treated equaly, from the mortals all the way to the vampires. But our relatives wanted a dictatorship rule over the land."

*cykes thought for a second* "a Nightblade and a vampire in one..., I must say, I'm a little scared of that comination..., to have the powers of the night as well as experience in exotic melee combat..., that is powerful..."

Poe nodded. "That is why we brought you here when we sensed your abilities."

*cykes looked up and grinned* "and I'm still glad you did..."

Poe looked at him and lay down on her side, smiling. "Me too.."

"there's only one thing I can't remember..., how was I brought here...? I can't remember anything from my life before I was here..." *cykes frowned, thinking deeply*

Poe blushed and rolled to her other side, away from Cykes as she replied. "We tracked you to a bar, then we drugged your ale and brought you to the manor. I was the tavern girl who brought you your drink." She smiled as she remembered the first time she had seen Cykes.

*ckyes tried to remember it happening* "sorry..., I can't remember..., what happened to me afterwards? I was at least half a year older than the last day I can remember..."

Poe sighed. "We then looked through your mind to make sure you were not with them...That took a while because I wouldn't let them do it all at once, because it was painful. So that's why you were a half a year older." Poe sat up and remained facing away from Cykes.

*cykes looked down* "what did they do...?"

Poe smiled. "They just looked at your life, and determined that you were not one of our relatives."

*cykes laid back again* "well..., let's not worry over the past..., it can't be helped..."

Poe nodded and turned back to Cykes and said softly. "Indeed it can not..."

*cykes hugged poe softly* "shall we go back to the manor, or shall we stay here for a while?"

Poe hugged him back. "Honestly, I do not care. It is up to you."

"let's stay here for a while then..., and watch the sky, listen to the forest, and talk..." *cykes laid back, and pulled poe along gently, holding her*

Poe lay her head against Cykes and smiled softly. "Okay..."

*still holding poe, cykes smiled* "what do you want to talk about?"

Poe wrapped her arms around him and replied, looking up at him. "I honestly don't know right now...I'm content where as I am now."

*cykes smiled at her* "so am I..."

Poe smiled back, then rested her head on him again.

*cykes was enjoying the moment in silence*

Poe sighed contentedly and looked at the sky in silence. She smiled and slid an arm through Cykes' and looked up and kissed his cheek.

*cykes blushed and kissed her back softly, looking back at her*

Poe smiled looked back up at the sky.

*cykes grinned* "wouldn't the others be worried? how long have we been gone?"

Poe sat up and looked worriedly at the brightening sky. "All night...I need to get inside...and soon." SHe stood up. "Let's run..."

*cykes was looked up in shock* "you're right, I almost forgot you can't stand daylight! let's go..."

Poe started running quickly towards the mansion and got inside just as the day's first light shone out.

*cykes ran along, shielding her from possible sunrays, and went inside after her* "that was just in time..."

Poe noddeed and ran into the room of torture, pulling Cykes along. "Indeed....Thank you."

*cykes walked along* "you're most welcome..."*he smiled*
back to the room of torture

---

Anya ran until she found a small clearing with a stream. She took a drink then flopped under a tree.

Poe stopped at the edge of the forest, then shivered and walked in slowly, still in wolf form. She looked side to side, keeping a look out for Anya.

*cykes ran after her, using all of his Nightblade speed, keepig an eye on her, he phased through trees and bushes to keep up with her* "what is going on here...?"

Poe heard someone following her, and she spritned off, seeing wolf tracks and followed them to a stream and looked around, not seeing anything. She turned around and crouched low, snarling at the person who was following her. She prepared to leap at the person as soon as they came into view.

*cykes didn't see poe, but heard her presence closeby, he stopped running and started walking carefully, to prevent making noise* "where is she...?"

Poe turned to her human form and climbed a tree nearby, watching the forest floor intently. She didn't notice anything other than the usual squirel and rabbit movements. She saw a dark, man shaped shadow move silently along the forest floor.

Anya heard another wolf enter the clearing. She pressed herself into the bowl of the tree and held very still. She knew her pelt would hide her better than magic. She heard a man approaching then heard Cykes' voice. She watchedvquietly as events unfolded.

Poe saw that it was Cykes and wasn't suprised to see him. She scanned the clearing and saw something move against the bowl of a tree. "Anya." She said under her breath. Poe silently jumped down and turned into a wolf once more and padded to the stream, pretending to be an ordinary wolf. She lowered her head and drank, lapping at the water with her tongue.

*cykes spun around at the sound of something jumping out of a tree, and he saw poe changing* "what the... hell?"

Anya knew she had been spotted. As the wolf walked to the stream, she slipped behind the tree.

Poe watched the wolf leave and new it was Anya. She threw her back and howled at the darkening sky. She bounded acrossed the stream and after Anya.

Anya heard Poe give chase and ran, body paralell to the ground with her speed.

Poe stopped short and threw her head back again, giving a howl that was more magical than anything. A dark shadow rose from Poe and flew into Anya. Poe reverted to her human form and dropped to the ground.

Anya fell to the ground, stunned. She tried to stand but found that she was paralized. She whined in misery and pain.

Poe slowly took over Anya's mind, for the shadow was Poe's spirit. She spoke to Anya. Sleep, little one. Rest deep and easy...... Poe's body took a deep breath, then let it out slowly, her eyes closed.

Anya was in too much pain to do as the voice asked. Instead she panicked, her breathing fast and shallow.

*cykes ran towards them, almost flying across the ground* "what is going on here???"

Poe's body winced slightly and took another deep breath. Poe's spirit overcame Anya's fear and put her into a deep sleep. She made suer Anya heard her words. Sleep easy little one....

Anya fell into sleep, but it was a troubled one. She tried to drag herself to wakefullness, but couldnt do anything except whine.

Poe slowly left Anya's body and returned to her own, and immediately, against her will, fell into a deep sleep.

Anya was scared. She continued whining, panick once more taking her as the pain slowly subsided.

Poe sat up, panicing. She was propped up against a tree. She didn't remember how she got there. She looked over and saw Anya.

*cykes was sitting besides a campfire, staring into the flames*

Poe didn't notice Cykes and crawled over to Anya and put her head in her lap, rocking back and forth slowly. She then lokoed up and noticed Cykes, suprised. "Cykes! What are....How'd you....?" She lay Anya's head on her jacket on the ground. She crawled over to the campfire and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She looked at the fire, then at Cykes.

Anya couldnt breathe. Shevthrashed wildly, trying to gasp in a breath but was unable to. She sat up, once more an elf and gasped, releived. It had all been a nightmare. Then she heard the voices. She shifted once more into a wolf and scrambled behind the nearest tree. She wasnt going to take chances. Her amethyst eyes were wide in fright as she stood there, panting and waiting.

Poe heard Anya wake up. She turned and looked. "Anya...Anya...it's Poe..."

*cykes turned over to poe and anya* "you both have been sleeping for 3 days..., it has been hard to shelter you from the sun" *cykes eyes stood grim and dark from too little sleep* "I haven't slept..., and i couldn't leave you alone..., the nights were quite... noisy..., to say the least..."

Poe watched Cykes sway slightly. She put her arm around him and had him lay down. She used her fingers to shut his eyes as she softly sang to him in a strange tongue that few knew.

*cykes lied down, feeling himself relax, getting lost in the song* "what... is that...?"

The melody and soft voices calmed Anya slightly. She walked over slowly, tense and ready to flee at any second.

Poe heard Anya come and continued to sing, lurring Cykes into a deep sleep. She brushed his hair out of his face and sang the song again. She smiled softly as she sang, hoping Anya would rememeber her voice and come back.

Anya realized what had happened and walked closer, sitting close to Poe as she sang the melody.

Poe put an arm around Anya and switched melodies.

Anya scooted closer so poe didnt have to reach as far.

Poe wrapped both arms around Anya and rocked back and forth gently, still singing.

Anya growled slightly, but licked the one holding her to assure her that it was ok. She ducked out from unde both arms and curled into a ball where she was at.

Poe petted Anya's furry head and sat back, using her hands to support her and watched the sky silently.

*cykes opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and bright* "what was that song?"

Poe kept her position as she answered. "A lullaby. How are you feeling?"

*cykes looked at her* "not a normal lullaby, was it? I feel much better..."

Anya was glad she wa laying dow because she was feeling dizzy.

Poe smiled down at Cykes. "No, its not." She laughed and leaned back on her elbows.

*cykes stood up and walked closer to poe and sat down, placing an arm around her* "thank you..."

Poe put her head on his shoulder and leaned into him. "You're welcome."

*cykes smiled, scratching anya behind her ears* "how is she?"

Poe looked fondly at Anya. "I think she is doing fine. I kind of scared her earlier when I took over her body...but still..."

"she looks calmer than usual..." *cykes smiled*

Poe smiled. "I'm glad."

"me too..."*cykes smiled at poe*

Poe smiled at Cykes and put her head on his shoulder again.

*cykes smiled contently*

Poe sighed quietly and watched the flames.

*cykes watched the flames as well, holding poe close*

Poe wrapped her arms around Cykes and kissed his cheek softly.

*cykes blushed, kissing her back*

Poe grinned and kept her arms around him for a while longer. "I'm tired." She said softly. "I think I'll head to sleep here soon."

"it's ok..., I'll get some sleep soon too..."

Poe nodded and let go of Cykes, and curled up beside him, quickly falling asleep.

*cykes held her warm, sheltering her from the sun as well*

Anya nosed Cykes gently then stared into his eyes, letting him see the serenity that had started to envelope her as well. She stood and stretched then walked to the stream, getting a drink. When she returned to the pair, she laid down so that her head rested on the now sleeping Poe and yet she was curled against both of them. She did not want to be alone at the moment and was happy that they were the only ones about because she didnt even want to be with many people.

*cykes petted anya softly, scratching her behind her ears*

Anya twitched one ear then settled in to protect Poe and Cykes. She listened quietly to both of them breathing and to everything else that was going on in the forest.

That night...

Poe woke up, but kept her eyes shut. She felt both Cykes and Anya next to her and smiled softly. She opened her eyes and slowly distangled herself from them and walked off quietly into the woods to hunt.

*cykes fell aside because poe left and woke up, staring into the darkness that started to surround poe as she walked away, he then fell back to sleep*

When Poe came back, she had three rabbits and some fish. She skinned them all and then put them over the fire to roast, leaving a rabbit out and raw for Anya, unsure of how she wanted it done.

*cykes woke up from the smell of roasted fish and smoke in his eyes, he got up and stretched out* "hey..., everything ok?"

Poe looked up and grinned happily. She stood up and flicked her hair out of her eyes, a line of soot smeared down one of her cheeks. "Yeah, everything is fine."

*cykes grinned and pointed at the soot* "there's something on your cheek"

Poe ran to the stream and used it's reflections to wash her face, putting one arm in the stream to balance herself, and using the other to wash her face and to get a quick drink.

*cykes crawled up behind her and pushed her in*" how's the water?" *he said with an innocent grin*

Poe came up quickly and grinned, floating on her back. "Quite good, care to join me?" She walked back to the land, took off her heaviest clothes, then dove back in, pulling Cykes with her, leaving him in the shallows.

"hey! you didn't let me get some clothes off!!" *cykes waded back to shore, taking off his leather curass, and shirt, and placing them, together with his boots, near the fire, then he got back to the water, jumping in and swimming towards poe*

Poe grinned and dove underneath the water, swimming quickly towards Cykes in the dark water.

*cykes grinned as he saw her shadow move towards him, and he drew his swords and made a whirlwind-like move, splitting the water apart and driving him down*

Poe stopped and swam quickly towards the surface and grabbed a breath before diving back down, realeasing a chain that wrapped around Cykes leg and brought him to her.

*cykes was dragged towards poe*

Poe released the chain from his leg and swam to the surface, gulping air. She floated on her back and watched the stars.

*cykes swam after her* "everything alright?" *he asked when he reached the surface*

Poe nodded. "Yes." She looked at him. "Why do you ask?" She smiled softly.

*cykes swam towards her* "why let your prey go after you caught him..."

She looked at him. "Because I know I can catch him again...and somewhat hoping to turn this into a game of tag?" She asked hopefully.

*cykes grinned* "of course..., with, or without the use of weapons of any kind?"

Poe thought as she did a somersault underwater. "Oh...With." She said when she reserfaced.

*cykes drew one of his swords, and lightly tipped her nose with it* "tag..." *he grinned*

Poe laughed and did a back flip into the water, giving Cykes a chance to run while she secretly tied a small chain to his ankle.

*cykes grinned as he swam away, twisting the sword between the shackles, breaking them* "you won't catch me that easily..."

Poe resurfaced and threw the shckles at Cykes. "Oh come on!! That wasn't fair!!" She grinned none the less and swam quickly after him, then, finaly, turned into a water snake and swam around his feet.

*cykes took hold of a branch that was hanging over the river, climbing into the tree while throwing off the snake* "no, that's not fair..., I don't have shapeshifter abilities..., you have more advantage..." *cykes grinned*

Poe shifted back and stood up, then lept up to the branch and sat next to him, tapping him on the shoulder. "Tag..you're it." She dove back into the water.

*cykes threw his chain after her, which wrapped itself around her foot, dragging him off the branch, into the water, he started to reel it in*


Anya twitched as she was rolled over then lay motionless once more.
Poe dove underwater and swam faster, using the currents to help her. She finaly turned around and disentangled the chain from her foot.

*cykes swam after her, reaching out to tag her*

Poe dove out of the way just in time and swam off, grinning ear to ear when she stopped to watch Cykes, admiring the way he swam and moved in the water.

*cykes' arm shot out and released a steel pin which flew past poe, bouncing back on the rocks and harmlessly hit poe on her shoulder, his mouth forming the words 'tag, you're it'*

Poe giggled and dove underwater. "Nope!! you have to touch me yourself...or else I would just use magic, and the game would be over shortly."

"you said yourself that weapons would be allowed..."

Poe smiled. "Yes...but not to tag others. You can use them to bring a preson to you...but not to tag them with...Do you see me point at all?" She flicked her wet hair out ot her face.

"but I like using weapons..." *cykes looked sad while grinning*

Poe laughed. "I do too...but I also have magic...so I could get you with out trying..." She grinned and submerged underwater slowly.

"as you wish..., how about melee tagging? swords on shoulders and stuff?" *he swam towards poe before she could respond and kissed her* "tag..., you're it" *he swam towards shore and started running towards the forest*

Poe floated, suprised, in the water, before swimming to the shore with a grin on her face. She slipped on her shoes and ran after Cykes, climbing a tree and running along the branches above him before dropping down directly in front of him.

*cykes saw her flying through the air and landing in front of him and made a perfect salto backwards, landing on a branch directly above him, he ran back to the river and crossed it in one leap*

Poe grinned and started running towards him. Then, at teh last moment, stoped and used magic to hold Cykes in one place as she grinned and loked for a way to cross the river. She decided to use a chain and hook-shot over the river.

*cykes grinned and dissipated into thin air, making his escape Nightwalker style*

Poe landed on the bank with a thud. She rubbed her shoulder as she stood up, looking around for an inclination as to where Cykes went. She decided to go back to he other side and check on the food.

*cykes was waiting for her, taking the food off the fire and placing it on cleaned pieces of bark* "here you go..., it's done"

Poe had a slightly confused look on her face as she sat down and took the food. "Thank you." She said simply as she took a bite of her food.

"no problem..." *cykes sat with her and cut the meat into smaller pieces on the primitive plate*

She grinned and reached behind Cykes to pet Anya's head softly.

"is she awake?"

Poe brought her arm back, accidently brushing against Cykes. "No, I don't think so..." She looked into the fire, thinking.

*cykes looked up as he felt her arm brushing against his* "you ok...?"

Poe sighed. "Yeah, I am. You?"

"worried..., anya isn't 'here' yet..."

Poe sat up straighter. "Oh!! Good point!" She put her food aside and crawled past Cykes to Anya, rolling her over, checking for injuries of any kind.

"try mentally as well..., I don't know how to do that..." *cykes started examining her as well*

Poe nodded adn placed Anya's head on her lap and went into her mindm searching for somethign unusual.

*cykes ran for the water to get something to drink for anya*

Poe sighed and pulled out of her mind. "I couldn't find anything...She apears to be asleep..."

*cykes came back, using a birds nest to hold the water* "we'll take care of her then..."

Poe looked nervously at the lighteneing sky. "Shouldn't we head back to the mansion?? WE could take care of her better there....but then again...We don't know if she is hurt or not...so we shouldn't move her very far..." Poe cried and put her head in her hands.

*cykes held her* "let's make something to carry her on..., like a brancard..."

Poe shook with silent sobs, unable to answer.

*cykes kissed her softly* "we'll think of something..."

Poe slowed her sobs and leaned against Cykes. "I hope so.." She whispered.

"don't worry..., maybe there's a large hollow tree nearby...?"

Poe looked around. "I don't know...I haven't been in here before last time..."

"should I take a look around?"

"Yes, Please..." Poe pulled Anya into the shadow of the tree behind them.

"ok..." *cykes sped away, looking fo suited trees*

Poe held Anya close, tears dripping into her fur.

*cykes ran and phased through the woods for half an hour before he found something good, he then ran back to poe* "there's a large hollowed oak not too far away"

Poe nodded and picked Anya up gently, following Cykes.

"need help? she looks heavy..." *cykes walked towards poe*

Poe shook her head. "No, I got her...Just lead on.."

*cykes walked to the north, looking back at poe* "you sure you're ok?"

Poe grunted her answer and stummbled on, seeing the tree. She walked towards it and placed Anya inside, then crawled inside with her.

"I'll find a piece of bark large enough to close the entrance..."

Poe settled back into a corner and threw her cloak at Cykes. "Use this..."

"no..., you need it to keep yourself warm..."

Poe curled against the wall and said sleepily. "No...I'm fine..." She put her head in her arms and closed her eyes.

*cykes waited till she was asleep and put her cloack around her, than used his own to close the entrance*

Poe sat up for a moment, then leaned against the tree wall and fell asleep again.

*cykes sat next to her, watching the tree on the inside*

Poe woke up and kept her eyes closed. Her breathing quickened for the briefest of seconds before she returned it to the normal steady pace of sleep.

*cykes had closed his eyes and was resting, still awake*

Poe opened her eyes and looked around, still breathing slowly. She petted Anya's head absentmindedly as she thought about what to do.

*cykes felt bad, but he wasn't willing to let poe know, there was something in the forest which bit him, and he started to feel poisonous effects*

Poe heard Cykes breathing get shallow and spastic. "Cykes?" She faced him and knelt beside him, taking his hand. "Are you alright?" She used her free hand and put it on his forehead.

Anya twitched slightly in her prison of a body. Her body did'nt move though. She knew that she could contact Poe mentally because she had already brushed Poe's mind, but didnt know how to tell her that when she had been running, before Poe and Cykes had found her, she had been hit by a dart. She knew also that the dart was some kind of paralizing poison. Anya didnt want to freak either Poe or Cykes out, and knowing that Cykes had been injured just in the way he smelled, Anya contented herself with being a prisoner for the time being. She hoped that Cykes would be alright as she decided to try and make her mental self sleep for a while since her body was already fooled into thinking she was asleep.

*cykes looked at poe* "I'm fine for now..., let's just concentrate on anya..."

"Anya's fine...I can feel it..." Poe looked concerned at Cykes. "Tell me what happened..."

"I've been bitten..." *cykes replied simply*

Poe looked pale. "Where were you bitten?" She looked at his arms for any puncture marks.

*cykes pulled up his shirt a few inches, showing puncture marks on his side*

Poe ran her fingers lightly over it, recognizing the shape of the wound. She threw her cloak on and covered her head. "I'll be right back." She said as she slipped out of the hole.

*cykes sighed and concentrated on keeping his blood circulation low, preventing the poison from spreading faster*

Poe found what she was looking for and quickly uprooted it, bringing it back after she had singed it to ashes.

"what's that?" *cykes asked*

Poe didn't answer and mixed it with some red wine she had in her cloak. She mixed it in her palm and applied it to the wound. "When it dries completley, you can peel it off...the poison comes out with it."

"what is it?" *cykes asked again*

"A remedy to cure you." She said. She check his tempurature and used her fingers on his neck to check his pulse. "It's working sufficiently."

*cykes grinned* "not the answer I expected, but it will suffice..."

Poe giggled slightly. She sat back on her heals and looked at Cykes in the darkness.

"what're you looking at...?" *cykes smiled at her*

Poe blushed and looked away. "Nothing..." She said quickly.

*cykes smile changed into a grin* "I like that colour..."

Poe blushed deeper and leaned against the tree wall, keeping her head low, smiling.

*cykes grinned an leaned over to her, kissing her cheek*

Pup, now completely bored since everybody was in the forest, looked around the rooom, remembering all that she had seen here. All of the people they had maimed and killed, all of they times they fell over laughing at another person's screams, all the times that they had smacked each other for accidentally killing a pet... She sighed and looked out the window at the sinking sun and yawned.

Poe walked in and set Anya on a clear table. "Hello there, Pup."

*cykes walked in after her, still yawning* "morning..."

Pup turned to them and smiled. "Hello you two. how was the camping trip that you took? Find anything interesting in the forest?"

*cykes turned at her* "yes..., poison..."

Poe rolled her eyes and walked to the window. "Cykes got bit by a Ludo snake."

Pup smiled and sighed. "Well, me time here was very boring. I sat here and thought about my life and what all we've done in this room alone."

Poe looked suprised. "Wow..." She looked around. "Where is Bishop??"

Pup shrugged. "Who knows. we were playing cards, but then everybody left and he kinda vanished."

Poe pouted. "Awww...to bad...."

*cykes sat down on one of the chairs* "I wonder where the little guy went..."

Poe looked over at Cykes for a moment, then looked at the ceiling.

*cykes leaned back, tired*

Poe threw a chain up to the ceiling and crawled up there, quickly situtating herself on the wide beam, exhausted. She lay on her side in the center of it, closing her eyes. "Pup, could you wake me up in awhile? I need to do some things..."

Pup nodded to herself. "Of course I will Poe. Any specific time you want to wake up dear?"

"Not really...give me about 20 minutes for a power nap....that's all." Looks over the edge and sees how pale Cykes is. "Ummm....Pup....?" She slid down the chain and ran to Cykes. "I think something is wrong with Cykes...."

*cykes was unconscious, hanging back in his chair*

Pup frowned slightly. "Didn't you guys say something about poison? Has he been infected?"

"But I took care of the poison....Maybe something else hit or bit him while he was in the forest." She grunted slightly as she picked him up and carried him to his room, all the while checking mentaly for any darts or poisons. She detected a primitive one on his shoulder. She placed him down slowly on a chair in his room and removed it. "Pup....We may have to visit a settlement that has seemingly grown up in our forest..."

Pup growled quietly at this. "Yes, it does seem we will have to take care of them. I'm sure our dragons would like a nice treat of villagers instead of their regular food."

Poe brushed Cyke's hair from his face and put a cool hand on his fevered forehead. "Should we take him with us? I don't think he would be in danger here...or in my room...What should we do...we most definantly are going to visit that tiny little tribe place...but that is all I know right now..."

*cykes opened his eyes without waking up, staring at the ceiling, eyes growing darker*

Poe went pale and thought about what to do, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. "I don't know what to do." She whispered, closing her eyes and sobbing silently. An Idea hit her like a thunderbolt. She wiped her eyes and walked to the other side of the room, removing her cloak, sweater, and boots. She walked back over and lay down beside Cykes, closing her eyes and puting her head on his uninjured shoulder, going into his mind and through that link, healed him by taking the poison to herself.

*cykes' eyes changed back into their original color, and he fell to sleep*

Poe twitched softly, then sighed softly. A few moments later, she opened her eyes, their brilliant bluee color dulled. She got up from Cykes's side and walked out of the room. She kept her eyes downcast as she walked to a secret room only she knew about, blood unknowingly dripping down her fingers to the floor, leaving a trail. She walked into the room.

---

Anya took another mental assesment of herself. She could tell that the poison working on her was slowly killing her and if it wasnt treated soon, her body would stop fighting it altogether. Anya tried to contact Poe mentally but found a block there. She tried Pup, and had a little more sucess. Tell Poe she will have to enter my mind and find what's wrong with me. Poison but the name eludes me. I am starting to get too weak from not feeding and the effects of this. I will not wake if I'm not treated soon. Anya lost all knowledge and fell into uneasy dreams.

Poe felt Anya's distress and pain, and mentaly treated her the same way she had treated Cykes, taking Anya's poison into her body as well as Cykes's.

Anya felt the release and started to breathe easier. Her eyes opened and she looked about, realizing she was in the main torture room. She stumbled over to the cot that was Poes and flopped heavily. Her eyes closed once more, but this time peacefully. She could sense Poe again and knew she had taken the poison. Treat it swiftly, dear Poe, then come and put me into a deeper sleep. I have not the energy to fight. The Poison drained me. Anya severed the contact before Poe could feel her hunger. She dozed off almost immeadiately.

Poe neared an ebony bed and sat on the edge of it, then layed back on it, putting her hands over her face as she cried softly. She didn't have the strength to respond to Anya, but she did what she could to put her in a deep sleep.

Pup groaned as she got up and she went over to where Poe lay. She put a hand an her shoulder and gave Poe all of her strength. Pup blink, stumbled back, and fell over, unconscious.

Poe felt Pup trying to give her strength, and forced it back into her, overwhelming her and rendering her unconcious. She looked hazily around the room and saw something that she hadn't noticed before. She walked over and picked it up, looking at it. It was a vial of clear liquid. Well, I'm dying, so Imight as well.... She downed the liquid and slid down the wall, losing conciousness, not knowing that the liquid had just cured her completley and entirely. The moon shone in the single window, hitting the vila nad filled it back up with the clear liquid.

Anya decided that she had had enough of laying about and shifted into a bat, flying to the roof and hanging herself upside down. She gave herself back over to the sleep that was threatening to overwhelm her once more.

Poe opened her eyes and looked around. "Where am I?" She asked quietly. She saw Pup on the floor and remembered. She walked over to Pup and picked her up, laying on the bed. Poe sat down beside her, stroking her hair.

*cykes woke up, he got to his feet and lokoed around* "what happened...?"

Poe continued to stroke Pup's hair and sang softly to her.

Pup purred softly in her sleep, enjoying being petted. She stretched and opened her eyes slowly, looking at Poe confused and slightly disorientated.

Poe smiled softly and helped her sit up. "Are you alright?"

Pup put a hand to her head. "What happened to me? I feel like I was chewed up and spit out by a dragon."

Poe laughed softly. "Ummm...not exactly." She put am arm around her shoulders and helped her stand up.

Anya fell from the ceiling and landed in front of Poe, still sleeping.

Poe blinked, confused, and looked at the sleeping Anya. "Ummm...alrighty then..."

*cykes walked around, still a bit weak from the poisonous effects* "I think we need to kill that damn beast..., the snake I mean..."

Poe got up and went to hug him. "It wasn't a snake...it was a double needled dart..."

"but you said it was a snake earlier...?" *cykes hugged her back*

"Yeah...that was before we realized that there was a primitve tribe living in our forest..." She said quietly.

"a tribe??" *cykes' eyes widened*

Pup nodded her head. "Yes, a tribe. I have a couple of my birdies watching them at the moment. This tribe is rather primitive, but it's of good size and they live closer to us than to town."

Poe nodded. "They may be of some use to us, if we could get to them. They would be good allies... we didn't even see them while in the forest..."

"what kind of tribe?" *cykes asked*

Poe shrugged. "I don't know yet...hopefully a type of cannibalistic tribe. If they are, we can convince them that after all is complete, they can have the mountain, with us watching them, and we won't have to worry about clean up duty after the slaughter..."

"sounds like a nice tribe..., should I go and invite them?" cykes asked.

"Hmmmmmmm, I think so. But we ought to find out if they're cannibalistic or not before we do." Pup looked out the window, deap in thought.

"we can send one of our toys in...?" cykes thought as well "or is that too cruel...?" he said with a grin.

Poe rolled her eyes. "What toys??? We don't have any left..."

"Welllll, actually, we do have some toys in the dungeon at the moment..... I forgot to tell you about them.... The bar in town had some unwelcome guests while you guys were camping so I went and got them." Pup smiled innocently. "Those 5 men didn't know what hit them until it was too late."

Poe grinned. "I knew there was a reason to keep you around, Pup." She giggled and stood impatiently to go down to the dungeon.

"What? That's the only reason you keep me around??? How mean!" Pup giggled and grabbed Poe's arm and ran down to the dungeon.

Poe grinned and laughed. "Well, not the only reason...you do make pretty good waffles..."

"Awwww, why thank you!" Pup grinned as they stepped into the dungeon. "Well, this ought to be fun!"

Poe grinned and homed in on a cute brunett chained to the far wall. "I already have nice plans for this one." She crooned softly.

"Rememeber, we need to pick out one for the tribe. How bout that nice healthy one over there?" Pup pointed to a semi-cute black haired guy in the middle of the line.

Poe grinned and sidled up to him, looking him over. "Hmmm...yes...he will do just fine..."

"shouldn't we pick out a human that looks like it can actually be eaten...?" cykes stood behind them, looking around at the supplies that were moaning and sometimes screaming.

Poe considered this and leaned against the wall next to a healthy looking blonde. "How about him?"

Pup considered him and nodded. "I think he looks edible. Course, I think just about anything looks edible..."

Poe nodded and laughed. "How does...oh...hmmmm..." She thought. "How does noodles, parmesian, and butter sound?"

Pup's mouth opened and she smiled. "Make some now please? I'm starving!"

cykes looked at the blonde "I must say he indeed looks like he could be eaten..., I suppose he is quite fresh?"

Poe nodded at Pup. "Sure thing." She grinned and ran to the kitchen and started making the pasta.

"yum yum yum YUM!!!" Pup grabs the blond and runs for the kitchen, ready to start eating some pasta.

cykes disappeared and reappeared in the kitchen "she's coming..."

Poe laughed and set out a bowlof pasta for Pup. She set the parmesian and butter next to it. "Want some too?" She asked, grinning and spooning some out for herself.

"of course, I'd be offended if I was the only let out of your cooking..." cykes grinned.

Poe laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, spooning ouanother bowl and waited for Pup, sitting around the counter.

cykes thought for a moment, remembering an old friend "eating pasta reminds me of a friend I once knew..., his father was a cook..., and one time he made something really good..., also some sort of pasta, but with a salty cheese bouillon, it was soaking the pasta, but it tasted so good..."

Poe thought and poured some paremsian on the pasta. "I think I might be able to make that..."

"that would be great!" cykes smiled.

Poe laughed and flicked a noodle at him.

cykes reacted in a fraction of a second and nailed it on the end of his knife, taking a bite "tastes good" he grinned.


Poe laughed and stuck her tongue out at him. "You goof." SHe poked him playfully.

"don't make me poke you, I'm armed" cykes laughed.

Poe grinned. "I know..." She poked him with her foot this time.

Pup entered the room, still dragging the pet that they were going to give to the tribe. "Mmmmmmmm, that smells good. Do ya think that we should feed this guy a little before sending him away?"

Poe nodded."Sure."

"would be best..., he needs to look healthy..." cykes grinned.

Poe laughed. "Indeed."

"let's give him something..., I'm feeling sorry for him"cykes said with an evil grin.

Poe handed to guy her bowl of pasta, along with the rest of the pot. "Eat up...you never know when your next meal will be your last around here..." She warned, then leaned against Cykes.

"that's true..., so better eat that up..." Cykes yawned, "i'm getting tired though..."

Poe yawned as well and smiled. "Head to bed then... I'll watch him, then strap him to a table and then come in to say goodnight, alright?"

"I suppose I will..." cykes yawned again and went out of the room, to his own room.

Poe watched him go, then watched the toy eat. When he was done, she took him to the room of torture and strapped him to a table. She sighed walked to Cykes's room and walked in softly and over to him. He was asleep. She smiled softly and kissed his forehead, then lay down on the floor a few feet away from him, afraid to be alone.

cykes felt the kiss and smiled, he put out a hand as she laid down on the floor "just step in if you want to sleep here..." he was still half-asleep.

Poe smiled and walked over to him and lay down next to him. "Thank you..." She whispered softly.

vic poofs in "yay new poofing spell"

Poe sighed in her sleep and rolled over. She stretched, then snuggled closer to Cykes.

sees cykes and poe then gasps "god you two save room for the holy spitit"

Poe semi woke up and tipped Vic upside down with magic. "Shut up and go to sleep Vic..." She went back to sleep.

psht im not sleaping

Poe grunted and used her magic to tie Vic up with chains and put a gag on her. "Then just shut up and stay still..."

cykes woke up.

Poe glared at Vic and rolled away from him, getting up. "Now see what you did Vic... you woke him up... well, I prolly did too... but you should knock before you just 'Poof' in!!" She ran a hand through her hair, brushing it.

cykes got up, looking rather dazy "what was the 'poof'...?"

Poe looked irritated and stood up. "That was Vic...she 'Poofed' in..." She shook her head. "How'd you sleep?" She asked, smiling softly.

"I have no idea, actually..., what i do know is that I can't think properly right now..., I'm going to stick my head in the pond for a second..., I'll be right back..." cykes disappeared out of his room.

Poe yawned and walked ot her room and changed clothes.

cykes came back, his hair soaked "that feels better"he grinned "it's a nice view from below the surface of the water"

Poe laughed and threw him a towel. "Dry up, mister water bug." She laughed. "I really don't feel like getting wet."

cykes caught the towel and dried himself "thanks"

Poe grinned. "No problem." She laughed and took out a brush and finished brushing her hair, then pulled it up in a braid.

cykes waved his hair around for a minute "this should get it dry enough..."

Poe grinned and walked over to him.

cykes stopped "what're you planning on...?" he looked at the brush in her hands "you wouldn't..."

Poe walked closer still with an innocent grin on her face. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean..." She prepared to leap and tackle him.

cykes feet moved into a different position "you might be lying..." he was prepared, and grinned.

Poe noticed his feet move, but didn't let on. "Perhaps... perhaps not..." SHe grinned again and leaped at him.

cykes dove underneath her and escaped, jumping to his feet behind her, immediately jumping to the ceiling and clinging on, turning into shadows and darkness "you won't get me that easily" he laughed.

Poe laughed and then plopped down on her hammocl, laying back in it. "Fine... but I will get you eventualy..." She called out teasingly.

"eventually..." cykes sighed "I know that..." he laughed "but not yet though!"

Poe grined and crawled along the rafters of her ceiling. She turned into the Mistress of the Night and saw Cykes in the shadows. "got you" She whispered and grinned.

cykes smiled as she was crawling towards him "a shadow has no hair though..."

"yeah..." said both Poes. "but I have the power to revert shapes back to what they were before..." The one behind Cykes laughed.

"as I have the power to escape..." cykes grinned



The Poe behind him and the Poe on the hammock both disapapeared. She giggled. "Yes, but you don't know where I am...so how can you escape what you can't see?? "

"instinct..., and other senses besides hearing, smell, view and touch.." cykes closed his eyes and opened the eyes of his mind, gathering countless views of the room from every shadow there was.

Poe laughed and stood outside her wondow, watching.

cykes slid down the wall and landed on the floor, looking around.

Poe watched, interested. "What are you going to do?" SHe asked him mentaly. "I'm quite curious to figure out..."

"nothing yet..." cykes answered, kneeling down on the floor in the middle of the room.

Poe giggled and quietly stepped into the room, staying as Poe and not as a shadow.

Pup walked in and jumped onto the back of a chair, perfectly balancing on it. "What are you two doing?"

cykes got confused by the 2 shapes standing in the room and returned his normal eyesight "so there you are"

Poe giggled and tackled him from behind. She looked up at Pup. "Oh nothing really..." She grinned.

Pup grinned. "Right.....so, when do you think we should go visit that tribe eh?"

Poe rolled to her back and looked at Pup upside down. "Ummmm after we send in the new toy here in the next ten or so minutes..." She looked at Cykes. "What do you think?"

"hmmm..., I think it would be best if we offer the pet to them in person, that way they'll know it came from us, if they find it wandering around in the forest they'll just take it, and if we show up later claiming it was a gift from us, I don't think they'd believe that..." cykes thought and sat down.

Poe got a thoughtful look on her face. "Agreed... let's go!!" She jumped up.

Pup nodded. "I agree. Let's go." She jumped off of the chair and ran over to the room of torture, grabbed the pet, and ran back. "I'm ready when you two are."

Poe rolled her eyes and grabbed her black cloak and ran after Pup. "Come on Cykes!!"

cykes changed into his black fighting suit and followed them, grabbing some weapons here and there.

Poe laughed and held her hand out to him. "Come on slow-poke!!" She grinned and went to her closet, grabbing an armful of things, then ran out of the mansion behind Pup, sliding/slipping/putting each weapon in it's place.

pup laughed as she watched Poe catch up and then turned around, heading for the forest. She stopped about half way to the tribe and muttered "Difficult little buggers aren't they. Setting traps all over the place...."

cykes walked ahead a little "let me clear a path..., I think I might have a nice technique..." he undrew his swords and started to spin around, gaining speed after each twirl, finally letting his blades shooting in the desired direction, sending a powerful gust through the forest, springing most of the traps.

"Ungraceful, but effective; I like it!" Pup grinned, smacked the pet over the head to wake him up, and started walking to the tribe. "We wouldn't want to startle them by running into the village full speed."

Poe blinked and cme out of hiding from within her cloak. She pulled the hood over her face and continued walking. "Indeed not..." She grinned and laughed, catching up with Pup. She put her hand on the pet's shoulder and dug in her fingernails, using him for support over a log.

Pup pulled out a cloak and put it on her, covering her face up. "They're just a little ways a way now. We should see them soon through the trees." She held up her arm and from the trees a raven flew and landed on her arm. "Or at least that's what my birdie says..."

cykes slid his swords back into their sheaths "who cares if it's ungraceful, it works..." he flicked a twig at one of the remaining traps, snapping it shut.

Poe laughed and nodded. "True...both of you..." She ran ahead and stood at the edge of the village outskirts, looking like a pillar of black stone. She watched and evaluated the people inside of it.

Pup walked up and stood beside her. "A bit too primative for my liking, but we could get them to spread out their tribal territory and have the whole forest."

Poe nodded. "Yes, split them up... help them along a little bit... make them worship us... something like that..."

"that would mean we should impress them..?" cykes asked


Poe looked over at him. "Yes, something like that..." She grinned. "What type of God do you want to be, Cykes??" She giggled.

"we'll see..., maybe they'll give us a title themselves..." cykes smiled, thinking back at the time that poe called him a 'born leader' when they had their talk in the forest.

Poe grinned and leaned against his shoulder, reading his thoughts. "Yeah, perhaps... she looked over at Pup. "You ready??" She asked.

"what's the plan??" cykes asked.

Poe sighed. "I don't have one yet..." She watched with a strange look on her face, a child running out to meet her father with the mother behind carrying a toddler on her hip. She looked down and away.

"let's just walk in..." cykes said, looking around at the activities that were buzzing around the village.

She nodded and pulled her hood lower. She walked in and headed straight for the richest, and most well-off looking house in the village. She glanced side to side, seeing the fear in their eyes as they stood stock still and watched the three of them.

cykes filled his aura with shadows, which danced across him.

Poe rolled her eyes and stopped infront of the house. The chief came out and stood in front of her, something akin to awe in his eyes as he saw the three of them. He bowed. "Mistresses and Lord. We are honoured to have you come." Poe looked back at the other two, clearly confused.

Pup looked down at the chief and lowered her hood, looking at him with no emotion. "We foresaw that there was a village here many days ago and grew curious as to why there were people in this forsaken forest. I see now that your people are well built to live here." 

cykes muttered to himself "hah! lord..., and his tribe shot me just a few days ago...??"

Poe stepped back to stand beside him, poking his side, masking it with a movement of her cloak. "Cool it Cykes... we need their loyalty..." She smiled slightly at the chief and bowed her head in reply. The chief looked at the two women closely, then went pale and bowed again, touching his head to the ground at their feet. "What the..." Then she looked around and realized they worshiped vampires and elves, blood eaters, as they called them. She giggled to herself and looked at Pup, amused.

Pup grinned, showing her fangs. "We have brought a little present for you, knowing your ways." She brought forth the pet, who was purely terrified. "And we have a request for you, or, perhaps it is another gift." Pup thought to herself for a moment before continuing. "Tell me now; how large is your territory here?"

The chief cowered and groveled at her feet. "Maybe a league or so, milady... not very large... but it is cozy to call home."

Poe caught on to what Pup was doing. She kept her voice unemotional as she addressed the Chief. "A league?? That is far to much..." She mentally talked to Pup. I'm getting them to see you as over'godess' of us all... the compassionate one... alright??

Pup thought back to her Very well, but you'll have to act the part well. Make sure you tell Cykes so he doesn't get confused and ruin it. She raised her eyebrow at Poe's remark, but let her continue.

Poe quietly warned Cykes, then continued. She motioned around the area. "You see, Lady Pup... this area is quite large... they don't need anymore room... they have plenty and spare..."

Pup considered her words, making the village people nervous and afraid that they might lose their lands and perhaps even their lives. She shook her head. "Now now Poe, do think your words through before speaking. These people are human; they need room to hunt and farm. Besides, what on earth are we going to do with the rest of the forest? I believe we should give them full roam of the forest. What do you think of that?"

Poe looked to be as if considering Pup's words. Inwardly, she was laughing hystericly. She lowered her ehad and stepped back submissivly. "Of course, Lady Pup..." She said quietly. She poked Cykes to do the same thing.

cykes growled and stepped back, his hand on his sword, to point out he was a type of guardian.

Poe giggled softly and waited to see what Pup would do. She stepped close to Cykes.

cykes looked at her and mumbled "what is your plan??"

Poe whispered back. "I don't have one...it's all Pup..." She gently put a hand on his arm, covering it with her cloak.

The chieftan looked gratefully up at Pup. "Oh thank you, Milady!!" He cried tears of joy as he touched his forhead to her boots.

cykes rolled his eyes and sighed.

Poe jabbed her elbow into his side. "Be nice..." She hissed into his ear.

"I am nice..., I just don't like that guy licking her boots..." cykes whispered back.

Poe stepped up close behind Cykes. "Would you rather lick her boots??" She put a hand on his back and put her chin on his shoulder.

cykes looked at pup's boots, which were covered in dirt and forest dirt "no thank you..." he grinned.

She kissed his cheek softly. "Didn't think so..." She giggled as she watched the exchange between the Chieftan and Pup. She watched them negotiate terms.

"we should stay on guard..., shouldn't we...?" cykes smiled

Poe smiled and sighed. "Probably... but Pup can take care of herself..."

Pup nodded to Poe and Cykes then looked back at the chieftain. "Of course, there will have to be rules. For one, you may not harm any traveler that carries our insignia, which is a cup of blood with a black snake around it. Also, you must send a warning to us if ever another vampire or other immortal creature enters the forest. You will be the guardians of this forest and I expect you not to fail. Failing would be quite.....deadly." 

cykes stepped forward "milady, would you allow me to show them how deadly exactly??"

Poe let her arms drop to her sides. "No need, Cykes... I think they get what we mean." She stepped forward. "You are to send word, As Lady Pup says... to us... but more specifically, to Mistress Anya, Cykes, or I... the chieftain will send a message to Lady Pup once every fortnight telling how all is doing. A missed message will receive a visit from one of us four..."

Pup nodded. "yes, and you would not much like a visit from us because of a missed message. And actually Poe, I think it would be good for these people to see what creatures like Cykes can do just to a tree."

Poe grinned. "As you wish, Milady."

cykes started to grin "shall I...??"

Pup smiled at Cykes. "Yes, please do.

Poe took a step backwards and watched.

cykes undrew his swords and chose a nice, sturdy tree, he then prepared to launch himself at the tree and threw himself past it, making a single spin around his axle and landed a few feet away from the tree, he immediately jumped back and made a few loops and spins before landing again, he then jumped straight up and disappeared into a puf of shadows, ramming down onto the tree with his full force after appearing from another shadow above the tree, splitting it into all the pieces created by his previous attacks.

Poe blinked, impressed. She grinned at him when he came back.

Pup nodded in approval and then turned back to the Chieftain. "As you can see, us immortals are rather....brutal. So I shall say now; do not anger us. Now, I believe that me and my companions must leave. Do you have any questions before we leave?"

cykes came back, looking at a dent in his blade "darn it..., I'll need to fix this soon..."

Poe gently took the blade away from him and ran a finger over the dent. "I can fix this..." She said quietly. "I used to be able to fix lots of things..."

cykes nervously took his blade back "I'm sorry..., I can't leave my weapons with someone else..., they're some sort of seal for me..."

Poe nodded. "Alright..." SHe ran a finger over the blade, using magic to lift the dent and seal the blade in magic so it wouldn't chip or dent. "There..." She smiled.

cykes relaxed a bit and sheathed his weapons "thanks..."

Poe just nodded and turned, eager to get out of the village. A single tear slid down her face as she started to walk away.

cykes put a hand on her shoulder "what's wrong...?"

"Nothing." She said quietly as she softly pulled away and continued walking through the forest and towards the mansion.

cykes softly shook his head and walked after her "you can't fool me, poe..."

Poe stopped. "I don't try too..." She turned and looked at him sadly, then continued to walk.

cykes walked beside her "so that means you just won't tell me...?"

Poe stopped, tears streaming down her face. She thrust a hand in the village's direction. "I had a chance at having a life like that! I did Have a life like that... then it was taken away... I didn't have a choice... I want a life like that... simple and, well... free..." She wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand. "I hate anyone who forces a lifestyle like mine on an innocent person... I mean... I love my life now... its amazing... but I also want a life like that... it's simple... peacefull..." She stopped and looked at her boots. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw a fit like that..."

cykes looked down "I see..., maybe you should take a break then..., perhaps you can live among them for a while...?"

Poe shook her head. "No... once I kill my creator I will have the choice of being turned back..." She smiled softly and put a hand on his shoulder, kissing his cheek, then walked away.

cykes stood still "do you want to be left alone for a while...?"

Poe shook her head. "No, I don't..."

cykes walked up to her and put an arm around her "would you like me to accompany you to wherever you're going...?"

Poe put her head on his shoulder and slipped an arm aourn his waist. "Lets wait for Pup, then head to the mansion together..."

cykes smiled "of course..., mistress..." he named her respectfully,

Poe laughed and put both arms around and hugged him, putting her head on his shoulder as she did so.

Pup came walking from the village. "Well, I'm glad that was settled in a non-violent way. Sometimes one gets tired of constant violence....."

Poe nodded and waited for Pup to catch up before walking towards the mansion. "How much do you want to bet you're a goddess there now?" She grinned.

cykes smiled "did they perhaps mention anything about a certain guy performing impressive skills by the sword...?" he innocently asked, seemingly concentrating on a twig he was starting to split across its length.

Poe giggled. "Of course they did, dearest..." She kissed his cheek.

"ahhh..." cykes sounded content "always good to hear..."

She tagged him. "You're it!!!!" She giggled. "Run Pup!!! Cykes's it!!!!"

cykes' hand shot out to pup and tagged her, leaping away straight after that "not anymore!" he laughed.

Poe grinned and started running towards the mansion.

cykes ran after her, leaving pup startled.

Poe grinned and sat on the steps of the mansion, waiting for everyone.

cykes reached the steps after her and sat down "is she slow...?" he grinned



Pup raised her eyebrow and crossed her arms. "Why on earth are you two playing tag?"

cykes blinked innocently "can we...?"

Poe grinned. "Because we can!!" She giggled and jumped away. "You're it, Pup!!!"

cykes jumped back, landing on the wall and jumped over pup's head, landing in a tree a little further "indeed you are!"

Poe jumped up beside Cykes.

cykes grinned and jumped a branch higher, staying second choice for pup.

Poe turned into a large raven and flew to the wondow of her room and perched on the sill.

cykes clicked his tongue, wondering what to do next.

Pup appeared behind him and poked him in the shoulder, whispering "You're it" before disappearing again.

cykes felt pup poking him and sat still for a moment, grinning and wondering what exactly happened, he then htrew his chain into the wall of the manor and swung towards it, grabbing a pair of daggers and started climbing towards poe.

Poe just cawed playfully and flew a level higher, turning into a small squirrel. She chattered at him and waved cheekily.

cykes slung his chain into the window where poe had been sitting, pulling himself up swiftly.

Poe playfully jumped on his head then darted around him and down the wall towards the ground.

Cykes let go of the chain and fell to the ground, taggin poe in the process. he landed on his feet and jumped back, into the manor.

Poe turned into a dragon and leaped after Cykes, flying low to the ground after him.

cykes walked into the manor, and closed the door behind him, turning into shadows where he stood "try to find me now" he whispered.

Poe turned into herself and walked into the manor quietly, looking around. She snuck up the stairs quietly, then decided to go to her room to take off all of her weapons and change clothes while waiting for Cykes to give her a clue as to where he was.

cykes started to sneak after her, wondering what she might do, making no sound at all.

Poe awlked ino ther room and started taking off all of her weapons and putting them away, then stripped down to her leather pants and a deep purple tank top and walked to her wardrobe and put the clothes away.

cykes blushed but couldn't look away.

Poe stepped into her wardrobe andclosed the door, changing into a dark purple dress that stopped right above her knees and had a deep 'V' back to it, exposeing her back and her tattoos. She stepped back out and out of habit strapped a small dagger to her thigh.

cykes blushed and looked at her as she changed into the dress, nodding appreciation "looks nice..." he whispered to himself.

Poe grinned to herself. "Got ya..." She thought and quickly put a dark magic bubble around him, making it impossible to escape. "Got you, Cykes..." She said playfully, tapping on the bubble.

cykes laughed let his mind flow into another shadow, pulling out a cloack and inflating it by spinning around, making thousands of tiny pins stand up, making it a giant, spiked ball with him inside.

Poe giggled and used magic to take the pins out without releasing Cykes. "Nice try dearest one... " she grinned and leaned against the bubble, supporting her head with one arm.

cykes sighed "well..., that would mean I'm it...?"

Poe playfully ran a finger over the bubble. "Nope... I haven't tagged you yet..." She grinned and blew him a kiss. "I might decide to keep you in there forever... well.. not forever... but a while at least..." She smiled.

cykes' finger poked from a hole somewhere "thanks a lot for ruining my cape..." he grinned

Poe giggled and patched up the hole, then put a second bubble around the first, and stepped into the newest bubble.

cykes felt something move "what're you doing??"

Poe looked confused and looked around, momentarily let the inner bubble deflate and disapear as she looked around. "What do you mean...?"

cykes looked around and saw her in the second bubble "ahhh..., so that's what you're doing"

Poe tripped and fell on her side, spinning the bubble accidently.

cykes fell down, and landed on top of her.

Poe blushed and laughed. "Sorry..." She said, looking at him with a twinkle in her eye.

"no problem..." cykes supported himself on his elbows while his face was still hanging close above hers.

Poe smiled at him and reached up for a kiss.

cykes kissed her back.

Poe smiled up at him and slightly raised an eyebrow.

cykes backed off a little "did I do something wrong...?"

Poe giggled. "No, you didn't do anything wrong... " She reached up with one hand and pulled him back down, softly kissing him.

cykes was pulled back close to her and kisses her back.

Poe grinned and stood up. "Well.. I'm off to make breakfast... anything in particular you want??"

"nothing..., just you..." cykes smiled.

Poe blushed and smiled. "Well, in that case..." She looked down at him. "I don't think we have a pot big enough for that..." She said, playfully poking Cykes with her foot.

cykes grinned "true, but I dont want you for breakfast..."

Poe laughed and sat down by him, crossing her legs. "Oh, I know... but still... it almost sounds good... wait... I was thinking about pudding... nevermind..." She grinned and leaned back on her hands.

cykes grinned "but the recipe you were just mentioning sounded brilliant!"

Poe raised an eyebrow confused. "What?? Me being made into a soup? Or pudding??"

cykes grinned widely and licked his lips "oh yes..., pudding would be terrific..."

Poe grinned and stood up. "Alrighty then.... a very unhealthy breakfast coming up!" She giggled and walked out of the bubble, spinning happily in a circle before leaving the room.

cykes started rolling the bubble after her, tumbling and falling and spinning around doing so.

Poe giggled and walked into the kitchen, searching around for the ingredients for pudding.

cykes threw all his weight back, after he saw the stairs, stopping the bubble "no fair!!"

Poe stuck her head out of the kitchen and stuck her tongue out at him. She then grinned and phased the bubble into the kitchen. "Better?"

"ah, much better" said cykes as he rolled after her again.

Poe laughed adn walked through a rather narrow gap in between some shelves and out the other side.

cykes growled and tried to stretch the ball into a more useful shape, rolling through the gap uncomfortably.

Poe grinned and froze the ball halfway, petting Anya's head on the way around.

"AAGH!!" cykes couldn't move and was upside down.

Poe giggled and released the bubble, then made it disapear. "Better, Cykes darling??" She grinned and sat on the counter.

cykes flopped down to the floor "much better..., although it doesn't feel much better..."

Poe squeezed in beside him. "I'm sorry..."

"oh, don't worry..." cykes smiled.

Poe smiled back. "Okay..." She looked at the space they were in. "This is cozy..." She grinned.

cykes looked around "indeed it is..."

Poe sighed and stood up, using a shelf for support and leverage. "On to breakfast, then?" She asked quietly.

cykes rolled to his left, getting out of the gap "yes, thank you" he grinned.

Poe smiled and finished up some Chocolate, Vanilla, Tapioca, and Green Pudding. She set them in bowls and set the bowls on the table, taking down smaller bowls from the cupboard and sppons from the drawer.

cykes quickly dipped a finger into one of the bowls and licked it off when poe was turned with her back to him.

Poe turned abck around and set everything on the table, smiling when she noticed the dent in the pudding. She didn't say anything.

cykes pretended to check on his clothing.

Poe giggled and pretended to accidently hit him with a serving spoon. "oh... oooops... sorry Cykes..." She giggled and went around to the other side of the table.

cykes grabbed his head "ouch!" he grinned "what was that good for??"

Poe just grinned and laughed.

cykes grinned and apologized "not my fault though..., you shouldn't put things so close to me..."

Poe phased over to Cykes and stood close to him. "Does that include people?" She said with a mischievious grin.

"nope, that's the only exception..., clothing on the other hand..." cykes grinned evilly.

Poe raised an eyebrow. "You do know what you're propsistioning, don't you?" She grinned back, running a finger down Cykes's cheek playfully.

cykes bowed his head "I am merely jesting, milady..." he grinned.

Poe laughed and poked him. "No you are not..." She grinned.

cykes smiled "you know me too well..."

Poe grinned and walked to her room. "I know..." she laughed, looking at him over her shoulder.

cykes raised an eyebrow "going to change?"

Poe giggled and stopped at the kitchen's doorway. "Ummm... no... I'm going to go get a book to read during our rather unhealthy pudding breakfast...."

cykes nodded in appreciation "that would taste rather well..." he grinned.

Poe rolled her eyes and used magic to flick some pudding at him.

cykes caught the pudding with his mouth "tastes good..., can you spill some more...??"

Poe just leaned agaisnt the door way and tipped the entire bowl over his head, spilling it all over him. "That enough, Darling?" She asked, grinning.

cykes closed his eyes, knewing he could have expected this, he then grinned "of course my love" and flicked some pudding at her, hitting her shoulder "I wonder how that could have happened..." he gasped.

Poe narrowed her eyes at him, then brushed the pudding off of her bare shoulder. "You are SO lucky it didn't get onto my dress..." She grinned and flicked some more at Cykes.

cykes dodged and threw some at her again "we're going to have a food fight??" he said grinning.




Poe grinned and returned the kiss.

"so..., what now...?"

Poe shrugged, looking away. "I don't know...as soon as it get's dark we should head back to the mansion...I guess....but as for right now...the only thing we can do is stay put."

"how are we going to move anya?"

"I'll carry her like I did last time." Poe said picking at the wood of the tree.

"that wasn't so far..., the mansion is further away..."

Poe looked at Cykes. "I can do it."

"as you wish than..." *cykes accepted her words*

Poe smiled. "Thank you."

"should I carry her?? you've done so much today..." *cykes looked at poe*

"No, I'm fine..thank you anyway." Poe leaned her head back and looked at Cykes.

"just don't exhaust yourself..., ok?"

Poe laughed humorlessly. "I can't be more exhausted than I am now...but alright."

"than I'll carry her..., you need to rest..."

Poe's voice took on an irritated tone. "I can do it..." She closed her eyes to keep her temper in check.

"as you wish than..."

Poe looked sorry and reached over to hug Cykes. "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have treated you like that..."

*cykes smiled* "it's ok..., I'm just worried about you..."

Poe nodded. "I know..."

"don't worry about it..."

"If you say so.." She put her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes.

*cykes put an arm around her* "try to sleep now..., even if it is for just a moment..."

Poe nodded and almost immediatley fell asleep.

*cykes held her close to him, falling asleep himself as well*

Poe, partialy awake, wrapped her arms around him, then fell back asleep.

*cykes woke up from the sudden movement, looked at poe, and smiled, falling back to sleep after he scratched anya behind her ears*
Darkness falls...

Poe woke up and looked around, then peeked outside. It was dark. She picked up Anya and stepped out side. She looked back at Cykes and smiled softly.

*cykes woke up because he didn't feel poe's weight on his shoulder anymore, he stood up and flexed his muscles, yawning and letting his eyes get used to the dark*

Poe smiled and waved slightly, "Come on, sleepy...Let's head back."

"yeah, yeah..., give me a second..." *he yawned a last time, got his cape from the enrance and walked after poe*

She grinned and walked back to the Room of torture and carefully set Anya down.

---

Cain jumped from branch to branch, listening and looking. The forest here amused him greatly, with all the monsters and curious looking plants. He stopped on a good sturdy branch and looked at a large red flower, his face impassive.

Poe walked in, gripping the dagger in her left hand. She walked until she was completely lost, then sat down. The noticed a huge red flower in the corner of her eye, but paid no notice to it as she raised the blade to her wrist.

Cain jumped down from his perch, landing in front of Poe with a small thud and tilted his head. "What are you doing with that knife? I hope you don't cut yourself, for that would make me very thirsty..."

Poe shrugged and held the dagger closer to her wrist, lightly swiping it back and forth in a sawing motion. “It’s not like I won’t survive anything you could do to me.” She looked up. “I haven’t seen you around this are before. Who are you?” Poe studied the person.

Cain took a step back and shrugged. "You're right, I haven't been here before. And you may call me Cain." He looked curiously at her wrist, as a child would look at their favorite food. "I really wish you would stop that...."

Poe looked at her wrist as if seeing it for the first time. "oh, sorry." She stopped and just staredd dumbly at the blade. "It's nice to meet you, CAin." She sighed and stood up. "I'm Poe. Or more specificly, Lexion Ascriot Triste. But I prefer Poe." She clapped a hnad over her mouth. "Oh shoot. I don't know why I told you my real name..."

Shrugging uncomfortably, Cain smiled slightly. "It's fine I'm sure. I rather like your name. My full name is Cainderrin Rufuth Borderro. Kinda a mouthful." Cain froze for a second before muttering "I've haven't told someone that before.....hmmmm...."

Poe smiled and stood up. “It is nice to meet you, Cain.” She looked at the dagger, then slid it into her belt. “What brings you to our forest?” She asked and fluttered her wings slightly. She watched Cain closely.

Cain grinned. "Truth be told, I smelled some interesting creatures in here and wondered what they'd taste like. I must say there are some rather....unique tasting creatures here..."

Poe laughed. "Well, have fun with that. I can't say I've ever had any unique tastinf creatures, people, yes, but animals, or animal like things, no." Poe looked at teh full moon and it glinted off of her eyes, making them sparkle dangerously.

A shadowy figure flew from above, blood dripped from its black war torn wings. The full moon glinted off the blade of his scythe as he circled the forest; looking for a place to rest. It hovered over a large oak tree, nearby a clearing with a large red flower, then slowly touched down on a thick branch. He looked down from his perch and saw two figures, speaking with eachother in the clearing. As he turned his head examining his surroundings the moon shone off his face and you could see his rugged and blood stained face. "This place will have to do for the night.." he thought outloud. Cephas folded his large wings against his back and they turned into a black cape. Crouching over the branch, he decided to watch the two figures in the clearing.

Poe stiffened and turned slowly to Cain. "There is someone else here..." She whispered as she slowly drew one of her big curved blades. She looked to her right a little bit, and sure enought, there was a figure perched on the branch. She thought about what to do, then grabbed her silver dagger, ready to throw it in a challenge to the person.

Cephas saw the woman draw a blade, and grinned devilishly. "Is it a fight you wish?" he unfolded his wings and kicked off the branch toward the woman. Carrying his own weapon in hand, landing near the two others, wings outstretched. He spoke. "I am Cephas, the fire deamon."

Poe stopped infront of him. "I'm Poe, Darkelf/vampire. Assasin and Night Guardian. Blood Sister to Pup and Anya. Why are you trespassing on our domain?" She flicked the sword up to his neck.

He calmly pushed the blade away. "Mercenary. And I killed my family.." He stepped to the side and circled her. "Honestly, I came here to sleep. And I had no intention of fighting anyone, as a mercenary I fight all the time. But, if you insist," A small fireball grew in his palm, slowly growing to the size of his hand. staring at the flame he said to her. "I'll be happy to oblige..." he closed his hand and the flame disappeared.

Poe gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand still. She did not like that way he made her want to rip his head off. She sniffed. Or completely feast on his life blood. She closed her eyes and resisted the urge to sink her fangs deep into her neck.
“You killed your family, you say?” She asked, trying to distract herself.

Cephas could feel the tension rolling off her voice, she clearly hated him already. He liked it. He looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Mind your own business, hag!" he demanded, now standing close to the flower, running his hand down a petal.

Poe bristled and slashed at him with her sword. "Don't you DARE speak to me like that again!" She smacked his hand away from the flower. Her voice was dangerously low and threatening. If this freak knew better, he would back down. Now. I've handled worse than him with less weapons. she thought to herself as she growled, her eyes turnign the same color as the blood tear that streaked down her face.

Cephas raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Alright.." he said rubbing his hand. His eyes pulling his head toward the flower. "What makes this flower so big? And why are you crying? I did not nothing to physically hurt you.."

Poe touched her face and realized the tear hadn’t gone away. “I wasn’t crying because of you. It was… something else…” She turned away briefly and then eyed him suspiciously. She looked at the flower. “This is a strange forest. Even stranger things happen here. I’d ask Cain.” She motioned to Cain, and then realized he wasn’t there. Poe rose an eyebrow and looked back at Cephas. “You seem to be a morbid fighter. Ruthless and intelligent. I offer you an invitation to join the Manor. Your choice. Take it, or not.” She held out a long, thin piece of paper rolled up.

He took the paper suspiciously. "What exactly will I be doing in this 'manor'?" he asked unrolling the paper and read it. Glancing up now and then.

Poe grinned. "Torture, aminly." She said slyly. "Occasionaly going out on raids and such."

Cephas smiled. "Right up my alley." He laughed and stuck out his hand. "I'll join."

Poe raised an eyebrow. "Lovely."

"Yes.." He awkwardly retracted his arm. "So, any torturing to do tonight?"

Poe nodded. "Yes..."

"Alright. Tell me something. Who else is in this..," He searched for a word to describe it. "League, if I may call it that?"

Poe counted in her head. "Pup, Anya, Bishop, Cain, Cy..." She swallowed. "Cykes used to be in it, but he left and joined a mercinary down south." She stood, using her sword for support.'

Cephas tilted his head. "And you wanted me to join to replace this Cykes? What makes you think i'll be the right person?"

Poe snapped, her fangs dangerously extended. "No! no one can replace Cykes!" She choked back a sob. "But We do need someone like you. I believe you are the right person for this Coven."

Cephas was startled by her response, he stepped back now against the flower. He could obviously feel a special bond between Cykes and Poe. "I don't want to replace anyone. I simply asked if you wanted me to join because you were one person short." he explained.

Poe felt what he felt about her and Cykes, and she bristled. "There is no bond between Cykes adn I. Whatever there was is long gone now." She growled dangerously.

He sighed. "So there was something?" He pryed, twitching his wings.

Poe snarled live a savage dog turned her back on him. Her back to him, her shoulders seemed to be shaking.

"Look, i'm sorry for making you upset. But..if you say you have no feelings for him why do you get so upset?"

"Because it.. complicated." She huffed and turned around, a small black orb in her hand. she looked at Cain, then at Cephas. "reay to go to the room of torture??"

"So I can tell." He nodded. "Yea, let's go. I'll follow you...."

Poe nodded and walked into the room of torture.

Cephas left the forest and followed her into the manor.

Cain shook his head and followed the two. "Now when did I become a member..."

---

---

---

Poe ran into the forest and hid in the clearing, watchign the flower.

Cephas landed near the oak tree he was at the night before. "Yes! The power here is tremendeous, I can feel it...." he said taking a deep breath. Cephas floated over to the flower, touching it. "It's even stronger inside..."

Poe watched, but silently got out a pin, ready to throw it.

As he examined the flower he felt a tingling on the back of his neck. "She's here..." He whispered to himself. A ball of flame grew in his hands, until he needed two hands to contain it. I know you hear me, and I know you're here. I am not going to do anything unless you do. He thought to her. I know you can hear my thoughts I found this out back at the manor...

Poe flicked the needle at him. She walked out and watched the needle lightly pierce his shoulder. She smiled. “Why do you want that flower?” she casually and almost flirtingly walked in front of him, standing in front of the flower. She thought back at him. I know that you know. Why do you still think I am an old evil wench? She put one hand on his shoulder, and one hand on his opposite arm, slowly pushing the needle deeper as she smiled.

Cephas winced and pulled away. "If you can't feel the power that permeates this area...you're stupid." He threw the fireball at her stomach, making her fly back into a tree. He reached up to his shoulder pulling out the needle, luckily it weasn't in long enough for the poison to get throughout his body, so only his left arm, the arm with the needle, was paralysed. Then he screamed. "This is why I think you're an evil old wench!" He held his scythe up and shifted into a defensive stance, readying himself for the eventual retaliation made by Poe. "If I could only harness it, i'd be the most powerful creature in this world!"

Poe held her shoulder and struggled to stand up. "This is the reason why we develop these poisons! to keep power hungry savages like you in check!!" She screamed at him. She drew her two massive double bladed swords, but stayed in teh shade of the tree. "It is because of what was done to us that we are how we are! There is a lot more to us than meets the eye, Cephas." She glared at him, her voice deadly calm. "If you do not see that, then you are the most shallow and stupid demon in exsistence." She stalked back and forth, yet stayed in the shadow of the tree.

Pup jumped down from where she was hidden in the tree and hugged Poe from behind. "Dearest poe, you should be more gentle with him. He's not used to our version of teaching or our way of having fun" Her eyes darkened slightly as she looked at the big flower. "And you Cephas had best stay away from my flower. I created that in memory of an old friend that left me before i met Poe and she saved me from my....depression."

Poe relaxed against Pup and was at ease. "Thank you, dearest." She looked at Cephas, then jolted around. "Wait is it... Anya?" Poe glanced over her shoulder at Cephas and flicked another pin at him.

Cephas saw the pin being thrown, at the exact moment it was thrown he smacked it down with his scythe. Not saying anything he flew at her with his scythe held over his head, ready to slash down at Poe. If she avoided him, he prepared to catch her with his fire ability.

Poe pushed Pup out of the way and caught the scythe as it came down, jumping and kicking Cephas in the stomach. She spun the scythe in a circle and tried to stay in the shadows. She momentarily lost her balance and her leg, from the knee down, was exposed to the sunlight. She cried out adn dropped the scythe, retreating into the shadow of the tree, but not before black tendrils of shadowy ink visible on her skin. SHe climbed the tree and rano ut on a branch as far as she dared to go and used her magic to bring Cephas to the ground.

Cephas hit the ground hard and he crwaled over to his scythe. Standing up, now holding his stomach, he said. "Not afraid of a likttle light, are you?" He chuckled, then a stream of fire flowed from his mouth at the forest near by and trees combusted around Poe. "Prettty soon, you wont have a tree to hide in."

Poe used her mind to extinguish the flames. She sent a blast of magic to Cephas. "Take that, Demon." She smiled grimly, and did not notice the branch she stood on was weakening.

Pup growls at Cephas and puts a barrier around her flower before jumping up to the branch next to Poe. "Poe, love, your branch is about to break...." She turns and sniffs the air for a moment before adding. "Oh dear, I don't think Cain liked the fire..."

Cain stormed over to where they were fighting, blood whirling around him as a sheild. Pointing at Cephas, he yelled "You burnt my snack! How dare you burn my snack! And it was a tasty looking wolf-creature that i was just about to start munching on after draining it blood....RAWR!"

Poe looked at the branch and fluttered her wings. she grabbed Pup and gently drifted to the gourn, in the shade. "I wonder what Cain and Cephas will do to each other..." She owondered out loud. She took out one more pin frmo her stash and flung it full force at Cephas.

Cephas saw another pin being thrown at him and he created a shield of fire that surrounded his body and the pin hit him but the poison was eaten by the fire as it went through the shield. He pulled the pin from his chest, blood filled the wound. He ignored the injury. Cephas looked at Cain, then tried to pinpoint Poe in the darkness, trying to remember at which direction the pin came from.

Poe used this distraction to shield herself with darkness, leap on Cephas from above, and jam a pin deeply into his upper arm. The sunlight ate at her protective shield and she fell from his back, writhing in pain when the snlight hit her and exposed the shadowy ink cralwing up her body. "Ahh!!!" she screamed, in sheer agony. She writed in the ground and feebly tried to sheild her face with her wongs and arms.

Cephas gasped in surprised as she leaped on his back, and clutched his arm when a pin was shoved into his arm. He felt it hit his bone. In great pain, he rose his scythe above Poe, who was trying to shield herself from the sun, in sheer rage brought it down on her. The Blade went into her thigh and blood gushed around the blade. Blood was also coming the many pin wounds on his body and hew getting dizzy from the loss of bloodCephas wobbled, then balanced himself leaving his defenseless for few heartbeats.

Poe dizzily stood up, adn , for a few of those heartbeats, stood there. She launched herself at Cephas with her one good leg and brought both of them down to the ground, unable to move. She lay, nearly paralized with pain, across him, her head on his chest and the rest of her body in an awkward position.

Cephas allowed her to basically tackle him, he couldn't do much else, because his vision was clouded and he could bareky stand. He took a few deep breathes, "Poe?" he rasped. His bare chest was heaving up and down from their fight, he was obviously worn out from the amount of power he had used in the shield, and all other fire attacks. The fire attacks take alot of his energy and it gets depletes easily when he uses them.

Poe was nearly unconscious. She barely heard Cephas. Her only response was to barely straighten out her arm. She felt his energy depleteing and thought, her mind muddled by pain. She almost felt she could like Cephas right then. What a terrible way to die... She raised a hand, trembling, to his cheek and poured what energy she had left to him.

Cephas held her wrist as she touched his cheek. "Poe! No!" He shouted, and picked her up. You stupid fool, how could you kill her? He flew into the darkness of Blood Forest, hoping the darkness will revive her, and set her down on a mossy area. He lit a small flame on his finger and touched it to her fore-head. The flame didn't burn, however, healing her wounds. He shouted for Cain, "Cain!!" Cain can maybe give her blood!

Poe still used the contact to force energy into Cephas. She slowly drifted into a black pit, unable to think. She noticed, but barely, that her leg didn't hurt anymore. I wonder what that fool is yelling for... her eyes fluttered open, their ususal brilliant blue mottled by a soft white. Then they slowly fluttered shut. Then, suddenly, she had a burst of energy, and she shot up, her eyes wide open and blood red. She panicked and reached for something, someone.

Cephas flinched when she grabbed his arm. "Watch it, that's where you stabbed me with your pin!" he narrowed his eyes at her. Though he was glad she was alive, he still felt like he had to fight her. "You should be ok, I healed most of your wounds, but your thigh will need work." Cephas layed her arm on her lap. "Thank you, for...giving me your energy, it was enough to carry you here.." He thanked her with resentment in his voice.

"Now, who needs some good ol' nourishing blood or demonic energy?" Cain stepped from behind a tree, a flow of blood still loosely wrapped arounf him and a false smile on his face. "Wow, i didn't realize how hard it was to pretend to be cheerful..."

Poe looked at Cain, a starved look in her eyes. "I do, Cain." She stood up and looked at her thigh. The marks were gone, but the gash was still there. She looked hungrily at Cephas, then away. "I need to go hunting, or soemthing." She held up her shaking hands. "I need noursihment." She smiled wryly. I haven't had this much excersize since sparring with Cy... Pup and Anya." She tested her balance ans was pleased. "Yes, it is indeed hard to be cheerfull." She patted Cain's cheek lovingly, then glanced into the shadows. A familiar mind was coming closer. Someone she hadn't heard from in ages. A smile flickered across the corner of her mouth and was gone.

Vladmir stepped out of the forest and embraced Poe. "My darling girl, how are you?" His voice was warm.

Poe hugged her companion back, resting her head on his shoudler. "I am well, Vladmir." She shifted so she was standing on her left leg.

Cephas took a step back when she loked at him. A moment later he saw someone approach Poe, and hug her. He cocked his head at the stranger. "Vladmir? Oh, the man in your memories...." He remembered the man Poe had showed him, the vampire that had turned her into a vampire.

Poe shook her head, looking back at Cephas. "Nay, 'tis not him." She turned back to Vladmir, resting against him.

Vladmir looked at Cephas, not trusting him, and not likeing the way he looked at Poe. He held her close, then picked her up and held her like you would a baby. He ran a finger along the gash in her thigh, healing it.

Cephas had a confused look on his face. "No? Well then, who is this? If you dont mind me asking..."

Poe was about to answer, "A friend, ' but Vladmirs mouth came down over hers and stopped her from talking. She stiffened in comeplete shock, her eyes wide with panic, fear, and confusion.

Vladmir finished kissing her and looked over at Cephas, smirking. "Does that answer your question?"

Poe shot a mental note over to Cephas. He is, or was, a very good friend of mine. He gets jealous. Pay no attention to him or what he does.... Poe slapped the back od Vladmir's head.

Vladmir turned to look at her, but caught a glimpse of Pup walking over.

Cephas clenched his fists. "Yes, that very much answers my question." He said with a tense tone. I see no reason for him to be jealous of me, I am a demon, demons know no love..

Poe smiled softly at him, a knowing smile. Yes, they do, Cephas. It takes along time for them to find it. Take me, for example. One thing I blocked among any 'twas the fact my father was a demon, my mother was human/elf. It 'tis possible for Demons to love.

Pup plopped down on the ground and folded her arms, pouting. "Che, demons fall in love all the time, they just make sure to not show it cuz other demons will use that against them...Awwwww, now I feel unloved..."

Cain shrugged. "Honestly, I don't think demons fall in love, but that's cuz I never have." He smiled innocently at tht and then went back to his emotionless self.

Poe plopped down next to Pup. "I do too."

Vladmir knelt next to Pup. "And, my fair lady, may i ask what your name is?"

Cephas sat down next to Poe, pushing Vladmir away. He wanted to chang the subject. "Poe, about earlier. You still don't want to kill me, do you?" He sort of smiled at her, an uncontented smile.

Poe looked at Cephas, smiling a soft, mischevious smile. "Only if you want to die, Cephas." She said softly.

Vladmir seethed and stood there, his face deceptivly calm.

Poe glanced at him, her eyes flashing. She turned back to Cephas.

Cephas inwardly laughed at Vladmir, then loooked down at Poe's leg. "Feel free to try anytime. Just know, i'll be ready and waiting..." He said mischeviously.

Poe smiled to herslef and shoved her knee suddenly into his chin. She
laughed and stood up. "How about now?"

He rubbed his chin and opened and closed it a few times. "For some reason I knew you were going to do that. Alright.." He quickly threw a right hook into her cheek. Blowing off his knuckles he ran into the forest hopping into a tree then going from tree to tree.

Poe kept up easily, laughing the entire time, flying above him. She knew the forest, he didn't.

Cephas knew she would catch up to him as she had, for she knew the forest far better than he. He saw her above, doing a flip right under and kicking her feet out from under and she flew into a tree. "Deja vu!" He shouted out loud to her, flying above the tree tops where she wouldn't follow.

Poe grinned to herself as she put her shoulder back in place. "That stupid boy is going to get himself into a situation he cant handle." SHe smirked and followed on foot, waiting for his screms when the arrows and thorned vines of that side of the forest. On que, she heard his yell. "Bingo" she
murmered and follwoed the voice.

Cephas strained to release himself from the thorns. "Damned woman led me into a trap!" Once he released himself he heard music, a faint but beautiful music.

Poe stopped and listened. She heard music. She forgot about Cephas and flew towards the music, ever staying in the shadows.

Pup looked up at Vladmir and frowned. "I'm pup. Who are you? And..." sniff sniff "You smell good."

Vladmir smiled down at her and knelt in front of her. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you, Pup. I am Vladmir." He smiled. "Why thank you."

Pup grinned and stood up. "Ya know, you shouldn't try so hard." Giggling, she turned and flitted away through the trees, gracefully skipping over the ground.

Cephas saw Poe fly below him, he flew by her side. "Do yuo hear that? It's coming from there.." He pointed with a jerk of his head and turned into a grove of apple trees. "Mmm, I am hungry.." He picked one and put it to his mouth.

Poe smiled and grabbed one as well.

Vladmir followed her, entranced.

Cephas ate his apple quickly then continued to follow the music. He began to hear singing as well. They followed a bit longer 'til they came to a small village, and the source of the singing and music. It was a girl, about 19, playing a harp and singing to her tune with a few children crowded around. He licked his lips. "She's mine..." He told Poe. "Up for a raid? Maybe a few prisoners, dont harm the girl, I want her as my prisoner.."

Poe shrugged. "Why not. I am rather.. peckish." she looked at Cephas. get her, i'll grab some people. Then I'll meet you back with the others."

"Alright, meet you there." He flew over a gate and landed in a pasture, he grabbed a sheep then went into the village. People screamed and ran from him. "What, never seen a Demon before?!" He shoputed, then picked up the girl in his other arm. She kicked and scream, but he knocked her on the head making her unconcious. He fired several fire balls at the villagers and their houses.

poe grabbed a few people that were runnign and transported them to the clearing, snapping their necks. She drained the first of the five people, waiting for Cephas.

Cephas couldn't resist burning down the village, but once he was done he flew to the clearing to meet Poe. He landed next to her with his plump sheep and the girl, he ran his fingers down her body. "Isn't she beautiful, too bad I have to eat her.. First, this sheep. I'll play with the girl before I eat her..." He bit into the sheep and blood squirted onto his face.

Poe looked at him disgustedly, wiping blood from her face. She finished draining the person. "Why don't you just use her as a snack? She does have a beautiful voice..."

Cephas finished his sheep. "I will, after i'm finished with her. I always play with the girls before I eat them..." He winked at Poe. "What else am I supposed to do?"

Poe rolled her eyes. "My word..." She rolled her eyes again and started on the next person. She, for some reason, felt slightly jealous of the girl. She thought about this for a moment, then ersoned it must be because she is going to die... yes, that must be it. ...

Cephas noticed the girl started to stir. 'Where am I?" She whispered quickly and in fear. "In Hell.." Cephas replied, grabbing her arms and carrying her off into the woods, she screamed at the tops of her lungs. It wasn't until then he realized Poe's face.

Cain stepped into the clearing of the village, his eyes glowing red. "My my, how is it that I always miss the fun? All well..." Blood gathered up from the bodies cast all over the place and swirled around him lazily. "This ought to be enough for now, or at least for a few days...."

Poe stood up and yawned, grabbing another victim. She looked at his face, and he stared back at her, his eyes calm and serene. She realized he was awake and living. She smiled to herself and tied him to a tree and moved onto the the next people, gorging herself on the life blood of the people she consumed. She left their drained bodies on teh ground ina shallow hole she dug, and turned to the boy and studied him. He was blonde, and seemed to be of about 14 years old. His skin was a pale pink color, and his eyes were a brilliant, yet refined, blue color. Poe felt attached to him almost immediatley. She knelt in front of the boy and untied him. She took his hands in hers and looked him in the eye. "What is your name?" She asked
softly.

Cephas dragged his catch through the forest, all the while she kicked at him and screamed. "Let me go, or i'll kill you you evil demon. I mean it, i'm a witch!"

Cephas just laughed at her, "Sure you are." and continued to haul her around. After a while of flying through the forest he flew to the ground in a small clearing with a stream. Cephas threw her to the ground near the stream. "Hah, get ready to die... But first.." He grabbed her top and tried tried it off. But the girl grabbed his wrist and threw him to the ground.

She stood over his body, grabbing a small book from a fold in her skirt she flipped through the pages then spoke. "Jalaynis hriforma!" and a wand with black wings on the top appeared in her hand. She flipped through the book again looking for another spell, she stopped and smiled down at him shoving the wand in his face. "I'll teach you not to mess with me! Floriss ulnas!" The book glowed and the wand started to glow and vines sprouted from the ground around Cephas and wrapped themselves around his body and wings. He was trapped under the thick vines. Then she knelt beside him and whispered in his ear. "I'm Gail, remember my name." She stroked his cheek gently and kissed him. She turned and began to walk away from Cephas.

Cephas shouted after "Wait!" This girl has potential.. He burst into flames, and the vines trapping him burnt and shriveled. He flew up and floated down to his feet. "I was thinking about eating you... but, I think I can let you go, Gail. The name's Cephas, a fire Demon."

Gail stopped abruptly when he called for her. Spinning on her heel and walking back towards Cephas. "Well, Cephas... I thought you might see it my way." She looked down at his feet, the vines she trapped him in were shriveled and dead. She said with frustration in her voice. "How did you get out?"

"It doesn't matter...." Suddenly he had a thought, a thought that may get him into troublw with poe. "Hey," he asked pointing at her with his finger. "Would you be interested in joining me and a few of my friends?"

Gail looked confused, she was suspicious of what he was asking.. "Sure... But what exactly am I joining?" She asked him taking another step towards him.

Cephas smiled, pleased. "You'll find out." He walked into the forest, on his way to the clearing with Poe and Cain. He gestered with his wings for gail to follow.

Gail obeyed and followed. She felt a little awkward going with him ,he had tried to rape her, and eat her. She was starting to question her decision.
Oh well, only time will tell. She thought calmly, and twirled her wand in her fingers.

Poe watched the boy as he searched her eyes. He's reading my mind. she thought. She guided him through her mind. She didn't expect the resistance from him that she encountered. 'I am the Nameless One. he said, his voice melodic.

Cephas emerged from the forest to find Poe talking to her dinner.

Gail followed closely behind him, peeking over shoulder at the half vampire.

Poe's head snapped up when she felt an unexplainable evil come into the clearing. She looked at Cephas, then at the girl. "She's a witch!" She whispered and stood up, glaring at the girl. She instinctivly put the boy behind her protetivly.

Gail steped around Cephas and up to Poe. "Yep, i'm a witch. Names Gail."

Cephas pushed Gail out of the way. "Let me talk to her Gail."

Gail crossed her arms. "Fine."

"Poe, this is Gail she's that girl I took from the village. Yes, she is a witch. I asked her to join us..."

Poe told the boy to step behind the tree for a moment. When he did, she walked over to Cephas and smacked his cheek. "How dare you!" She yelled. She glared at Gail and used her magic adn rendered her unconscious. "Vampires and witches do not mingle wel!!!" She continued to berate him. When she was done, she walked to the boy, and, taking him by the hand, started to walk back to the manor. She stopped in the clearing witht he flower, an idea in hermind. She looked down at the boy. "I think I'm going to name you Gabriel." She said.

Cephas caught Gail before she hit the ground and picked her up in his arms. He let out an annoyed growl, "Poe, wait!" He flew after Poe, and stopped by her side. "Who is this boy?" Cephas touched him on the back with one of his wings, since his hands were busy.

Gabriel shrank into Poe's side, adn she covered him with a wing. "This is Gabriel. I just adopted him." She glared at Cephas, then smirked at the helpless Gail. She licked her lips and her fangs slowly lengthened.

"Ohhh, No!" He backed away, "Leave her alone!" He warned.

Poe sneered at him. "so what? Are you protecting yoru little girlfriend now?? She's going ot have to learn to defend herself sooner or later, you know." Poelifted her wing and let Gabriel out. The blonde headed boy skipped over to Cephas adn clambered up his side and perched on his shoulders, grinning. Poe seethed, then smiled when she saw how happy Gabriel was.

Cephas rolled his eyes. "Sorry kid, that's not a place for you." He grabbed Gabriel by the collar of his shirt and set him back down. He looked at Poe, "She's not my girlfriend." Gail started to stir, so he set her down on the ground. Why, Poe, are you jealous? He ventured.

Gail stood up steamed. She glared at Poe then, at Cephas. "Are you quite done doing that to me?!"

Cephas looked at her and laughed. "Sorry, Gail. Poe is a little mad that I asked you to join us, she's afraid you two won't get along."

Poe’s face was impassive as she responded to Cephas. I am NOT jealous… waves of uncertainty eminated from her, then she quickly smothered them What would lead you to assume that? She stalked over to Gail, towering over her. She put Gabriel on her soulders, and he laughed. She smiled up at him, momentarily distracted. She looked at Gail. “I am not afraid that we will not get along. I KNOW we will not get along.” She stated.

"And how do you know?" Gail stepped toward her.

Cephas stood there watching, and thinking. It's alright poe..

Poe stared over at Cephas, then looked down at Gail. She smirked and flicked Gail’s small nose. She laughed. “Because. Never in the history of either of our races have we gotten along. Even when we try, it ends up in disaster.” She glanced back at Cephas, then quickly looked back at Gail. That…demon… why does he always do that? How does he know…? Does he know…? she wondered to herself.

Gail narrowed her eyes at Poe, then turned around, facing Cephas. "Cephas, since she doen't want me here to join whatever it is you wanted me to join," She glared at Poe. "You can do what you were going to do!" She threw back her head, revealing her neck.

Cephas rolled his eyes again. "Women.. Alright.." Cephas grabbed her shoulders and pulled her body against his, then set his sharp teeth on her neck.

Poe watched, smug. She bit back more jealousy and was surprised. She shook her head. I really need to stop this. I don’t even know why I feel jealous. She thought. Gabriell put his chin on her head. You’re falling for him. And hard, by the looks of it. he said, his voice amused. Poe lightly cuffed him with one of her wings. Poe watched Cephas bite Gail’s neck. I am not, silly child. she said, not even believing herself. Gabriell kissed the top of her head in his childlike fashion. Yes you are. Don’t even try to deny it. Poe was about to reply when he pulled her hair lightly. Don’t reply. Leave it standing as it is. he advised wisely. Poe nodded and watched Cephas.

Suddenly Gail shrieked. "No, stop!" She pulled away from Cephas. "I've changed my mind, I don't want to die!" Her eyes wide with terror and she wrapped Cephas in a hug.

Cephas was surpriesd by the hug, he had never been hugged, so he ,somewhat, enjoyed it. He had no choice but to hug her back, so he did. "Fine then, I won't eat you, and I will try to make sure Poe does not drain you of your blood." He said awkwardly. Poe, please let her stay. She has no where else to go after we destroyed her village. Try? He thought to Poe.

Poe watched them hug, jealousy raging up like a volcano. I’ll… try. she finally managed. She watched them, now disgusted. ,See what I told you? Gabriel warned. She nodded. She looked briefly at the blood dripping from Gail’s neck, then looked away. She balled her fists and turned her back. Anything else you need me to do, demon? she shot towards him, jealousy and anger visible in her voice.

Cephas smiled at poe. Thank you. He thought back at her. He broke off the hug immediately when he noticed Poe get angry. "Poe.., what is your problem?"

Gail looked at Cephas then at poe, and smiled. She almost looked happy Poe was so mad. She started to twirl her wand.

Poe glared at Gail and used her magic to render her unconscious again. Poe glared at Cephas, and opeend her mouth to speak, then closed it again. How would he understand that he was toying with her emotions anyway?. She closed her eyes and turned her head.

Cephas lifted his hand to her shoulder. "What Poe?"

Poe stiffened, then relaxed when she saw that it was Cephas. “You just don’t understand. Do you?” she asked

Cephas let his hand down at his side. "I understand Gail is staying." He said then picked up, once again, the unconscious Gail.

Gail cuddled up to his chest.

Poe growled. “So be it.” She said, then stalked off to the room of torture. “Are you coming or not?” She snapped back at him.

Cephas followed her without saying anything, staying behind her. Demons know no love.. He kept telling himself, but he was beginning to think otherwise of himself...

---

Poe went to the clearing to wait for Cephas. She knelt by the flower, stroking its petals. She crossed her legs and rubber her hands up and down her arms, warding off the cold.

Severl hours later in the Blood Forest, Cephas appeared by the flower. The moon casted its blue gaze on the clearing. He appeared behind the flower, and came infron of Poe. "Poe, i'm ready."

She opened her eyes and stood up. She looked at him. "Alright." She walked to the center of the clearing and stood in front of a spot in the grass where the grass was higher and thicker than the rest. She motioned for him to sit. "Have a seat."

He threw his scythe down at his feet and walked over to the spot Poe told him to sit. He took a deep breath and sat down. "Be gentle, theres only one of me." He said to her smiling.

She grinned and laughed, her fangs elongating. "I'll try." She knelt in front of him, her hands on her knees. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling a blood red color. She raised her self up adn looked him in the eye, still on her knees. "You sure your ready?"

Without hesitating he said. "I'm ready. Hurry before I change my mind!" He layed back in the grass.

Poe scooted closer to him, her knees touching his upper arm. She bent over his neck. She slowly bit his neck, her fangs coated with a powder that would change his genetic make up to one of a vampire. She let the powder, wet by his blood, drip into the wound before makign a second bite and drinking a little bit. She almsot lost her balance, and placed her hands on either side of him and braced herself on her arms.

Cephas winced and almost screamed in pain. The powder got into his blood and he became hot, like his blood was boiling. Or changing. His body spasmed once, and he closed his eyes.

Poe withdrew her fangs and placed her cold hands on either side of his neck, easing the pain with her magic a little bit. as long as there is pain, you are still changing. She said calmly. "Tell me when you feel no more pain." she advised. She wiped his hair from his eyes and crawled to his head, placing his head in her lap and sang softly to him.

He balled his fist and grit his teeth. He felt something poking at his gums and then he felt a sharp pain as two needle sharp fangs grew, pushing aside his others. The pain was almost undearable, but slowly it started to subside.

Poe continued to sing and stroke his hair. She leaned over and kissed his forehead. "It's almost done, Cephas. Do not worry."

Cephas groaned. "This sucks..." He said, and laughed softly, but it turned into a cough. The pain was almost gone, as his Demon blood was taken over. Though he is now only half Demon, and the other half vampire. He found his hand reaching for Poe's.

"Yeah, it does." She said softly. She took his hand in hers and held it. "Its almost done." She repeated. She looked up at the moon.

The pain finally stopped. "Poe?" He looked hungrily at her. "I feel great now."

Poe raised an eyebrow and laughed, noticing his hunger. "I'm glad." She squeazed his hand playfuly.

Cephas sat up and squeezed her hand back. "I'm glad you're glad." He said, then leaned towards her.

Poe smiled and tilted her head slightly to the side. Her fangs tingled, adn she knew the transformation was complete.

Cephas leaned torwards Poe and instead of landing on her neck, which was his original course, his lips fell on hers.

Poe's eyes shot open in suprise. A blush slowly crept up her face.

Cephas quickly pulled back, and stood up. "Sorry, Poe!" He turned around, his face was redder than normal.

Beacuse Cephas and Poe never let go of their hands, Poe was jerked up when Cephas stood up. "Whoa!" she said when she was lifted p and forward. She crashed into Cephas, knocking them both backwards.

They both fell backwards and landed in the tall grass. He laughed and rolled onto his back.

Poe laughed and rolled to her side, using her wings as a balnket around her arms. "That was a little adventure, wasn't it?" She teased, poking him with her foot.

Cephas reached behind his back and pulled a rock from under-neath him. "Ouch.." He said, tossing the rock aside. "Yea, an adventure." He said rolling on his side to face her. "About that..." He tried to say it, but the word choked him.

"what about it?" She said, putting her palm under her head nad leanign on her elbow. She looked at him apprehensivly.

He shook his ehad. "It's...nothing.." He brushed it off, but he couldn't admit he enjoyed the accident. "So, what now?"

Poe shrugged. "I don't know. What do you feel like doing? I mean, what are your first instincs, now that you are a vampire?"

"I don't know.." He sat up and picked at a dandelion. He ate the dandelion, chewing it, he said. "I'm hungry.."

Poe laughed and rolled to her back. "Then go hunting." She grinned.

Cephas stood up. "Alright, wanna come?"

Poe nodded adn stood up. "Lead the way." Whiloe they were hinting, Poe admired the way Cephas's new thirst for blood drove him to be swift and merciless. She caught a few runaway people who tempted her apetite adn tied them to a tree adn took them out, one by one, feasting on them.

He bit into a youngmans neck and began draining him of his blood. "Mmm...never paid much attention to blood, it's good." He said between feeding.

Poe nodded and grabbed another. "it is indeed." She said, feasting.

Cephas grabbed another, this one being a woman. He sunk his fangs into the right side of her neck and she wailed flailing her arms slapping him on his face. He bit down harder and snapped her neck and the woman went limp. He continued to feed on her.

Poe raised an eyebrow and finsihed with her person. "you know, you can use magic now..."

He lifted his fangs from the womans neck and looked at Poe inquisitively. "What kind of magic..?

Poe smiled mysteriously. "Dark Magic."

Cephas smiled mischeviously. "Like curses? Ooh, how do I use it? I don't feel magical.."

Poe smiled and steppped closer to Cephas, until they were almost touching. "You will." She said, runnign a finger down his cheek adn onto his neck.

Cephas put his arm around her back. "I'm feeling it now.."

Poe stepped closer still adn stopped her finger on his vein, feelign his pulse. She reached into her mind and pressed magic she had set aside for him into his veins adn gradualy into his mind. She smield softly, her eyes closed, as she raised her mouth to bite his neck, transfering power.

Cephas closed his eyes and absorbed the power. "Wow..I feel.." He took a breath and relaxed.

---

---

Poe grinned as he walked into her trap. Pudding rained down and hit him squarely. She started to laugh untill some hit her in the stomach.

cykes cleaned his spoon innocently "that wasn't me!!"

Poe laughed and grabbed a small bowl, filling it, then leaped at Cykes with it.

cykes stepped aside and placed a nice handful of pudding in her face when she darted by.

Poe stumbled and lsipped on the puddingy floor, then stood up, looking at Cykes, in shock.

"what...?" cykes looked a little worried.

Poe slowly grinned and calmly took her finger and wiped some pudding off of Cykes face, then licked her finger. "MmMmm... good..."

cykes rolled his eyes and sighed "you shouldn't do that to an innocent guy" he grinned.

Poe looked mischeviously at him and kissed him on the lips playfully, then licked some pudding off of his cheek. "Yummy..." She giggled and eyed Cykes hungrily.

cykes prepared for anything, taking some pudding with him "what're you planning on...? I don't trust that look"

Poe grinned and merely stuck her finger into the untougche bowl of chocolate pudding and then licked it clean. "Mmmm... yummy..."

cykes' eyes widened "not that bowl!!"

Poe giggled and picked up the bowl, holding it to her chest protectivley. "Yes this bowl!!" She backed out of the kitchen and into the hall, then ran up to her room and locked the door behind her.

cykes stepped from her shadow "tsk tsk tsk..., you know doors won't keep me out..." he grinned.

Poe giggled and hid the bowl behind her back. She grinned and set it down on the coffee table. "And what if this is what I wanted??" She got a mishevious twinkle in her eye.

cykes rolled his eyes and sighed "I'm already behind you..." he grinned and took the pudding from her hands.

She looked at Cykes playfully. She took it back and re-set it on the coffee table.

cykes dipped his finger in it and licked it "it's nice" he said with a smile on his face.

Poe smiled back. "This one is MINE..." She said softly.

cykes dipped his finger back in again "not as long as I have a single finger left" he grinned.

Poe poked him and grabbed his hand. "Don't tempt me..." She bared her fangs in a grin.

cykes looked at her challengingly "try me" he said, his eyes twinkling.

Poe grinned and lept at him, tackling him to the ground and teleported them both into the room below.
(Poe and Cykes will be gone for a bit ^^)

---

Poe woke up, several hours later, reaching out for Anya and Pup.
"I need my blood sisters to help banish this dream." She cried in their language. "I know what we have to do to get rid of the evil!!!" She looked wildly around.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bishop was sat quite happily in his room, pearched upon a dark oak chair drinking tea staring across his large oak tablet full of colourful tea cups and sauces and all other varieties of cakes. He smiled to himself enjoying his tea and the silence of his domain quite a bit, he was also enjoying the company of a few mangeled and demented dolls and plush toys which sat in the other chairs.

---

Poe reached out with her mind and sought for a familiar mind. When she glanced acrossed Bishops, she smiled and made a mental note to go to see him later. She sighed and got up, stretching the soreness from her body. She stumbled. She picked herself up from the floor and looked around. Something felt different. She never fell. She looked over into the mirror that only vampires could see themselves in. She let out a strangled scream.

Bishop heard the scream from his room, he gently placed his cup down and glanced over at the door. After a few secounds he hopped off his seat and made his way out into the hall. He wasn't exactly sure where the scream had come from but it sounded like Poe. "Poe"? His small light voice rang out into the darkness.

---

Poe heard Bishop and ran out into the hallway."Bishop!" She cried. "I have wings!!! Bigg feathery balck wings!!" She stumbled and fell, her new add-ons throwing off her balance. "What happened?!?!" She sobbed adn Bishop's feet.

Bishop looked little dumb founded too be honest, he stared at the black wings and sort of tilted his head matching Poes utter confusion. "Ermm..I don't really know". He bent forwards and touched one of the wings, now on his knees and too Poe's level.

Poe sat up and sobbed, wiping her eyes. "I need to clear my head... I'm going out to the stables..." She said, standing up. "You'll find me out there, I suppose." She threw a smile to Bishop. "Thanks Bishop... Feel free to come along." Poe walked Outside Torture Manor, wiping her eyes angrily. She stumbled off ablance, her newest extensions throwing her off balance.
"Stupid wings... stupid everything!" She cried and tripped, falling to her knees and scraping them on the concrete of the front porch. "Ouch.." She whispered to herself. She sat there for a moment, looked up to the porch roof. She decided to climb up high and jump off, to test her new wings. Well, " she reasoned to herself. "I can't die..." She looked off into the distance an saw two figures. She jumped adn beat teh air silently with her new wings. I wonder who they are. she thought to herself as she soared to a huge tree nearest thema dn perched almost invisibly at the top.

---

Poe stepped in through the portal and walked to the table where her project sat huddling.

Cephas followed her through the portal and to the table. "So, this is it?"

Poe shook her head. "Nope. We have everything you could ever imagine here. You just have to ask." She smirked and ran a finger down the poor person's back. "My little baby... we shall have some fun, yes??" She crooned.

"Yes..." He grabbed the scythe off his back, holding it out in-front of him it shortened until it was just a blade. "How shall we do this?"

Poe put a finger on his blade and grinned evily. "I didn't say this little morsel was ours, dear. It's mine."

"Oh, well, where's mine?" He asked disapointed, held his blade at his side.

Poe nodded to the corner where a black cage hung. "Inside the cage, dear." she said, turning back to her work.

Cephas walked the few steps to the corner of the room towards his experiment.

Poe flicked a pin at him, then turned back to her 'pet', grinning evily.

Pup walked into the room, leading her pet by a leash. "And who do we have here? Poe, I haven't known you to take demons as pets, let alone take them off the collar."

Cain walked in the room and looked around at all the pets. "Hmmmm, this is making me rather hungry..." Turning, he looked at Cephas. "Ummmm, hello. what type of demon are you?"

"Fire.." He replied, creating another fireball in his hand then throwing at his pet, singing its back. "You?"

Poe nodded her head contritley. "I'm sorry Pup. I'll do it right away." She took a heavy fireproof chain and securely fastened it onto Cephas's wrist, fascining the other to her own.

Cain grinned. "Heh, I'm a blood demon." He raised his arm and blood came from the burn wound on Cephas's pet's back and flowed around his hand like a snake. "Perhaps one day we shall play, yes?"

Pup smiled. "Much better Poe. So, who is your new pet? Cain I know from the past, but this one; this one is new..."

"What the hell! I thought you...but you said..!!" He snarled angrily. "I am not anyones pet!" He pulled at the chain, ignoring Cain for the moment.

Poe grinned and jerked on the chain. "You are now, Cephas Dear." This is Cephas... I kind of just met him."

Pup grinned wickedly. "Very nice. Demons make such fun pets! so much stamina!"

He mumbled a curse word as he tried to melt the chains. He lengthened his scythe as well.

Poe smacked it away and hit his hand. "Stop that!!" she let go of her end of teh chains and chained them to her pet's pet. "There. I hear someone at teh door of the room." She ran to the door and ducked out, then ducked back in, a wiggly, scrwny human in her hands. She dumped him on the floor, noticing scalpels sticking out from his belt. "Who are you?" Her eyes lit up when she saw the human. What a tasty looking human. So cute. So...

I'll show them. No one can hold me captive! Cephas flapped his wings several times and an incredible wind picked up inside the room. He bent over and picked his scythe back up and sliced down on the pet, going clean through it. Now the thing holding him down was dead and limp, he flapped his wings once more and another wind blew throughout the room. Cephas flew up to the ceiling, then busting through it, trailing behind him the dead thing.

Poe watched him, amused. She turned to Pup. "I don't think he noticed the poisoned pin I flicked at him earlier. It was coated with a formula that ONLY works on demons. Remember that one that we experimented with about three years ago??" Poe looked up and counted to ten, waiting for him to crash through the ceiling. That poor demon is going to have a hard landing. she thought.

As soon as Poe said that, his wings went limp and he crashed through the ceiling, creating another hole in the roof. Cephas hit the floor on his back. A moment later the poison was coursing through his veins and he convulsed in pain. Blood trickled from his mouth. All he could do was stare up at Poe, anger and rage burned in his eyes. He tried to speak, but all that come out was a hacking cough and more blood. He couldn't move, and that was not good.

Poe knelt beside him and held up his head. "This is menat to stun you and make you in pain. I foresaw that you would leave, so I did that. You won't die. In fact, I haev the antidote that only three have. Pup, Anya, and myself." Her eeys sparkled mischeviously as she titled his neck to the side and bit it lightly. The antidote that she put in her lipstick dripped into the bite wounds and started restoring Cephas.

Cephas flinched when she bit him, but soon after he felt movement come back to him. His fingers twitched as they were un-paralysed, then he could feel his arms, then legs. "Don't expect a thank you..." He snarled, sitting up wiping the blood off his chin and lips. He glanced down at the small puddle of blood at his feet. "I can understand why you want to keep me as a pet, I am tho last fire deamon..." He said with pride. "But i'm not done yet."

Poe laughed at Cephas and jumped up lightly, nudging him with a wing. "It is a term of enderment, Dear. You have much to learn about us here." She laughed.

Cephas re-coiled in disgust when she nudged him,shaking his head at her. "How do you mean?" To think I found her attractive... evil old wench

Poe laughed when she heard Cephas's thoughts, but kept them to herslef. And what would have atracted him in the first place?" she wondered as she sat on the table behind her and studied him. Then she decided to brief him up on how everyone in the manor came to be. Namely her and Pup. She cupped her hands in front of her. A black ball of mist formed there. "The only way to explain is to show you what happened to make up how we are now."She looked over at Pup and nodded, then turned back to Cephas. "You are going to be looking through my, our memories. Pup's and mine, I mean." She held the ball at eye level to Cephas.

He decided to look in the ball and rolled his eyes. Why not...? He stared into the ball.

Poe closed her eyes as Cephas looked into the ball. She felt him watching the memories, adn she remembered with him. Her as a human child of eight. The men in black masks killing her family,taking her away. The cold dungeon. Meeting Vlad. His teeth on her neck, those needles in her skin, injecting the chemicals into her body. The cold. The pain. the anger. The fury. The rage. Escaping. Seeing Pup for the first time. Talkign to her. Escaping together. Running by night, hiding by day. Running through the forest. Meeting Anya. adopting her. Growing older. Finding the Manor. Fixing it up. The raids. The torturing. Meeting Cykes. NO!!! She forrced Cephas to skip past Cykes. Findign Bishop at thier front door. Saying goodbye to Cykes for the last time. The Forest. Meeting Cain. Meeting Cephas. Poe shivered and opened her eyes. Sun filtered inthrough the open curtains. the ball was gone, so she decided to close the curtains.

Cephas pulled away from the ball as it disappeared. I wonder...the part she skipped...could that have been Cykes..? Suspicion flashed in his eyes for a moment. "So, quite an interesting past.." He thought back to some of her memories. He decided to change the subject, if he kept talking abouit Cykes, he might get his heart ripped out.. "Now, what do you plan to do with me now that you have..," He hated to say it. "Captured me..?"

Poe smirked and finished closing the blinds. "We didn't capture you, Cephas. You are free to go at anytime." She fluttered her wigs softly and dragged over her pet. She stuck a needle into his necka nd watched him convuls.

"Of course I can." He said in a sarcastin tone, "You probably have another trap set for me next time I escape.." Hestood and looked out the window, pulling back the shades a little bit.

"Why would we?" Poe shrugged. "We have no need to."

He sighed. "Well," He held up his arms and showed her the chains."Why did you do this?"

Poe snapped and the chains fell off. She shrugged. "'Twas a joke." She looked sideways at him. I wonder if he still thinks I'm still an old evil wench She thought to herself.

He rose an eyebrow. "Some kind of sick initiation joke..?" He stepped towards her.

Poe shook her head. "An inside joke betwixt friends."

Phew, I feel better now.. now I dont have to take on all of them. He thought to himself dismissevely. "Great. Well, i'm going for a stroll..." He said, shooting out of the hole he made in the ceiling. Now, to head for that flower...

Poe silently ran into the blood forest, beeting Cephas there and waiting for him. What are you up too...? She wondered.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cephas entered the mansion, and climbed the staircase to the torture room. Once he entered the room he lay Gail on the table.

Poe stalked in behind him and shrugged Gabriel off of her shoulders. She took his hand and helped him off of the table where she was working. He followed her around the room and held a few things for her. Seh walked back to the able and got out al of her beakers and chemistry set.

Cephas saw a book sticking out of a fold in Gail's shirt and carefuly slid it out. "Hmm, this must be her spell book." He began to flip through it. He saw spells scribbled all over the pages, death spells, freezing speells, burning spells, curses.... "Wow, this girl knows her stuff." he commented and continued to flip through the book.

Gail suddenly reached out and grabbed his hands, "What are you doing with my book?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just looking in it, cool down.." he told her.

She snatched her book away from. Then sat up and swung her legs over the table, hopping off.

Poe ignored her and started combineing chemicals. Gabriel hopped up beside her and watched.

Cephas left Gail and walked over to Poe. "Need any help? He asked her, hoping she would say yes.

Gail was writing in her book, thinking of some new spells. Tzipraya Nora..Galin Kina hiy.. She jotted them down as she thought of them. Alot of them were her mothers spells.

Poe barely glanced at him. "Sure." she picked up a vial of thick purple liquid. "You can grab me that large canister on the top shelf over on the other side of the romm." She nodded to a large black on on a series of shelves.

Cephas smiled softly at her and nodded. "Alright." He walked over to the shelf and tried to reach for the black canister but couldn't reach. So he flapped his wings and flew a few feet off the ground and grabbed the can off the shelf. He landed and handed her the canister.

Po flashed a brillant grin at him. "Thanks." She said. she opened it and reached inside, bring ing out a handfull of black and blue poweder. Shemixed it into the vial, turnign it green. She hled it to Gabriel's skin, adn it turned red. "Perfect." She said.

Pup appeared in the room, breathing oddly. "Ooph, Vladmir doesn;t ever give up, now does he?" She then looked around and caught sight of Gail. "A witch....how....interesting. Poe, are you feeling well? I've never known you to deal with witches...."

Cain stepped into the room, his flow of blood going into a small pack that he carries around. Once done, he looked arounf. "Oh, new people.....goody, just what I was hoping for..."

Poe glanced irritatedly at Gail. "Yes, I am fine. Ask Cephas abotu that one." She nodded at Cephas.

Vladmir stepped into the room, making a beeline for Pup. "someone say my name?" He said, wrapping his arms around Pup's waist and restes his chin on her head.

Poe araised an eyebrow and smiled softly. "Uh, Vlad. You might not want to do that..."

Vladmir glanced at Poe. "Why not?"

Pup smiled sweetly, twirled out of Vlad's arms, and clawed him across the chest in the matter of seconds. Licking her claws, she grinned. "Hmmmm, you taste better than you smell. goody!" Her fangs expended a little and she grinned.

Poe smirked and raised an eyebrow, wanting to bite Vladmir as well. "I told you." she said. She gripped the metal worktable so hard it bent the metal.

Cephas laughed at Vlad, then looked at Poe and Pup. "Maybe you should get outt here before they drain you of your blood, Vladdy." He teased, jabbing him in the shoulder with a finger.

Vlad glared at Cephas. "I'll do what I li..UGH!" Vlad was tackled by Poe, her fangs at his neck.

Poe bit Vladmirs's neck and started drining.

Cephas stepped aside from Vlad. Shaking his head, he said. "See, I told you..."

Poe looked up, her mouth dripping with blood. She looked hungrily at Cephas, her eyes turing blood red. She pushed herself off of Vladmir and stalked over to Cephas, running a finger down his neck.

Cephas grabbed her hand with his and twisted her around , now her back was against his chest and his arm was twisted behind her back. "If you kill me," He whispered in her ear. "you will regret it." He kissed her quickly on the back of her neck, then released her.

Poe stood there, stunned, and then slowly turned around. "I didn't want to kill you, I just want to taste." She smiled a sly grin adn took his wrist, biting it quickly, then releasing it. She smiled again and licked her lips.

"How do I taste?" He smirked at her, and wiped a smudge of blood off her bottom lip with his thumb.

She snapped at his finger playfully. "Like a demon." She teased. She glanced down at the stunned Vladmir, then back at Cephas. "Excuse me a moment, I need to finish feeding...."

Cephas stepped aside. "Be my guest." He looked down at Vladmir, and his fingers were twitching. Wow, i'd feel weird if I ate my X..

He is not my ex... he is a friend, now, a food source for Pup and I. Poe thought at him as she fed on Vladmir.

Vladmir twitched and closed his eyes. I'm rahter enjoying this... He thought. He held Poe's shoulders as she fed.

Poe shook his hands off and stood up, done. She wiped her mouth clean of blood.

Cephas kicked Vlad's side. "Is he dead?"

Vlad opened his eyes and looked iritatedly at Cephas, very pale.

Poe shook her head. "No, not dead. Tired, yes. Dead, well, you can't re-kill a vampire, Cephas." She took a step backwards and tripped.

Cephas nodded. "I suppose that's true." He stepped forward when she tripped and caught her. 'Watch your step.."

Poe blushed. "Thanks, I'm such a klutz." Gabriel ran over and sat on Poe before she could stand up.

Pup grinned at Poe. "Now I have to wait until his blood is replenished to satisfy my thirst. Darn!"

Vladmir just looked at Pup from the floor, a slow smile forming on his lips.

Poe nodded. "I say go right on ahead."

Cephas chuckled. "A classic klutz." He helped Poe up, then looked at Gabriel. "Poe, what do you want with this boy?"

Pup grinned at Vlad, her eyes starting to glow red again. "Lovely.." She jumped on Vlad, biting him one the other side of his neck. Delicious...

Vladmir winced adn groaned slightly.

Poe picked Gabriel up and placed him on her shoulders. "He's special. I can sense it."

Cephas nodded and looked at the boy, and gabriel stared back, Cephas could feel him searching his mind. He shook his head as if push him out.

Gabriel smiled. "He;s got an intereting mind, Poe." Gabriel said. Poe glnaced up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Cephas started looking at his wrist, he ripped a piece from his cloth pants and wrapped it around his wrist. "Poe," He looked at her. "since you bit me.. Will I become part vampire, too?"

Poe shook her head. "No. Not unless I do the Ceremonial Bite." She lokoed at him. "Did you want to become one?"

If I want to be with you.. He smiled. "Sure. I think i'll do it. Anyways, everyone else around here is...well, besides Cain."

Poe looked at him and gently lowered Gabriel from her shoulders adn whispered in his ear. He pointed towards the closet, adn she nodded. He scampered off, and Poe watched him, he back ato Cephas. Her mind was racing. Should I? I've only ever done it once... perhaps one of my books has a less painful way to do it. Can you turn a demon? She raced through possibilities, then decided on one. She turned to face Cephas. "Are you sure? Once you change, you can't go back. I don't know what this will do to you, I mean, if you will keep part of your demon self and become a vampire, like I did. I kept part of my elven self." Poe slowly approached Cephas and stood in front of him, looking up.

Cephas thought for a moment. "Yes..I want to do it." He put his hand on her shoulder to assure her. "I can take the pain."

Poe nodded and put her hand on his arm softly. "When, then, would you prefer to do it? There is a myth that if you are changed on the Blue Full Moon, you will be a strong vampire. Even more-so than the Firstborns, they say." She looked at him, studying his face.

Cephas removed his hand from her shoulder, and looked out the window. "Yea, strong sounds good. Let's do it then."

"It happens tonight." She said. Poe w3alked to the window and watched the dying sun. "You might want to rest and eat something, perhaps go hunting. You will be extremely blood thirsty afterwards." She said without lookign at him. She watched the sun slowly go down.

Cephas nodded at her. "I'll see you tonight...at the flower.." He exited the room and headed for the forest to rest and eat.

She caught his arm on teh way out. "Don't touch the flower." She warned. Inher mind, she quickly cast a spell over the flower. She nodded. "I'll meet you there." Gabriel waved goodbye when he climbed up her leg and dropped the bag in her hands. She tucked it into her belt and watched him go. She looked at Gabriel. "Stay here." She warned. "I'm heading into the blood forest."

Cain stood behind Gabriel and frowned. "Do ya think she wants me to stay as well? Hmmm, I wonder....all well. I'll stay here anyway." He looked over at pup and Vlad and sighed. "Comfortable?"

Vladmir cracked open an eye adn looked around, then at Pup.

Pup was now sitting on his chest, licking her lips. "Well, that was simply delicious. We may just have to keep you around Vlad!" She grinned teasingly at him.

Vladmir groaned and put his hand on Pup's leg, the other across his eyes. "Glad to be of service, m'lady." He rasped out.

Cain looked at Vlad and brought out some of the blood he carried around. "Need some blood there Vlad?"

Vladmir nodded. "That would be lovely. Thank you."

Anya briefly snuk in, saw a bunch of people in the room and snuck back out, going to poes room to be away from the strangers in her home.

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