The Wolf Hunt of The Black Winter

The sky was now getting even darker than before. A series of loud howls came from behind them. Artemis turned sharply, her black boots kicked up a bit of dust. She grabbed her revolvers out of her holsters. She aimed it at the darkness before them.

Zeek took out his to prize katanas. "this really doesn't look good I can take out a maybe two, I cant see how many are out there can you?"

Artemis grasped her revolvers even tighter when she saw the reflection of about eight pairs of golden eyes gleaming infront of them. "...Too many." She whispered before backed up to where she was standing directly beside Zeek. She didn't drop her aim.

Zeeked looked down at her,"Ok well we are in for a fight. huh? Are you going to be able to kill any of them after seeing the girl?"

Artemis looked up at Zeek. "Yes." She said steadily, but her eyes hinting her doubt. She looked back at the crowd of the impending wolves.

"Ok, you better not drop me on my ass out here. To tell you the truth I cant stand humans. I just saw what seeing that little girl did to you." Almost ending in midsentance he took off at a dead run.

Artemis sighed and followed behind him. She decided to act rather than to think about it. She used a tree stump to hoist herself up into an air jump. She leaped infront of about three of the werewolves. She sent bullets into them. These were obviously much stronger wolves seeing as they still fought back.

Zeek ran straight into the pack of wolves sliced one in two and stabed another through the eye. With his Katana stuck in the wolves eye he only had one to fight with.

Artemis was soon surronded by two werewolves. She began to feel trapped. Her eyes shot black and her black wings emerged from her back. Her demonic aura grew fifteen times her size. She grabbed a werewolf by its throat and ripped its neck open and pulled off its head. She threw the severed wolves' head at a charging werewolf. The wolf howled and fell back. Artemis stood there, floating above the ground with blood dripping from her hands.

Zeek looked over at Artemis not even worried about the wolves anymore. He tore his katana out of the dead wolves eye. "Sexy! Yeah, I would really hate to piss you off." he chuckled as he sliced one more werewolf in two.

Artemis floated there, breathing deeply for a moment before her rage began to cool off. She slowly landed back onto the ground. They were surronded by dead werewolves. Her black eyes and black wings still didn't change back, even though there was nothing left to fight. She looked over at Zeek. "Lets go." She hissed, as she forced her wings to receed. Her eyes still stayed pitch black.

Zeek smiled at her commanding him. "As you wish." he said while starting to walk.

Artemis walked with a purpose. She was now even more infuriated. She was infuriated at the fact that she had just gone out of her way to kill what were once humans. She was even more infuriated at herself in the fact that she actually enjoyed it. She sighed deeply and calmed herself down, her eyes eventually going back to their normal color. She looked back at Zeek. "..So..since it looks like we will be spending quite awhile together..tell me about yourself."

Zeek stoped walking for a second ,but he picked right back up not wanting to get lost in his own head. "Err...Really isn't much to know."

Artemis took a deep breath and then released her tension. "I know what you mean." She said softly. After a good while of walking, they finally made it to a small, dumpy motel on the outskirts of the big city of Denninghem. "I suppose we should stop for the night...This city is big...Relic could be anywhere..and I am tired." She told him. She looked back at him. "What do you say we rest for awhile?" She asked him.

Zeek looked up confused he was lost in his own thoughts again. "Oh Uhh..yeah you rest I will watch over you while you do I dont sleep much just tell me what room you get. ok?"

Artemis looked at him for a moment before nodding. She walked over to the office and payed for a room. It was room 13. She looked back at him and nodded, as if saying "This is where I am." She walked inside of the room and went into the bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face.

Zeek watched her walk into the room. Then he sat down infront of the door. No one was getting into that room without him knowing it. He leaned back and started to think somemore about his past.

Artemis towel dried her face and layed down on the bed. She stared up at the ceiling. "What am I going to do when I see Relic...I don't even know if I am strong enough to fight him on my own.." She said to herself. She then stood up and began to slip out of her clothes. She layed them gently on the bed, making sure not to awake the sleeping Bubbles in her coat. She started the water in the shower and waited for it to heat up. "I wonder if Zeek is willing to help me fight Relic.." She whispered softly.

Zeek looked both way down the hall both ways. He could have sworn he heard voices ,or was his mind just playing back memoies to him again he didn't know. He needed to know what time it was so he went to walk to a clock but thought twice about leaving Artemis unwatched.

Artemis stepped into the shower and rinsed off all of the dried blood from her battles. She sighed and let the water fall against her face. The memory of her brother, Apollo Octubre, and his death never ceased to haunt her. She could still remember his last words as his crimson demonic eyes stared up at Artemis's black ones. He had told her with his last breath: "Don't let your enemies stalk you, you stalk your enemies." Artemis was bound to that saying. She turned off the shower and wrapped herself in a towel.

A guy walked past Zeek ,who was sitting down infront of the door again, and glared at him then up at the door. Zeek hissed at him and the man moved fast to get away but stilled mumbled some thing while walking. "I wish this night would hurry up and end I hate this." Zeek mumbled while leaning back against the door. "Damn it i never asked her if she was hungry or anything like that. I'm soo not use to being around people that try to be humans."

Artemis opened the door with just her towel on, holding her clothes in her hand and leaving Bubbles curled up on the bed. She didn't know that Zeek had been leaning against the door. "Opps!" She gasped.

"WAAH!" Zeek yelled while he fell back on to the floor. He jumped up really quickly turning bright shades of red. "I was just uhh I umm..."

Artemis looked at him with an arched eyebrow. She eventually loosened up into a smile. "Thank you." She told him sincerely. "You know, you can stay in here with me if you'd like. It has two beds." She said, with hospitality in her voice.

"I ummm.. no thats fine I will wait out here." he said as he turned his head from her still getting brighter red. He scratched his head and tried to slow his breathing.

Artemis grinned and then walked past him, starting down the hall in just her towel, her clothes still in her hands. Hmmm..now where is the laundry room... She thought, still dripping a little.

Zeek tried not to look at her but still found himself wanting to touch her wet hair. "Are you sure you sure you need to be in the hall in..."he trailed off.

Artemis turned back around to face him. "Huh? Something wrong?" She asked.

"Umm no nothings wrong," we was looking away again,"I was just asking if you really need to be in the hall like that i mean some guy might be day dreaming about you or something."

Artemis chuckled a bit and dropped the clothes she was holding in her hands. She reached up her legs from under the towel and pulled out her two black revolvers. "I don't think that they will have too long to day dream about anything." She said with a sadistical grin.

Zeek tired hard not to watch her get her revolvers but failed really really bad. As he watch his eyes got Very big. "yeah umm that's good to know you dont go out anywhere with out a weapon." he couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. he was still trying to peel his eyes away from her legs.

Artemis nodded. "You bet!" She said, sliding them back onto her legs. She bent over and picked the clothes back up.

While Artemis wasn't looking he mouthed to him self,"what the fuck is wrong with you snap out of it god she is just a female chill out." he quickly smacked himself on the forhead before she leaned back up.

Artemis got up and looked back at him, holding her clothes in her hand. "Well, I guess I will just deal with my clothes being dirty. I don't really feel like going to find some dingy laundry mat." She hissed.

He smiled at her,"I will go find the wash room if you would like me to. I don't mind." He was really just looking for something to do to get his mind off of her.

She smiled and handed him her clothing. "Thank you.. I owe you one." She said kindly, before she went back into her room.

Zeek relaxed alot after she was out of sight. Now he wished he hadn't said he would wash her clothes this ment leaving his post wich he hated but did anyway. he walked to the front desk and asked where the wash room was. once he was in the wash room he took of his coat and hung it over the back of a bench he put Artemis's clothes into wash and waited for them to get done.

After awhile, the laundry machine dinged and the clothes were ready to be dried.

Artemis layed down on one of the beds and fell asleep.

Zeek Dried Artemis's clothes then folded them. He looked up at the clock on the wall it was only 4:00am and Artemis should be asleep by now so he just walked down the hall slowly. When he got to her door he heard her slow breathing and desided against knocking. He tried the door it was unlocked he would say something about it to her in the morning. He slowly krept in and laied the clothes on the foot of her bed. Then he krept back out ,after locking the door, and rested against the door again to watch over her room once more.

MORNING
Artemis awoke and found the clothes laying at the foot of the bed. She smiled and put them on. She went over and picked up Bubbles and tucked him away in her coat pocket. She slowly made her way to the motel door, opening it slowly this time.

Zeek by this time had moved across the hall and was looking at the door. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" he asked while he got on his feet.

Artemis smiled. "I suppose. Not the best but..its okay." She said. She then looked up towards the morning sky. "We best be on our way." She told him, walking past him, onto the road.

"where to now? Oh before i forget dont leave your doors unlocked anyone could come in on you at night." He followed her to the road.

Artemis looked back at him and grinned. "Well, I have an idea on where we might find Relic. In order to find him, I have to pay a visit to an old...friend of his." She said, deviously.

Zeek ran up to be beside her. "OK. Well I'm all for finding this person, but why are you so hell bent on finding him?" Zeek Looked at her and watched her walk.

Artemis stopped and looked up at Zeek. Her eyes were hazey and distant. "Because...I need my revenge. And..because sorcerery needs to be stopped." She told him, as she turned on her heels and continued walking.

"revenge?" he mummbled to himself "ok I will ask nomore i can tell you dont like to talk about it so... i will just follow you on this one." He kept right behind her.

Artemis nodded and they continued to walk on. About an hour or so later, they found themselves approaching a small little run-down shack of a house. Artemis looked at Zeek and narrowed her eyes. "Shhhh.." She whispered, pulling out on of her black revolvers. She etched up to the door and knocked loudly on it. Soon, a woman, a little older than Artemis, answered the door. She looked at Artemis in suprise.

The woman had long auburn hair. She wore a white body suit and white boots. "What the hell are you doing here?" She asked with a hiss, eyeing Zeek and Artemis.

Artemis huffed and looked back at Zeek. "This is Gretchen. She was one of Relic's whores." She said sarcastically, aiming her revolver at Gretchen.

Gretchen took a step back and gritted her teeth in anger. "Lower your aim, Artemis." She comanded, pulling out a long, slim sword from its holster behind her back.

Zeek leaned into a back stance and pulled out is prize katanas again. They were shining like normal. He had alot of time to polish them while Artemis slept. "Do not anger me female. I will only tell you once." he hissed at Gretchen.

Gretchen looked at Zeek as if he were an insect. "How dare you bark at me like I were a dog!" She yelled. She then rolled her eyes and put the sword away. She looked back at Artemis with testy eyes. "What is it that you want?" She growled.

Artemis smiled and lowered her aim. She looked at Zeek and winked at him. She then looked back at Gretchen and grinned vindictivly. "Where is Relic?"

Gretchen let out a small chuckle. "Hell if I know. Even if I did know, I wouldn't tell you." She mumbled.

Artemis whipped out her revolver again and shoved it against Gretchen's head. "What did you say?" She hissed.

Gretchen's eyes widened a bit. "Fine. FINE. He..He is at the east end of this city...you can find him there." She pleaded.

Zeek relaxed a bit,"can we trust what she said?" He looked at his katanas for a sec,"oh yeah and i don't bark like a dog you whore." Then he mummbled, "I hate dogs. god!"

Artemis grinned. "She knows better than to lead me astray." She told Zeek. "Haha..Just take a look at her left hand."

Gretchen's eyes widened in rage. Sure enough on her left hand, three fingers were missing.

Artemis looked at Zeek. "Thats what happened last time she lied to me." She said, as she turned and started to walk away.

Zeek's eyes got wide,"Yeah thats number one on my list not to piss you off." He turned and followed her but turned his head and stuck up his hand and wiggled his fingers at Gretchen. "Have a nice day Stubs i mean Gretchen,"he said with a smile.

"BASTARD!!!" Gretchen screamed, slamming her door.

Artemis looked back at Zeek and laughed. "You don't have to worry about pissing me off to badly..I am actually quite nice." She said, with a seductive and devious smile.

"AAahh!! Shiii-t!" Comes a soft cry of alarm and a hard thud from behind wreckage over to the side a bit. A bunch of dust fluffs up into the air from where it occured giving the exact location of the scene.

Bubbles rustles around a bit and crawls out of Artemis's pocket and to her shoulder. "How long was I out Artey?"

Artemis looked at the bear and then to the scene of the commotion. She drew out her two revolvers. "Who is there?!" She called out.

Bubbles jumps to the ground, grabing his sword from Artemis's waist on the way down "Yeah what she said"

Artemis looked down at the bear, while still holding her aim. "Bubbles, calm down and be careful." she ordered.

Bubbles growls back at her "I am just as capable as you. And sick of running. I need to start doing my part."

Artemis narrowed her eyes at Bubbles's rebelion. She picked the little bear up by his collar. "Calm down, sparky."

Bubbles twists out of Artemis's hand and fall back to the ground. "I will do my part. Please."

Artemis smiled slightly and let the bear be. "Very well, then." She said softly. She then re-established her aim at the clearing dust cloud.

Bubbles creeps forward toward the clearing dust. "I dont see anything Artey"

"Probably because it's still cloudy eh?" comes a gruff but feminen voice. the voices owner stands shaking off much like a dog would to get rid of bits of waste. "Damnit and I went all day without this happening once!" The voice grumbles.

Bubbles smiles "And i am so realeved that its not some ornery man. Hello i'm Bubbles." Backs away a bit. "What are you intensions?"

"Well it was my intention all day to not trip and fall. I'm Remy, Remy Le'Beau." the voice says walking out a step, she was dusty and not very tall, her brown hair was just barely over her shoulders in a chopped layered fashion. Her clothes were plain pants and a top. though she seemed to be grungy more then just falling would let her appear. "who's Artey?"

"Well that would be Artemis to anyone but me" He says while grinning "And she would be that awsome lil something behind me with the revovlers" Bubbles points with his sword.

Artemis looked at Bubbles and then up to Remy. She still had her revolvers in her hands. "What are you doing out here?" She asked in a calm, pleasant voice.

Bubbles smiles "See... she isn't even shooting yet. Didn't I tell you she was awsome?" He walk to Artemis"s feet and hold up his sword. "Here you go Artey. Something is tellin me I wont be needing this."

"While I appreciate not being shot, I'm a bit confused. As for what I was doing walking really. Yes indeed she seems very awesome. But why is a teddy bear speaking to me? even if he is strong and feirce looking." Remy asks dusting off her clothes now that they had been sort of introduced.

Artemis grinned, taking Bubbles's sword away from him and putting it into one of her holsters. "Bubbles here is possessed by a spell. I cast the spell on him to bring him to life. I thought about renaming him something more fierce..but..he seems to be too attached to name 'Bubbles'." She said, humor in her voice.

"A sorceress." Remy says straightening her body. Much more gaurded now then she was before. "But why a... teddy bear?" She asks despite being so cautious.

Artemis smiled coyly. "Because..they always seem cute and innocent." She said, winking at Bubbles.

"Why not a teddy bear?" Bubbles says as he looks toward Artemis "And you. You know that Silvia gave me the name"

Remy raises one eyebrow between the pair. She was confused and gaurded but this seemed like sort of old bickering that the two did often.

Artemis whipped up Bubbles in her arms. She held him up by his little collar, staring him in his little glossy eyes. "Don't you sass me."

Remy clears her throat softly grabbing a water skin on her hip and taking a drink.

Zeek watched the new girl for a sec then his eyes got wide. He got close to her and then walked a circle areound her sniffing ever so often. Then he turned to Artemis,"She is one of them. A damn she wolf." He glared at Remy then went back to his place behind Artemis, but kept his eyes on Remy.

Remy stiffens Smelling the old blood of others on him. "Vampire." Remy growls softly. Her stance shifting from neutral into defensive.

Zeek kept his eyes neutral,"Yeah what of it mutt?" He wouldn't attak because Artemis seemed to like this female, but boy was he thinking about it. I hate wolves please dont let her come with us ,Artemis, Please he thought to himself.

Remy growls taking a shifted step back. "I am no mutt." Remy growls out. not reaching for her weapons because she didn't dare attack a sorceress.

Zeek stuck out his tongue at her,"what ever," he said crossing his arms. "mutt," he mummbled.

"don't bite your own tongue fang boy." Remy huffs.

"How about you dont worry about what I do and go sniff someone's ass Mutt." he said secretly checking to see if he really did bite his tongue.

Bubbles jumps from Artemis's hand to her shoulder "Sorry Artey but you know the name thing is a sensitive subject. I sure do miss her" he turn and looks at Zeek " You need to fuck off. Even if Remy tried to eat me right now... i would still trust her more than you. The only reason why your tagging along is because you want to see what kind off destruction Artey's demon form can cause. Maybe you should sniff the ass." He turns to Remy and smiles.

"Oh how wrong you are you little freak. I really dont care who you trust you ball of fluff I am here to follow Artemis that much is true but i do not wish to see the destruction she causes," he said with an evil little grin. He was thinking of knocking the bear off Artemis's shoulder but knew that would make her angry at him and he had anough people snaping at him at the moment.

Bubbles wonders if Zeek realizes how good he is at sensing a mans violence. "Do it. You'll just help prove me right"

Zeek thinks outloud,"Why am i fighting with a teddy bear?" He looks over at the ratty looking bear," Think what you want. While you were sleeping in her pocket i was the one watching over her. so yes please think what you will."

"Only because you saw what she is capable of. And what do you mean with a teddy bear? I am just as capable as you. And i'm really sick of you all thinking i'm not. You all, even Artey, think i am not capable of a thing. Well you know what, i'm going to find Silvia. At least she cared." Bubbles jumps down grabbing his sword and starts to walk away.

Zeek rolled his eyes he didn't know why he was about to this but he was. "wait Bubbles. I'm sorry to underestimate you. Don't leave please? Even if you dont trust me Artemis needs you. Don't you think?"

Bubbles keeps walking. "I'm sure she will be fine. You really think i'm gonna trust a man? I'd hate to just sit around and sleep anymore."

"i never said you had to trust me not many people do trust Vampires so im use to it. Do as you wish though," he watched the bear walk.

Bubbles yells back "I trust plently of vampires. Your a man. Men can not be trusted. they always end up turning violent"

Zeek looked confused "what is so bad about men? what do you have against them?"

Bubbles just shakes head.

Artemis sighed and put her revolvers away. Her eyes glistened a bit. "ENOUGH!" She demanded. She used her telepathy to bring Bubbles back to her side. She knealt down beside him and looked him in the eyes. "Bubbles, I am sorry. I am sorry that I haven't been treating you as you should be treated. You are a good friend to me, you really are. I understand if you still want to leave to find Siliva, but just know that I do love you." She said kindly. She placed her hand gently on the bear's head and kissed it. She then stood back up to her feet and glared at Remy and then to Zeek. "Yes, I know you are both natural enemies but you are going to have to resolve this in a civilized manner." She said calmly. She looked at the ground. She grinned evilly as she took at both revolvers. She pointed one revolver at Zeek and the other one at Remy. "The truth is, I like both of you..but if you can't settle your differences yourselves, than I can settle them for you."

"settle them then shoot if you please," he said with a bow. "It seems as if its every ones night to snap at me i have been alone longer than she,"he pointed at Remy,"has been alive if you wish me gone say so now. The only reason i haven't jumped her is becuase of you. And only for you am i willing to work with a mu..With Remy. By the way its not because of your little toy either." he thumped Artemis's revolver. Then he threw his hat up into the sky and it disapeared with a flash.

"I'm not the one causing problems... I fell over... thats all I did. I didn't insult anyone." Remy says folding her arms over her chest. "and unless your bullets are silver it'll hurt but it won't kill me. Not that I want you to shoot me or anything." Remy says softly running her fingers through her hair in the front moving the side parted bangs out of her face.

Artemis lowered her aim at both people. She just stood there for a moment before she sighed and reholstered the guns. "Okay, Remy, I have a question. I am trying to find a very powerful sorcerer named Relic Graves. Would you like to accompany us?" She asked, eyeing Zeek as if to say Don't say a word.

"I suppose I wouldn't be too bothered to travel with you for a time. I don't know about the whole sorcerer thing though. being a sorceress I take it you know how were's are around your type? But I'd enjoy company. and perhaps help if I fell over again." Remy nods her agreement. letting herself relax a bit.

Zeek didn't say a word. He just stood there and bit his tongue holding in a smart ass growl. "Welcome to the group,"he said threw clentched teeth.

"I don't know how welcome I am. But... Thank you." Remy nods her head. meaning it.

Artemis gave Zeek and warning glare. She then looked back at Remy and smiled. "I am aware of your distaste for sorcerers, but you can rest assured that I have no mal-intent." She said kindly.

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