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Harry Potter and the Four Guardians

Chapter Twenty: Dark Promises

By: Elf

Snape sat uncomfortably in Dumbledore's office. He heard the story of the goblins and how Trunks Briefs defeated the trolls. He also listened to Dumbledore telling him about how Forest and Sirius Black interacted; it was obvious the wizard had been amused by the fact that they only argued. Personally, Snape couldn't blame Forest for despising Black. Forest didn't tolerate people taking her for granted or underestimating her talents like chauvinistic Black was known to do with a beautiful woman.

He was worried about Duo though. Dumbledore had made him recount the hours of horror with Malfoy and Voldemort. He had told him what Voldemort wanted him to do.

"Well, then, if Duo shows any change in power you must tell Voldemort then," Dumbledore said plainly as he strummed his fingers on his desk.

Snape gasped, "Headmaster, you can't be serious. I'm not letting Duo in the hands of that monster."

"You have no idea how much it pleases me to see you take an interest in one of your students like this," Dumbledore chortled in amusement.

Snape stiffened offensively. He asked, "What do you mean, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore chuckled as he shook his head in reproach. Snape would have given anything in that moment to be telepathic so he could read the old man's thoughts. Dumbledore was brilliant and his type of genius bordered on chaos and insanity, unlike Snape's strict path of logic. Still, Snape wondered if the old man was becoming senile in his old age and all the stress put upon him.

Then, as perhaps a thankful diversion, the door burst open and Sirius Black walked in followed by Forest who seemed to be carrying a badly burned figure. Snape stood up and recognized Sean's blond hair and sea colored eyes. He asked, "Black, what the bloody hell happened?"

Sean stumbled away from Forest and grasped Snape's robes with his burned fingers. He was still healing, but Snape had been around Voldemort's vampires long enough to recognize severe sun damage. Sean pleaded, "Kill me, please, Serverus. Kill me before they do something to Harry."

"What is he talking about?" Snape asked as he fearfully gazed up into the vampire's glazed eyes.

Forest answered, "That's why we brought him here."

"He tried to roast himself this morning and I found him tonight. We're quite sure that we're being watched by something," Sirius added as he watched the vampire.

Crimson tinted tears trickled down Sean's face as he begged, "Kill me, please!"

"Sean, why do you want us to kill you? Please, talk to us," Forest pleaded gently and Snape wondered how anyone could resist the sweet pressure of those soft indigo eyes.

Snape jerked when he heard the phoenix cry. Five pairs of eyes turned to the beautiful scarlet bird who sang softly. Dumbledore looked at it and said, "Yes, you're quite right, Fawkes." He turned his intense blue eyes to where Sean was trembling in abject terror.

Dumbledore asked, "Severus, aren't the Malfoys part of a long line of necromancers?"

Snape nodded and cursed, "Damn, of course. The Necromus Potion was just a ruse by the Dark Lord and Malfoy. I should have noticed it. He's probably watching through Sean's eyes and controlling him like a puppet." It was so bloody simple. Malfoys were necromancers, either by natural or ritual persuasion. It was part of the reason Narcissa wanted Draco to attend Hogwarts; at Durmstrang he would have learned the art of necromancy.

Forest cursed in at least four different languages that Snape could recognize. She sneered, "I could kill Malfoy."

"There you go again. Do you really think that your gun could stand up to a family of dark wizards?" Sirius snapped at her.

Forest growled, "I only need one good shot."

"If your gun was knocked away from your hands then what?" Sirius retorted icily.

Forest grinned and it wasn't pretty. She volleyed back, "I'd like to think that I'd find a way."

Sirius moved closer until their noses were almost touching. He whispered, "Could you fight off a simple Body Bind curse?"

"I'm a vampire. That doesn't work on me," she answered haughtingly, tossing her long blond hair behind her.

Snape looked at Dumbledore in askance. Dumbledore grinned, amused despite Sean's predicament. Snape walked between the two of them and drawled, "I can see why you would be so disgusted with Black, Forest, but you mustn't play into his hands. He enjoys it far too much."

Forest smiled and said, "Thank you, Severus, for warning me, but I already knew about that."

"He can be an infuriating git, but Sean is the matter at hand. As soon as we can help him and correct the damage that Malfoy has done then you can ignore Sirius Black to your heart's content," Snape told the vampire, hoping to pacify her. She was the most dangerous when she was angry, he knew. He knew what she was capable of and how quickly she could do it. He knew that she could rip out Sirius' throat before he could utter a spell and point his wand at her.

Forest nodded and sat down. Sirius leaned against the wall as Snape walked in front of Sean. Sean looked up at him with his ruined face, already healing the self-inflicted damage of the sun.

Snape asked, "Why do you think you're being controlled?"

"I'd thought that the shock of seeing Harry Potter snapped the effects of the Necromus Potion off of me, but then there were periods of time where I wasn't in control of myself. It was like I wasn't in the driver's seat, so to speak. My body was sending messages that I didn't understand until last night. I knew that someone was watching out of my eyes as I watched the attack, helpless to move," Sean answered stonily as he looked down at his charred hands.

Snape nodded to Dumbledore and Sirius. Sirius asked, "Anyway we could break the hold?"

"We don't know how Malfoy bound the vampire to him. If it was by blood then there's no way to break the hold," Snape answered quietly.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and asked, "What about binding him to another?"

"There's not another necromancer here at Hogwarts, is there?" Sirius asked, his dark eyes wide in his face.

Forest shook her head and answered, "Not by a necromancer, but by another vampire."

"Of course, placing him in your Thrall would break Malfoy's hold," Snape reasoned, pleased by her quick thinking, wondering why he hadn't realized that in the first place. Forest looked very sad that she might have to do this though.

Sirius said to her, "You don't have to if you don't want to," he turned to Dumbledore, "I don't like this."

"We don't have a choice Black. I know you don't believe in this Forest, but just this one time," Snape pleaded, hoping that she would see.

Dumbledore rose up and stated, "There is always a choice, Severus. You know that better than any of us."

Snape grew quiet as he remembered every corner he had backed himself up into in life. He sighed and replied, "You're right, Headmaster."

"I don't want to be controlled," Sean said quietly as he fled from the room.

Snape started to go after him when Forest gently stopped him. She shook her head sympathetically and he nodded. She explained, "He has to figure this out for himself. He's probably going to go as far away from here as he can."

"Good luck to the bloke," Sirius said gravely as he looked out the door.

Dumbledore stated, "Sirius, everyone has the right to choose their own path in life or undeath. We are not pawns, despite what we are lead sometimes to believe."

******

"You broke up with Cho Chang?" Angelina asked as Harry flipped through Flying With the Cannons for the fifteenth time. He figured that he already had the book memorized and was planning to let Duo read it.

Harry looked up at the dark-skinned girl and answered, "Well, she broke up with me was how it really went."

Angelina sighed, "And just days before we play Ravenclaw . . . Harry, you can't let your personal feelings get in the way of the game."

Harry chuckled as he watched as the Cannon's Seeker roared silently in triumph as he held up the snitch. Ron was chuckling as well where he was studying his Transfiguration with Hermione for the O.W.L.S. Harry had been studying as well, but he realized that he was doing quite well in changing mice into boxes and what not. From his last exam he had gotten a fairly good score and that had led him to take a small break and try to sort his thoughts out.

George walked over and cast an arm around her. He said, "This is Harry we're talking about here, Angel. He won't let us down."

"Unless he's in the hospital wing," chortled Fred from where he was playing chess with Lee Jordan.

Hermione looked up and said, "Speaking of the hospital wing, does anyone know how Duo's doing?"

Ron shrugged and answered, "Don't know. No one's gone down there to check on him or anything. Hotaru was hovering around so no one would bother him earlier today. You know that."

Harry put his book down and looked at his watch. He wondered idly if Forest wanted to meet him in the dungeon tonight, despite Duo's condition. He really wanted to get into the swordplay that she had promised him.

Harry stood up and suggested, "Well, why don't I go see?"

"Do you want company?" Ron asked as he looked up from his mouse that had recently been a matchbox.

Harry smiled and shook his head. He replied, "No, I'll be fine."

He stepped out of the Common Room and headed down to the dungeons. He was surprised to find Snape standing outside of his classroom with a worried frown. The Potions Master seemed lost in thought as he stroked his chin and paced restlessly down the hall.

Harry didn't want to interrupt him on the grounds of losing points or getting detention, but he wondered what the professor was so concerned about. Still, Snape noticed him and whirled upon him like a dervish. Harry looked at him expectantly and wondered why Duo was so fond of the man with his greasy hair and cold eyes.

"Potter, Forest isn't down here and I suggest that you don't go wandering around the grounds," Snape said in a form of greeting before he started pacing again.

Harry started to turn around when Snape called back, "How is Duo?" There was worry and apprehension in his voice and that forced Harry to turn back. He looked younger, more vulnerable and Harry found himself almost feeling sorry for him.

"He's in the Hospital Wing with Hotaru," Harry answered quietly before he started to turn again, only running smack into a black clad figure.

"Damn Harry, give a guy a warning or something," Duo drawled as he grinned at Harry.

Harry smiled and said, "Duo?"

"The one and only God of Death, seemingly unable to die," Duo answered with a mocking bow.

Snape actually smiled for a moment and Duo chuckled. Harry asked, "When did you wake up?"

Duo was grinning as he answered, "This afternoon, I think. We finally convinced Madam Pomfry that I was able to go back to my dorm. Even though she wanted to hold Firefly back."

"Firefly?" Snape asked, looking confused.

Duo actually blushed as he answered, "I mean Hotaru. That's what her name means anyway: Firefly."

Harry couldn't help the grin forming on his features. Finally, he thought and Duo gave him a perfectly happy smile. Snape nodded as well, looking as pleased as Harry had ever seen him, except for the time that Snape was planning to turn Sirius and Lupin to the dementors in third year.

Harry was about to congratulate (or tease, he hadn't figured out which yet) his friend when he saw a familiar dark head loom in the hallway. Sirius looked a little worse for wear and was holding his side a bit. He looked at Harry and gave him a quick smile, which Harry returned with a puzzled frown.

"I know what happened with Sean," Sirius stated breathlessly.

Harry's eyes widened as he asked, "What happened to Sean?"

"It's a long story, but an interesting one. Damn clever on Voldemort's part as well," Sirius growled as he looked at Duo.

Duo managed, "Hey, whatever it is I didn't do it. Hell, I hadn't even killed anybody in over a year."

Snape looked around and said, "Let us move to some place more discreet."

"The boys should come to, they need to hear this, Severus," Sirius replied as he followed Snape's sweeping black robes into his office. Duo looked at Harry, puzzlement very clear in his violet eyes, and Harry followed Snape and his godfather into Snape's office.

Harry realized that it was a very queer room, filled with various specimens, stacked to the rim with various tombs, and in every available place there were various bottles filled with different potions. It was very sulfureous smelling and dimly lit. Snape sat at the desk and Duo sat at one of the very uncomfrotable chairs. Harry took a seat beside him while Sirius looked at one of the potions.

Sirius said, "I think I have it all figured out from the dementors, to the Malfoys, from Duo's nightmares, and the attack tonight."

"Explain please, Black," Snape stated coldly as Sirius began to pace.

Sirius said, "Well, the charm was sort of a dream weaving device. It created dreams and nightmares based on the thoughts pushed into it. Its person was chosen during the Quidditch match, which we all know was Duo. But it just got a basic reading off of him to know that placing his friends in danger was Duo's greatest fear."

"Actually my greatest fear is Lady Une, but we won't get into that," Duo piped up.

Sirius ignored that and continued, "It still needed thoughts, pictures if you will. So, Sean, under Malfoy's control, read Duo's mind and kept pictures of his friends and family from his old life and fed it to the device without Sean not knowing it. It created the dreams, but that wasn't enough.

There needed to be a catalyst, something to really get Duo going. So, Sean, again under Malfoy's control, let the dementor in Duo's room. It helped place more real feelings into the dreams, as if Duo was watching them and they were really happening, to force him to try something like go back to that plane of existence.

We got rid of the dementor, as we all know, but still, none of Duo's powers were activating and there wasn't really away to get him away from Hogwarts. Enter Sean again. Forest had been giving both boys lessons out on the grounds, close enough to the Forbidden Forest that a goblin attack could be launched. After all, we all know that a troll can sneak into Hogwarts."

"And Malfoy, watching through Sean's eyes saw that last night was the perfect time to place this attack," Harry added excitedly.

Snape drawled, "And kill Potter, in essence killing two birds with one stone. Brilliant and Malfoy's not one known for his intelligence. Draco gets his intelligence from his mother, luckily."

Harry asked, "What about Sean? Can we break Malfoy's hold on him?" He looked at Sirius hopefully, waiting for an answer.

Sirius shook his head and answered, "No, not unless we put him in the Thrall of another vampire and Forest isn't willing to do that."

"Where's Sean now?" Duo asked, looking between Snape and Sirius.

Sirius looked at Harry and answered, "He ran off, not wanting to put you in any more danger."

Harry froze and was about to shout at his godfather when he realized it was fruitless. He opened himself up for attack because of me, Harry thought darkly as he looked at his uncle. Harry looked down at his hands, upset and angry. He had liked Sean. He considered him a friend and Sean had looked on him with a sort of reverence and Harry had failed him.

He had failed them all.

He clinched his fists tightly and Sirius said, "It isn't your fault, Harry."

"I should have known. I could have prevented this from happening. Blast!" he shouted as he slammed his fists down on Snape's desk, "I couldn't even protect Cho! I would have been dead if Ginny hadn't helped me when she did."

"Harry, you're not Superman," Duo said quietly as he reached out and touched his shoulder. Harry looked at the braided boy and pushed his glasses firmly upon his nose.

He snapped, "What do you know?"

"A lot. I have a friend that reminds me of you. He thought that everything was placed upon his shoulders and wouldn't let anybody help him. He almost died because of this. He still really never learned that he could ask for help, Harry. I still tried to do what I could to help him. I may not be the smartest or the most powerful, but I'll stand by you until the end if you need me to," Duo answered darkly.

Harry replied, "You're the one who needs protection."

"And you're the hero of this tale," Duo replied with a smirk, "But ever hero needs his sidekicks."

Harry scrunched up his nose and asked, "Ron and Hermione?"

"Exactly. You can't protect everybody and most people are pretty good at watching their own backs. You can't wait for the apocalypse to come and do nothing. Sometimes you just gotta stand up and fight," Duo replied as he tapped the table for emphasis.

Harry nodded grimly as he looked into Duo's knowing eyes. He said, "Sometimes you have to stand and fight."

Snape asked, "What in the world are you two getting at?"

"I'm afraid of the answer to that question," Sirius whispered to Snape.

Snape's eyes widened as he said, "You can't do anything about it now. It's too soon. You'll just get yourselves killed."

Harry faced both his godfather and the Potions Master. His green eyes were blazing in his spectacled face and he looked at them with an intensity that had been born with great decision and pressure. It was the look of a man who had been pushed to his limits and decided to fight back.

In that moment, Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, grew up.

Harry grinned and said, "You two can't protect us forever. Voldemort needs to be stopped. We can't just hide behind these walls forever."

Sirius looked at him wearily as Snape actually smiled a real smile. Snape whispered, "Well done, Potter."

******

The next two weeks went by in sort of a blur. They played Ravenclaw and Harry had captured the snitch in moments after the game started. The three had been studying to prepare for the O.W.L.S and every spare moment Harry had he was with Forest, Sirius, or, strangely enough, Snape learning all that he could.

He swore to himself that he wasn't going to be helpless ever again and was making sure he kept that promise. He didn't want to see another person hurt like Cedric. He wanted to know that he could do all he could have in case it came down to that.

One day he was leaving Sirius' room and heading down to where Forest was waiting for them. Duo and Ginny still went to her even though she had firmly stated that all lessons were to be indoors now. Ginny was trying to plead with her to take them to the Great Hall then so they could have some more room to spar. Amazingly enough, it was little Ginny that was the best in hand to hand combat.

Harry enjoyed watching her fight. He liked the way her golden brown eyes sparked in defiant challenge and how strands of her fiery hair fell into her face as she moved. He was unsure about his feelings for her though. He didn't want to fall for her out of guilt because of some silly crush, but he didn't want to lose her either.

"Hey Harry," Trunks said from beside him. Harry spun around to face the lavender haired boy and Trunks grinned good naturally.

Harry replied, "Hello Trunks."

"Err, heading toward Forest's?" Trunks asked awkwardly.

Harry nodded and asked, "Why are you asking?"

"She wanted me to come down there tonight," he answered as he sheepishly ran his fingers through his hair.

Harry thought Trunks had a crush on Setsuna, not Forest. Trunks went on, "She makes me nervous."

"Why?" he asked.

Trunks' eyes took a faraway look as he turned intense. He answered, "She reminds me of one of the androids who killed my father and made my life a living Hell. She looks like her a little bit, except she's much taller, Android 18 was shorter than Ginny, but they carry themselves the same way and act a like."

Harry nodded sympathetically and said, "Forest's a nice lady once you get to know her."

"Your friend Ron has a bad crush on her," Trunks chuckled.

Harry snorted, "Don't tell Hermione that. She'd go hunt Forest down and stake her herself."

"Hermione?" Trunks asked in disbelief.

Harry chuckled, "She even slapped Malfoy one time."

"I knew there was a reason why I liked her," Trunks replied wickedly, "I'm glad that Hotaru got away from him."

Harry said, "I was surprised that she went out with him anyway."

Trunks shrugged as he stepped into Forest's make shift training room. There were blue mats covering the floor and the walls. Forest was leaning on the farthest wall from the door, Ginny was waiting by the door and Duo was sitting on the floor. Harry met Ginny's eyes and gave her a brief smile. She grinned back and Forest pushed herself off the wall.

Trunks asked, "Why did you call me here?"

"I want your help in a lesson, Trunks. Ginny and Harry have been making a lot of progress in their martial arts skills and I want to give them a little test," Forest answered with a playful grin.

Duo asked, "What's that, Fore?"

"You have to land a blow on Trunks," Forest answered darkly.

Harry's mouth dropped open in shock, Duo jumped up to his feet and started to argue and Ginny, amazingly, cracked her knuckles. Harry asked, "How in the world are we suppose to do that?"

"Trunks, you can't attack them, but you have to defend. Guys, you have to land a good, solid blow to Trunks," Forest explained with that same grin.

Trunks took a stance with a grin. He stated confidently, "I've been wanting a good work out."

Harry swallowed and looked Trunks over. His stance was different from any of the ones that Forest had taught them. He had lowered his center of gravity and made it harder to move him, but it allowed more mobility on his part. It seemed to be some sort of strange combination between akido and one of the Chinese arts.

Harry looked over at Duo and Ginny and said, "We'd be better if we try to team up on him, make the odds in our favor."

Ginny nodded and Duo managed, "We're so going to get our asses kicked."

Trunks taunted, "Come on guys, I'm not getting any younger."

Harry said, "On the count of three. One, two . . . Three!"

He rushed at Trunks and tried to throw a punch. Trunks merely moved his face out of the way and held his palm up to Harry's chest. Harry screamed as he was gently blasted into one of the padded walls. He struggled to his feet, winching at the pain of the blow, as he watched Duo try to land a sweep kick to Trunks' knees.

Trunks kicked Duo in the stomach, sending him collapsing to the ground. Duo rolled over and clutched at his stomach. Harry rushed Trunks again, this time changing his momentum as if Trunks was a bludger and not a person. He treated Trunks as if his nose was the snitch but the rest of his body was a giant bludger.

He wove as he tried to hit Trunks' nose. Trunks bounded toward him but Harry managed to roll out of his way. Trunks grinned and said, "You're pretty fast."

"Thanks," Harry grunted as he narrowly missed Trunks' palm, "But I know you're not even trying."

Trunks shrugged and replied, "I don't want to hurt you all for training. None of you, no matter what spells you use, could really be a match for me. I'm a Sayan."

Then, amazingly, Trunks eyes widened in shock then pain. They watered for a moment as his knees shook. His hands dropped to his groin as a groan escaped his lips and he fell to the floor.

Ginny stood there with a huge grin on her face. Trunks managed in a high-pitched voice, "How did you do that?"

Ginny chuckled, "I have six older brothers, Trunks." Then she held out her wand and added, "And a Strength Charm helped."

"Oh, my guts are going to fall out of my mouth," Duo groaned as he got up to his feet.

Harry said, "Remind you never to make you mad, Gin."

"Yeah, don't piss off Red," Duo managed as he tried to shake off the kick.

Forest frowned worriedly at Duo and said, "I don't think that posion's all the way out of your system. You've been sluggish lately, Duo."

"Well, you know," Duo managed as he pushed his braid away from his face.

Trunks sighed, "Still, things have been pretty quiet lately. Too quiet."

"You're being paranoid, Trunks," Ginny chided as she brushed strands of her red hair out of her eyes in a totally endearing gesture to Harry.

Harry replied, "You're right."

"This is just the calm before the storm. Voldy's regrouping, trying to figure out how to break these walls and get me out," Duo sighed as he slank back down on the floor.

Harry pushed his glasses closer to his face and asked, "Any word from Setsuna?"

"No," Trunks answered, shaking his head, "I'm worried. Hotaru hasn't heard anything either and they're pretty close."

Duo sighed, "I wish I could just kill this fucker and get it over with. I'm tired of it."

"Imagine how I feel," Harry retorted wirily as he looked at his friend.

Ginny asked, "Why does he have to be this way? Why does He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have to be so evil?"

"Voldemort's pretty tame to some of the evil I've faced," Forest answered darkly as she looked as if she was seeing something truly horrifying.

Harry asked, "Like what?"

"Like Cell and the Androids. They killed simply because they were the most powerful and it amused them. The Androids were little more than spoiled children, terrorizing others for their amusement," Trunks answered darkly as he brooded in the corner.

Forest explained, "Voldemort has a goal and rules he has to follow. He's almost honorable about it. There was this vampire a long time ago that was a wizard before they were turned. He glorified in pain and suffering, like Trunks' Cell and androids, but then some. He played mind games with his victims before killing them. He even turned one poor witch insane before he turned her into a vampire. He'd target a person and kill all those around them just because he liked to watch them suffer."

Ginny asked, "What happened?"

"The vampire came after me. I was a vampire at the time, older than he was, but he was a wizard and I was a Muggle for all intents and purposes. He wanted to break me and wanted me to be his. He was obsessed with me and I killed him," Forest answered as if she was seeing this monster again.

Harry looked at Trunks and asked, "What happened to Cell and the Androids?"

"Cell killed me just because I proved a threat to him and that it would upset my father. He was killed and I was brought back to life. I went back to my time and was now powerful enough to kill the Androids and my time's Cell. I did. There was no prelude or anything. I just killed them as quickly as I could," Trunks answered in a distant voice.

Duo stated, "Yeah, that's bad, but it's not as bad as brother against brother or city against city. I've fought in a war, practically waged it by myself. No one was right and no one was wrong. People died without reason. At least all those others killed with a reason, even if it was their own enjoyment. Innocents killing innocents. I'd rather die a thousand times than go through that again."

Forest nodded in agreement and said, "Wars are horrible things. At least you can kill someone that's evil. You can't destroy a country. Well, you can but it's not good."

Harry looked at all three of them. They were jaded in someway, as was he, except they had felt it more intensely. He felt as if everything had been put into perspective, like it could be worse and he should enjoy what he had now.

Harry said, "I was told that everything happens on its own, that you really can't rush things. But I think that we should be ready when it does."

"Amen," Duo cheered as he lifted his hand up.

Trunks nodded and said, "That's good advice. My father would have liked it."

Forest walked over to him and hugged him gently. Harry blushed as she kissed him gently on the cheek. He looked up at her shyly as she affectionately ruffled his hair. She said, "You're a smart guy, Harry. Don't let anyone tell you differently."

He looked over at Ginny who was grinning at him. Harry smiled back at her. What's going to happen is going to happen, you can't really stop it, but you can be prepared for it, he thought as he looked into Ginny's amber brown eyes and smiled. And you make your own choices and mistakes along the way.

******

Trunks was about to take off flying when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He spun around, ready to fire off a Gallic Gun, and relaxed when he saw Setsuna standing there. He smiled as he rushed over to her and swept her up in his arms.

She laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her sherry colored eyes sparkling. Trunks sat her down and gave her a quick kiss. He wanted to do more, but he was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop himself. The fire that ran through his blood every time she was around threatened to consume him. He had been able to place it at the back of his mind when she had been gone, but when he was alone he couldn't get her out of his mind.

He fingered strands of her long, dark green hair and marveled at the silky feel of it. He gave her a shy smile and said, "I'm glad you're back."

"I could tell," she replied with a chuckle as she smoothed his hair from his face playfully.

He laughed and wrapped an arm around her. She wrapped an arm around his waist as they walked along the grounds together. It had been warming up for the past couple of weeks and the snow had melted off of the grounds. The ground was soggy under Trunks' boots, but his mother wasn't the head of Capsule Corp. for nothing, so his feet were perfectly dry.

Setsuna, on the other hand, would have stumbled and fallen twice if it hadn't been for the fact that they were holding each other. She cursed, "Damn British soil, Japan's nothing like this." She stumbled again, catching on her high heels and she did fall.

Except that Trunks' lighting fast reflexes caught her. He gently picked her up and looked down at her pink heels. He tenderly reached out and took them off of her feet. "These shoes are very impractical, you know," he chided with a grin.

Setsuna cried, "But those are my shoes, how am I supposed to walk back to the castle barefoot?"

"I'll carry you," he answered simply with a smile. He liked holding her, feeling her curves against him as her long legs were balanced over his arms. He ticked the bottom of her left foot and gently ran his hand over her calf. She gasped as he gently rubbed her leg, surprised at the knots under the surprisingly firm muscle.

"Trunks," she gasped with a sigh.

He looked into her heavy-lidded sherry eyes and replied, "Yes, Setsuna?" He was grinning wickedly now. He knew that she liked what he was doing and she didn't want to admit it.

She managed, "You shouldn't do that."

He grinned and retorted, "What about if I did this instead?" He leaned over her and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him back. It quickly became intense and he craved more. She was the only thing that mattered and he had to have her. He needed her more than anything. She was intoxicating, wondrous, and delightfully warm and sweet.

She pulled away, gasping, "Trunks, someone might see us."

He sighed and jetted back to the castle. He dropped her back in her room and flew back to the Gryffindor room. He sighed as he flopped down on his bed and looked up at Ron's Quidditch poster with the players flying around haphazardly.

******

Draco crumbled the parchment paper in his hand. His Eagle Owl watched him with thoughtful crimson eyes as Draco paced the confines of his prefect's room. How could he? How could he do this? Why would he do this?

It was going to happen soon and his father was giving him a part to play. A part, if he played it, that could be an end to Hotaru's existence. Maybe even to his family's existence. Voldemort would get a hold of the Scythe Barer and wield his powers.

Draco stared out of his window and brooded for a moment. There was a knock on his door and he barked, "What is it?"

Crabbe and Goyle entered, both with evil grins on their ugly faces. They had parchments from their fathers in their hands as well. Draco reasoned part of the reason why the Dark Lord failed was having idiots like these two as his acolytes. Still, they were students in the school and they could help manipulate Harry Potter and his friends as well as Duo Maxwell.

"We're going to do it, Draco," Goyle practically beamed, "We're going to get that Mudblood and the Muggle Lover!"

"Well, of course we are," Draco snapped, trying very much to sound like his old self. He found that he couldn't do it that he didn't want to do it. What was the point of all of this anyway? He didn't want to follow the delusions of a power mad wizard or his father. Even if he couldn't have Hotaru, maybe he could help keep her safe and happy. And the means to that end would be to protecting the American.

******

"Die, die!" Duo shouted as he threw his Transfiguration book on the table and pointed his wand at it. Hermione cried out at him, Ron and Ginny were laughing, and Harry gave him a bewildered look. Duo didn't care. He had enough of this crap. His wand started sprouting black sparks at the book and he chuckled evilly, hoping for the book to catch on fire or something.

Then he felt two slender arms wrap around his waist and smelled a faint hint of lavender in his nostrils. He blinked as he looked into Hotaru's pale face. Her foxglove eyes twinkled as she whispered, "Duo, don't destroy the book. You need it."

"I can't figure it out," he sighed as he looked at the book, "I like Arithromancy better."

Hermione looked up and said, "But you don't even have the class."

"I was looking at Hotaru's book and started working on some of the problems," he answered sheepishly as Hotaru sat beside him and looked at the book. Hotaru passed Hermione the parchment he had been working on a few weeks ago.

Hermione looked at it and gasped, "You figured out how to transform the X axis to the equivalent of pie?"

"Yeah, it wasn't that hard. It's sort of like a magical version of trig, calculus, and algebra. The thing that really stumped me was getting the diameter of the Line Split. Hell, I'm still working on that," Duo confided as she walked over beside him.

She asked, "Why don't you see if you can get your schedule changed next year?"

"Oh, I am, count on it, Herm. This stuff's pretty cool. Besides, I'm fairly decent in math. You have to be if you want to design things," Duo answered as he pointed at the said Bitch Problem.

Fred and George bursted in the Commons, looking upset and breathless. George ran over to Hermione and stated, "Hermione, you have to go down to the kitchens."

"What is it? It had better not be some stupid prank," she warned without looking up at them.

Fred answered, "Malfoy's down there and abusing the House Elves."

Hermione growled as she stood up. She dusted off her hands and said, "I'll hex that boy myself."

"I'm going with you," Ron stated as he jumped up and walked beside her.

Harry moved to go as well, but Hermione smiled at him. She said, "You need to work on your notes. The four of us can easily handle Malfoy."

Duo frowned as he watched Fred and George. Something didn't seem right about them. For a moment he swore he saw something flicker and that Crabbe and Goyle were standing there, and not the terrible twins.

******

In one of the closets in the Astronomy Tower Fred and George Weasley were drugged asleep, both of them sporting a large chunk of their red hair missing.

******

Hotaru, I found something most interesting here, Setsuna's voice rang through Hotaru's head. She sat up, startled. Duo was brooding about something. What, she had no idea, but she had seen the look in his eyes before.

Then she realized that he wasn't brooding, but putting two and two together and getting four. He had found something and was trying to put logic behind it. Probably something dangerous she reasoned at the intense look in his bright violet eyes.

She stood up and gently squeezed his shoulder. He looked up at her and asked, "Something wrong?"

"Setsuna's calling for me, don't worry about it. I think she just wants to talk," she answered as he took her hand and gently squeezed it.

He grinned, but it didn't reach his eyes. He said, "See ya later, Firefly."

She smiled at him and walked to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Setsuna and Trunks were there, looking at a strange silver coin lying on Setsuna's desk. Hotaru looked at the ancient coin and asked, "Is it a sickle?"

"I don't like it," Trunks stated as he frowned at it, "It just appeared here."

Setsuna nodded and said, "Yes, Trunks is right. I was wondering if you could see anything that you can tell us."

Hotaru shrugged, reached out and grabbed the coin. She gasped as she felt something jerk in her midsection as she was pulled forward. She saw a flash of dark green as Setsuna reached out and grabbed the coin as well. She was soon being spiraled in a wirl of wild colors and howls of wind and yet her hand was still stuck on the coin.

She landed sharply with Setsuna standing beside her. She stood up and brushed grass off of her jeans. They were standing in the middle of the Scottish Moores, at least a hundred miles away from Hogwarts. She grabbed her transformation wand and said, "Setsuna, I don't like this."

"The damn thing was a Portkey," Setsuna snapped, "Dammit! We've been set up."

"Exactly," a cockney accented voice replied from the shadows as they were suddenly surrounded by vampires and four wizards.

Hotaru screamed, "Saturn Star Power!"

"Pluto Star Power!" Setsuna cried beside her as they began to transform.

As the Silence Glave formed in her hand and the Saturn persona took over Hotaru's mind, Saturn thought, If the wizard wants to play it that way, fine, let's play.

******

Snape frowned as he looked at his ingredient stables. He was missing boomslang skin and bicorn horn, two of the key ingredients for the Polyjuice potion. He had a sneaking suspicion that Potter had stolen some of the same idems during his second year, but the new maturity that Snape sensed in the boy was leading him to belive that it wasn't him.

Now, Duo, however, confessed that he was a skilled theif before and stole Snape's watch off of his person to prove this. Still, Duo had the skills to brew the Polyjuice without a doubt, but why would Duo need to look exactly like someone else for an hour, unless he wanted to sneak into the girl's dorm room or something. But Duo could just borrow Potter's Invisiblity Cloak to accomplish that feat.

"You're impossible, Sirius," Forest's voice was loud and arguitive.

Sirius replied, "Well, I don't want you teaching Harry how to use a gun."

"We haven't even started on swordsmanship yet and you're worried about a gun. Not everything boils down to a wand you know," she retorted.

Snape poked his head out of his closet to see the two of them walking together. Sirius leaned over and taunted, "Maybe you just haven't had the right wand used properly before. I'll be happy to rectify that."

"Get real, Doggie," Forest sniped as she tossed her long hair.

Snape darted out in front of them and stated, "I have two of the main ingredients of the Polyjuice Potion missing."

They both froze as they looked at each other. Forest asked, "Do you know who took it?"

"Did you cast a Locating Spell on the thief yet?" Sirius asked as they walked into the closet.

Snape shook his head and answered, "No on both accounts. I just realized it was gone."

"Bloody hell," Forest sighed as she sniffed delicately around the shelves.

Sirius asked, "What is it?"

"They're two of the Slytherins. I've smelled them before, in Malfoy's room when Trunks was about to strangle the brat," Forest answered as she stepped away from the shelves.

Snape was about to chide her for calling Draco a brat but froze. It had to be Crabbe and Goyle. It had to be. And those two didn't have a brain to share between the two of them, so Draco had to be behind it. He sighed and thought, Someone else I failed.

"Professor Snape," Draco Malfoy's voice echoed behind them.

Forest had already been looking at the blond teen and Sirius spun along with Snape. Forest's voice echoed in Snape's mind, I can't read his thoughts. It's like reading a necromancer. There's a kindred power there, Severus. I can sense it.

Draco's eyes widened as he looked at Forest. He pointed and shouted, "She's a vampire!"

Sirius grabbed him and placed a hand on Draco's mouth. Draco's grey eyes looked at Forest with a combination of fear and awe. Sirius stated, "If you don't scream when I remove my hand I'll let you talk." Draco nodded his head and Sirius let him go.

Draco whispered, "Good Lord, you're a vampire." He reached out almost reverenty and touched Forest's long hair. She blinked as she backed away. He breathed, "She's lovely."

Sirius cleared his throat menacingly. Draco, to his credit, whirled on the older wizard and stated, "You do not frighten me, Black. I know it was Peter Pettigrew that killed all of those people and that you're Harry Potter's godfather. I knew that for a very long time, and also you were never a Death Eater."

"Well, then let me say something then," Trunks Briefs sneered as he appeared almost mysteriously behind Draco.

Snape knew that it was just Trunks' super powers that allowed him to move like that, but he already had his wand drawn when Trunks reached out and grabbed Draco by the throat. He lifted him up and growled, "Where was Setsuna taken to?"

Forest asked, "Trunks, what happened?"

"Setsuna, Hotaru, Portkey, her classroom, a silver coin, ring any bells, human?" Trunks growled as he lifted Draco up so that they were on eye level.

Draco's grey eyes widened as he gasped, "They've already begun!" He grabbed Trunks' wrists imploringly and pleaded, "You have to hide Maxwell, put him to sleep or something. The Dark Lord has set up a trap!"

Trunks dropped Draco and Snape moved over to his pupil. He asked, "What do you mean, Malfoy?"

Draco smoothed his white-blond hair from his face and answered, "Sir, it's the Dark Lord. My father sent me an owl today with what he wanted me to do as did he with Crabbe and Goyle. They drugged the Weasley twins with Sleeping Drought and used Polyjuice potions to turn into them to lure Granger and Ron Weasley away from the castle, so that the Dark Lord could use them to bait Potter and Maxwell. I don't know about the Portkey, Briefs, so if you would refrain from throttling me, I would greatly appreciate it."

Trunks growled and shot up through the roof, leaving a crater in the ceiling up to the very roof.

Forest said, "I could go after him."

"He can look after himself. The chances that he would find the Scouts and put himself in danger are in his favor. Trunks knew of the danger, and we have more pressing matters to deal with as of now," Snape replied as he turned to Sirius.

Sirius explained, "For Voldemort's plan to work he probably either set a trap using the Portkey to detain Setsuna and Hotaru, knowing that Trunks would go after his lady love."

"Lady love?" Snape asked in disbelief.

Sirius chuckled and replied, "Time holds no bounds for Setsuna. Besides, I saw them kissing the other night when she returned."

"Damn, the Keeper of Time's a cradle robber, who would have thunk?" Forest quipped weakly as she turned back to Snape. She asked, "Still, what would be able to hold that flying wrecking ball back?"

Sirius' eyes darkened as his expression became haunted. Snape suspected the answer as Sirius answered, "Dementors. Even the flying wrecking ball, as you called him, has fears that they can feed upon and play against."

"Yeah, more so than others. The kid's survived an apocalypse," Forest agreed.

Draco asked, "What can I do?"

"Go inform Dumbledore on what has taken place. If you can avoid it, do not talk to Potter or Duo at all costs," Snape answered.

Draco asked, "What do you three plan to do?"

Forest pulled out her gun and loaded the revolver chamber. She cocked the hammer back and answered, "Save the day and hopefully kill the bad guy, of course."

Draco blushed as he looked at her. He managed, "Good luck!" Then he ran off in a blur of black robes and white hair.

Snape watched with hope and Sirius said, "Maybe there's a chance for the boy after all."

"I had hoped for that on the day of Draco's birth," Snape replied softly as he turned back to the vampire and wizard.

He said, "This isn't going to be easy. I should be able to approach the Dark Lord, but you two would have some problem."

"This is me we're talking about," Forest said with no little amusement.

Sirius shrugged and replied, "It's not a problem. Remember, I can turn into a dog that looks like a Grim. Maybe shake the Death Eaters up a bit."

"Well, let us hope that the real God of Death doesn't make an appearance," Snape replied as they set out.

******

The sound of thunder woke him up. Trunks heard it rumble through the sky as he opened his eyes. He saw the lighting crash like a violent tantrum, lighting up the ruins below.

He stood up and looked around. He cried, "Gohan?" He hovered for an uncertain moment before flying down into the ruins. He looked around and shouted again, "Gohan?"

He searched for his teacher's life force and frowned. There was nothing. "Gohan!"

Then, lying in a pool of water, was Gohan. Trunks cried out as he rushed over to his friend and carefully rolled him over. Gohan's ebon eyes stared blankly up at him, lifeless.

"Gohan?" Trunks managed as he tried to check for a pulse.

There was none.

"Gohan . . ." he whispered as he held Gohan close to him. He gently laid Gohan's prone form on the ground. Lighting crashed again as thunder rolled in, just like the storm brewing inside the young boy.

He clinched his fist and felt his fingernails draw blood. The pain was irrelevant. It was nothing compared to the storm brewing in side of him. He ignored the blood running down his hands as he screamed in pain and rage.

It wasn't right, it wasn't fair . . . Gohan . . .

Trunks blinked at the raven cloaked figure standing before him. He realized he had landed during the black out. He hissed, "Get out of my way."

He clinched his fist and felt his fingernails draw blood. The pain was irrelevant. It was nothing compared to the storm brewing in side of him. He ignored the blood running down his hands as he screamed in pain and rage.

Trunks blinked as he looked down at his hands. They were clean and uninjured. Then he looked back up at the thing.

He felt cold, endlessly cold and was starting to feel helpless dread.

He cried, "What are you?"

The feelings intensified as he was surrounded by at least twenty of the things. His body started to shake in fear as he looked around. He shouted, "What the hell are you?"

Cell appeared, perfect and whole in his truest form. The yellowed smoke swirled around him as his pink eyes sparkled. Trunks gasped in shock and thought that it was impossible.

Cell was back and he was laughing.

It was the most horrible sound that Trunks could remember.

Then he pointed his finger in the Gallic Gun position and aimed.

******

Duo frowned to himself as he saw Fred and George, shifting in his mind's eye to reveal Crabbe and Goyle every so often, carry Hermione and Ron away. I knew it, just knew it, fuck, he thought as he shifted the shadows around him and willed himself back into the Gryffindor tower. He sensed Trunks fly away from the castle. He could almost feel the anger like a living force all it's own.

Hotaru and Setsuna were gone too. A quick check of the DADA classroom told him that. He fingered one of Hotaru's silver earings and clinched it in his fist. That was the only trace of them, that and their magic wands. He was going to have to act quickly.

A quick smile spread across his features as he found Harry.

Harry couldn't be a part of this. Harry had to survive this if Duo didn't. Besides, Harry wasn't ready to deal with this yet, even if he was the hero.

Sometimes, the hero has to sit back and watch and let the God of Death step in, Duo thought as he approached the raven haired boy. Harry's bright green eyes looked up at him and he grinned. He gestured at the chess pieces and said, "Want a match?"

Duo grinned and said, "Hey Harry, can we take a quick walk?"

"Why?" Harry asked as Ginny walked out of the girl's dorm, running her fingers through her fiery hair. Duo noticed the way his eyes lingered on her and grinned. He thought, About damn time. Sorry, Red, I'm about to hurt your soon-to-be-boyfriend.

Duo smirked and leaned over the chess pieces. He whispered, "I've spent a lot of time with Red. I know stuff . . ."

"What kind of stuff?" Harry asked eagerly looking up at Duo.

Duo made a calming notion with his hand and said, "Easy, don't appear too eager. Just come on."

They walked out of the room and Harry asked, "Well, what?"

"I'm sorry," Duo said as he reached out and punched Harry. Before Harry could react, Duo drew out his wand and said, "I don't want you to get hurt, Harry so Stupify."

Harry collapsed and Duo caught him. Harry was surprisingly heavy for a guy so skinny. Duo lifted him up and molded the shadows to the Slytherin dungeons. He opened up a closet and gently stood Harry against the wall. He knew that someone would find him soon enough and wake him up. Besides, he made sure that Harry still had his wand if it came down to that.

He shut the closet again and spun around to face a pair of silver eyes.

Malfoy said, "I'm not letting you go."

"I'm going," Duo replied as he began to walk past the blond.

Malfoy proudly lifted his chin and said, "It's a trap."

"I figured as much," Duo began as he walked into Forest's room. He picked up a .44 Super Mag and holster. He put it on and Malfoy watched.

Malfoy said, "I'm not letting you go. I don't want to see Hotaru hurt."

"I don't either, that's why I'm going to save her," Duo replied as he grabbed a hunting knife and slid it into his boots. He smirked when he looked under the bed and saw a belt full of grenades. He slid those across his shoulders and faced Malfoy.

Malfoy stated, "The Dark Lord's set up a trap. He figured that you and Potter would go look for Granger and Weasley. He has already gotten Briefs out of the way and Professor Snape, Black, and the vampire are already on their way to find him."

"Thank you," Duo replied, pausing because he didn't know his first name. He asked, "What's your first name anyway?"

Malfoy gave a small, arrogant smile and answered, "Draco."

Duo grinned and replied, "Awesome name. Thank you, Draco and I'm sorry."

"What?" Malfoy asked as Duo punched him hard enough to send him crumpling to the ground.

Duo looked at his unconscious body and replied, "For that."

******

"You really thought that you had fulled me, didn't you, Severus?" Lord Voldemort sneered where he had bound Snape to a tree.

Snape's body was a wash in cold sweat, but he said nothing. Voldemort threw back his head and he laughed. His blood red eyes sparkled in the darkness as he looked Snape over. "You are the bait, Serveus."

Snape looked at where Ron and Hermione were fast asleep and lying side by side. Crabbe and Goyle had long since transformed into their true forms and they leered at the Muggle born witch and her boyfriend. Snape felt releaved as he saw a flash of gold flicker in the tree line.

Snape counted the Death Eaters and was surprised to see that Peter Pettigrew was missing. He asked, "Where's Wormtail?"

"Sirius, Padfoot, please! I'm sorry, just don't . . ." Wormtail's voice screeched as Sirius Black entered the clearing, holding Wormtail in a choke hold.

Sirius sneered, "Let him go or I'll start killing Death Eaters."

The Death Eaters raised their wands as Voldemort laughed. He said, "You really think their lives matter to me, Mr. Black? They don't. I can always find more followers."

"And there will always be people willing to fight back," Sirius replied heroically and Snape rolled his eyes.

Snape sneered, "Damn you, fool! Now he has both of us!"

"I doubt that," Sirius replied easily as he tightened his grip on Wormtail.

Voldemort pointed his wand and stated, "Crucio."

Both Wormtail and Sirius screamed in pain. Wormtail curled up in a fetal position as Sirius managed to stand on his feet, but dropping Wormtail. Voldemort smiled and replied, "Crucio."

Sirius did fall on his knees. As he writhed in pain, the Death Eaters tied him beside Snape. Snape rolled his eyes and sneered, "It baffles the mind how you and Potter got away with everything you did with this show of sheer stupidity."

"I thought I was being brave," Sirius replied after he stoped gasping for air.

Voldemort said, "And one more thing. Acco Forest."

Forest went flying through the trees to land at Voldemort's feet. She aimed her gun at him but he disarmed her and threw it away. He stated, "Static Nocturns." Forest froze on her feet. She made no move as Voldemort smoothed her hair from his face.

He said, "You three were foolish to try to stop me. Your deaths will be meaningless. Still, she is beautiful, is she not?"

He gently ran his finger down her smooth cheek.

Sirius bellowed, "You get your bloody hands off of her you wanker!"

"Crucio," Voldemort said easily as he pointed his wand at Sirius.

Snape asked, "What do you plan to do?"

"Easily, take over the Scythe Barer's body and use him for my own. I will have the powers of Death," Voldemort answered smoothly, "And he won't resist me because I have you five in my clutches."

"Wanna a second opinion mother fucker?" a familiar voice shouted as an explosion engulfed two of the Death Eaters.

Duo Maxwell calmly stood in the clearing with a devilish grin on his gamine face, his violet eyes glowed with an unholy light. The Scythe Barer? Is he awakened? Snape thought wildly as Duo faced Voldemort down. Voldemort smiled at him and said, "You've arrived."

Duo chuckled darkly and growled, "No, the God of Death has returned from Hell, you stupid fuck." Then he threw something at him from the shoulder strap Duo was wearing.

To Be Continued!

I'd like to thank Luinthorion, who's followed this story from three different websites to keep up with it. Next, to all the others who have reviewed, even though I didn't do what you asked, and yet you still come back anyway.

Well, the Trunks VS Harry, Ginny, and Duo was a fan service. Consider yourselves Served.

Now, as to Duo doing what he did in this chapter with Harry and Draco. Remember, despite Duo's happy-go-lucky personality, he was trained to be a professional killer/terrorist. He fights dirty and disruptively. If he goes down he wants to be damned sure that he takes everyone out with him.

But, he'd do almost anything to protect his friends, which is something he had probably learned from Heero along the way.

Still, don't count Harry out yet. Remember, Ginny's still running around and knows about some of this crap and that Fred and George will eventually wake up. And then there's Draco, who was only knocked out and not Stunned.

Now, on a more serious note, the NC-17 ban from fanfiction.net. You all have heard about it and have been effected by it. I know that most of you aren't planning to post on ffnet ever again and I'm saying that you're being a little too hasty. That isn't going to help anyone in the long run and will cause the site to shut down. Which would be most unfortunate because most sites do not want "original" stories, they want fanfiction.

What I suggest doing is e-mailing the site leaders and politely argue your point. That is what I have done, as well as signed an on-line petition. You get more done with passive resistance, trust me.

And besides, most novelist write NC-17 books such as Steven King, Laurell K. Hamilton, Anne Rice, Neil Gaiman, and so on. Their work is not smut and neither is a lot of fanfics who deal with adult subjects. Use this as part of your argument, thank you.

Jennifer L. Bratcher

The Elf with the Fang Sharp Wit.

As Always, to Nate Grey.

Go read "The Angel of Death Chronicles" and "Alex Night: Vampire Hunter Extrodinare", especially if you're a fan of Forest. Go, read! Now! And don't forget to review!

And, as an added bonus, a Forest story that I wrote over a year ago!

Dead End Walt

By: Jennifer Bratcher

Mark Jacobs listened to the piano playing in the background. He managed not to flinch when the old man

playing skipped a key or accidently hit all the keys with his arm. He leaned over and spit in the cuspidor beside him. The oil lamps were dimmed by the blue cigar smoke floating around the room.

He looked over as he wiped a glass at the large, round table. Six cowboys and one small, pale and slender man dressed in a flashy red jacket held cards in their hands. Four of the cowboys were scowling, the other two were smiling, and the man in the red jacket was impassive. He watched as the gambler laid down a royal flush on the table. The six cowboys let out a string of curses as they threw down their hands and as the gambler pulled the pot to himself.

Mark's one good eye shifted over to another table where a lone gunman drank a whisky, a jaded whore dressed in stark scarlet on his lap. He watched as the whore ran her fingers through his thick hair as he looked at the whisky. Almost as if he knew Mark was watching, he looked up at the bartender with sharp, green eyes in his tanned, rugged face. Mark swallowed and looked away.

Dead End Walt was a miner's town located in the Serria Nevada range. It sprung up over night and the silver miners still managed to find themselves here. You'd get an occasional man who could find a silver nugget the size of their fist, but most of them just spent the silver dust they found on the liquor that Mark served here. Occasionally, he'd also get the occasional bounty hunter or gunslinger, like the man sitting and sipping his whisky.

"So, how's everything going tonight, Mark?" a husky voice purred beside him.

Mark smiled and turned around to see the madam of the brothel that was located above his saloon. He would attract people because Madam Lorane's girls and get money for the drinks they would buy. Besides, Lorane was one swell woman.

She was in her forties, her long, blond hair still as blond as ever. Her features were handsome and not as careworn as some of the other girls and she had a pair of brown eyes that could send the most jaded miner packing. She leaned over, flapping her jet-incrusted fan against her robust features.

He smiled and would have tipped his hat if he'd been wearing it. He answered, "Just dandy, Miz Lorane."

"I wonder who that is," Lorane commented. She whipped her closed fan to the door and Mark looked over. The bar felt silent as if some force held it in place as the doors swung open.

In strode in a tall, slender figure dressed in a black duster. When the duster moved, Mark could clearly see that the person wearing it was female. Her slender body was incased in a pair of black slacks and a black shirt. She had a Colt Peacemaker on her hip, set for a quick draw. She reached up with an almost delicate hand and took off her black hat.

There was a chorus of sighs as the long, golden hair spilled down her back. She ran her fingers through her hair and looked around. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman that Mark had ever seen.

She was tall that was a problem, but she was wonderful. She had the most sinfully long pair of legs that he'd ever seen, encased in those black slacks of hers. Her golden hair hung lankly down her face as she looked at them with her sculpted features. She walked over to the bar as if she was in total control over everything.

Except that Dead Eye Doc had something to say about it.

Dead Eye Doc was missing his left eye and wore a patch over it. A nasty scar cut from his left eyebrow to the right corner of his mouth. Doc told everyone that he'd gotten the scar from an Apache about fifteen years ago. He looked the blond woman over and grabbed her wrist.

His tongue ran over his grimy lips as he looked at her. She gave him an annoyed glance and started to walk away again. He yanked her to him, sending her toppling onto his lap. He smiled and rasped, "Why don't you stay with me for a while, pretty lady?"

She raised a delicate eyebrow and replied, "No thanks, old timer."

"Are you saying you don't want me?" he hissed at her, rasing his hand.

She made no move to get off of him. She simply smiled and answered, "If you want me to be blunt, then yes." Mark swallowed. Her accent was something that he never heard before. This whole woman was a mystery. A beautiful, wonderful mystery.

He raised his hand to hit her and she caught it before he could bring the blow down. She held his wrist as he struggled to get away from her. He couldn't. She simply stood up, pushing down on his wrist.

He shouted in pain and cursed as he fumbled for his own gun. She was faster and pulled it out of his holster. She pointed it easily at his groin. For good measure, she poked him with it and his eyes widened even more as he tried to jump back, putting more pressure on his wrists. He cried out as she smiled at him.

Then, as if she was throwing out the trash, she let him go. He fell to the floor in a cursing, stumbling mess. She shrugged as she checked the gun's bullets. She quickly withdrew them from the chamber and tossed the unloaded gun on the floor. Within moments, the bullets were on the bar.

"You have a good way of handling things, sugar," Lorane drawled in her thick, southern accent.

The stranger said nothing as she looked at Mark. Mark froze under the pressure of her dark blue eyes. She said, "Make sure that these get a good home, okay." Mark waited for her to perch herself on the barstool. She didn't.

She ran her fingers through her hair, sending dust flying. She smiled at him, white teeth flashing in her pale, yet grimy face. She asked, "Any place to get a bath around here after dark?"

******

Forest was lying perfectly under the hot, soapy water. All the grime had been cleansed off of her porcelain skin and she felt better, but not up to par yet. For her to feed, she needed to be clean.

Her eyes made out the movement of the Chinese women who ran the local bath for miners. Their sloe eyes had almost bulged out of their heads when this tall, pale blond woman spoke their language and knew their customs. They almost swooned when Forest flashed them a twenty-dollar gold piece their way for the bath.

Under the water, she could hear them talk about her, this stranger. She shifted in the copper tub but did not emerge. After all, she didn't breathe and hadn't breathed for almost a thousand years. Yet, Forest did not have the feeling of being ancient that plagued her kind when they got to be her age.

She raised her head out of the water and forced her lungs to take a deep breath of air. The women smiled at her, relaxed and went on about gathering towels, washing her clothing, and bringing her fresh clothing. She laid back into the copper tub and propped her legs on the side. She sighed in contentment as the water lapped over her.

She'd been riding at breakneck speed since dark so she could get here before nine. It was hard to travel when you're a vampire, she reasoned as she inspected her milky pale skin. She watched as the women scurried away, thanking her and the like. She waited for a moment and stepped out of the water when they were gone.

She wrapped her hair in a big towel and wrapped a blanket around her body as she looked around. The copper tub was still steaming and warm. The room had another tub just like it as well as a couple of towel racks and a stove for heating water.

She toweled her hair off as best as she could. She felt the familiar pang in her body, the familiar pain that signaled that she needed blood. She brushed her hair and braided it loosely. She licked her lips as she heard the women outside, talking about their strange visitor.

She dressed in a pair of jeans, a man's black dress shirt, her gun belt and holster, and her boots. She dusted off her spurs and nodded. She couldn't use a refection to see herself, but she knew she looked presentable. After all, she was Forest. As dangerous as she was beautiful.

She thanked the women, ignoring their throbbing pulses in their necks, and walked back into the cool night. Her body was starting to ache now. It was starting to hurt to move. She licked her lips in anticipation. Who was worthy?

She saw the man whose gun she'd shoved into their groin earlier. She smiled to herself and made her way over to him. He looked at her and blinked. He pulled his gun out at her and she only smiled at him.

She reached out with to him, not with her hand, but with her mind. Just give up and follow me. I promise you something that you'll always dream about. Something that would excite you into eternity, she told him, almost laughing at the dramatic words. His one good eye went blank as he looked at her. She held out her hand and he took it.

Within moments, she guided him the dark alley beside the saloon and the abandoned sherif's office. He was smiling dumbly as he looked at her. He groaned, "You're awful pretty."

Forest licked her lips and felt her canines lengthen and throb in her mouth. She opened up her mouth and felt the sharp points indent her lip. Her whole body ached in anticipation. She looked at the miner's throat and cursed. He was filthy.

Still, she had used mind control and everything. She bit his throat. She felt her fangs puncture his skin and the blood rush out. She withdrew her fangs and began to suck. Her body tingled with awareness as she held him and drank.

His blood was tainted and she had to be careful or she'd become drunk with the alcohol that ran through his blood stream. She withdrew her mouth and sealed the wound with her tongue. She licked the blood off of her lips and fangs, careful to make shure that she rid herself of it all.

She looked at the dazed man and decided to leave him like that. She straitened up her collar and walked into the bar. She knew the looks she got when she walked in the first time, except this time she smelled fear within the crowd as well as the usual lust.

She looked around to see a tall, dark, and handsome gunslinger ignore the woman dangling off of his arm. She looked at the cheaply trussed up whore and frowned. She walked up to the gunslinger and said, "You asked for me?"

He looked up at her and smiled. His green eyes glowed in his angular face as he gestured for her to sit down. The whore grunted and spun away with a twirl of starched skirts. He licked his lips and said, "Hello, assassin."

Forest sat down and replied, "This better be good, David."

The sprite smiled, his impish nature shining through. She was afraid of him and her hand kept playing to the iron knife hidden in the lining of her pants. David was the only Fey that she'd ever dealt within all of her existence. She knew that he could kill her with just a simple movement, but yet he found her amusing and sent her to kill things that she normally wouldn't get paid to do so. So, she couldn't fault him for that.

Still, he was a Fey. A Sprite no less, a shape shifter. So, Forest had to keep her wits about her.

He took a drink of whisky and asked, "Would you like something?"

"No. It doesn't matter, I can't get drunk anyway," Forest replied with a wave of her hand. She looked at him dead on and asked again, "I don't like repeating myself, David, not even to a Fey. What do you want?"

He smiled and it was beautiful. His dark hair spilled over his dark features just so and his alert green eyes seemed to bare into everything. Forest knew how to protect herself from Fey glamor though. He was attractive, yes, but he also could rip her heart out with his bare hands without blinking.

She was about to ask him again when there was an unnerving chorus of howls that echoed through the stillness. She could fear the fear of the people around her, so thick that it was almost touchable. She swallowed and looked around again. The howls kept up, coming closer.

"Werewolves," she said with realization as she leaned back into the seat. She kicked her legs on the table. She heard the howling stop and the doors swung open as nine, burly men walked into the bar.

She felt the rush of power and the smell of fear that mingled suddenly with the smell of smoke, cheep liquor, and sex that was all ready thick in the bar. She noticed as some of the whores drew back to the bar as the nine strangers walked in.

Forest frowned and looked at the pack of werewolves as they strode into the bar. One of them reached out and grabbed one of the girls. She promptly screamed and flailed at him as he tried to give her a kiss. She watched as David froze as the werewolf over powered the girl and locked his lips with hers. She turned back to the werewolf and stood up.

She didn't pull out her gun. She simply cleared her throat. All nine werewolves, probably family members when they were human, looked at her with wild eyes. The girl gave a startled cry as the werewolf dropped her. She fell to the ground in a blaze of jade colored skirts. She looked over at Forest with wide, dark almond-shaped eyes. Forest took one look at the girl and knew that she was part Indian, at least half. The girl took off toward the bar where an older woman, their madam, folded her strong arms over the girl.

Everyone in the bar grew even more quiet as they watched each other. Forest smiled and said, "The lady obviously didn't want your attentions, flea bag."

The werewolf snarled, his brown eyes turning golden in his craggy features. Forest supposed that he was handsome, but, after all, he was a werewolf, and there fore, beneath her. His rust-colored hair fell into his eyes as he watched her. He snapped, "Who the hell are you?"

Forest inspected her hands as she answered, "How droll. Don't you know what I am?"

"Naw," he replied, spitting something onto the wood floor. Forest lifted her right eyebrow in theatrical distaste. She placed one hand on her hip and sighed.

The bartender piped up, "We don't need no trouble, McLaughlin."

McLaughlin whirled on the poor bartender and snarled, "No one asked you, barkeep."

"Well, I did. You and your kin hurt my girls for the last time," the madam snapped, walking closer to them. Her brown eyes were full of life and fire in her handsome face. She strode over to him and pointed her fan directly under his nose. "I won't have you banging up my girls no more."

McLaughlin laughed and replied, "Listen, bitch, I fuck who and when I want. Ain't my fault that your bitches aren't strong enough to take a real man."

Forest clinched her hands into fists. She looked over at David and whispered, "Rapes?"

"Yeah, the preacher's daughter, even if they don't admit it, two Indian girls, and one of Chinese washer women," David whispered back.

Forest walked over to McLaughlin and the madam. He gave her an appreciative leer as he took in her long legs and blond hair. He whistled, "Look it the little lady trying to be a man."

The madam said, "Honey, I wouldn't if I were you."

Forest smiled wickedly at her and said, "Thanks, but I'll be okay. Promise."

"Honey, you don't know what these boys can do," she warned.

Forest turned back to the werewolf and smiled again. She replied, "I do. Trust me, they just don't know about me."

The werewolf faced her and reached out to grab her. Forest moved with her lighting quickness and ended behind him. He spun around her, snarling, and tried to grab him. She smirked as she gracefully stood en pointe on her boots. That was no easy feat, she knew, but in her travels she picked up anything that made her more graceful, quicker, and even more deadly than before.

She spun in a pirouette, then turned the movement into a roundhouse kick. She heard her foot connect with his face with a satisfying smack. She landed gracefully and looked at him. He was holding his nose and she noticed that blood was trickling out of it. She smiled at him for a moment, letting her fangs peek out at him. Then she turned away, her face perfect and beautiful once again.

She walked over and sat down beside David again. The werewolves looked at her and moved closer to her. David stood up and took out his own gun. He aimed it and snapped, "Leave the lady alone." They knew what he was and snarled, turning away from them.

He sat back down as they marched out of the bar. She snapped, "I'll do it, but for no less than ten thousand in U.S. gold, David. That's a whole damned pack of those bastards."

"I figured you would. Tomorrow night's the full moon. Is that when you plan to strike?" David asked her in a thoughtful tone.

Forest shrugged and replied, "Yeah. Tomorrow's as good as any."

******

Forest looked at the clock. David had left town, saying that he was only there to show her the problem. He said something about Frisco or that manner. He'd send her the money, he promised. So, she decided to try her luck at the poker tables.

She already had a hundred dollars in front of her. She had an unfair advantage over those humans. After all, she could read their minds. It was a temptation not to, but it was so easy though. She could simply go right in and pluck the thoughts from their minds.

Her hands hadn't been that great, but she could bluff the other players out with devious smiles and playing on their own insecurities. She smiled as she won another fifteen dollars. Then she realized the worried looks on each cowboy's face. She saw glimpses of pretty girls with blond hair braided in pig tails and cotton dresses. She saw hopes of a ranch and money, which she was winning.

She bit her lip and worried it with her teeth. Dammit. Even after all of those years, she still felt guilty. She didn't hate being a vampire, but there where times were she longed to be loved and to walk into the sunlight. She'd seen many things in her travels and killed many people, but never to feed. Never to feed.

Then there were these werewolves. They'd raped four girls. Four too many for Forest. She flinched when she heard the piano player skip again. The sharp sound ground on her ears and made her want to run and hide. Or rip the person's throat out that couldn't play. She sighed as she picked at her cards.

She'd actually had a good hand. Dammit again.

She pushed all of her money into the pot. Their eyebrows rose at her gesture. She took out the Queen of Spades, King of Spades, and the Jack of Spades from her hand, leaving the Ace of Spades and the Ten of Spades in her hand. They handed her three cards and she frowned when she held the Ten of Hearts, The Queen of Hearts, and the Ten of Clubs. She laid down her hand and the cowboys hooted with contentment.

She stood up from them and walked over to the bar. She looked at the bartender and put down the one five-dollar silver piece that she'd kept. She asked, "Anything about those bastards who came in tonight?"

He looked at her with pale brown eyes. His Leg-Of-Mutton sleeves were pushed up to his arms, exposing them. His greying hair was slicked back from his face. Just your average bartender.

He smiled and said, "You sure took care of them, little lady."

"Can you tell me about them?" she asked again, leaning closer, batting her eyelashes at him. She knew even without the use of her vampiric powers her indigo eyes were compelling enough as it was. She tapped on the bar with her fingers and the bartender looked from her face to her fingers and back again.

He stuttered, "Nothing, much, missy. Sorry, but I can't." He started to push the silver coin to her. Smiling, she put her hand over his.

She told him, "Whisky, strait up." He smiled and she caught the thought, A woman after my own heart. He poured the amber liquid into a small glass and pushed it to her. She took a drink and made her way over to the piano. The old man kept fumbling with the keys, wreaking havoc on her ears.

She smiled and walked up. She could play the violin much better than the piano, but she could play than this sorry old man. She placed her hand on his shoulder and he stood up, startled. She smiled and said, "Let me play for a while, Old Timer."

She sat down with ease and flexed her fingers over the keys. Within moments, the patrons of the saloon were listing to Beethoven for, most likely, the first time. She played the Fifth with ease and when she was done, the crowed applauded. She smiled and took her drink. She sat down facing the door.

"My, talented little thing aren't you?" the madam asked from behind her.

Forest shrugged and turned back to face the woman. She answered, "I have my moments." Then she gestured to the door. She asked, "Those guys, can you tell me anything about them?"

The woman smiled and said, "My name is Lorena and I don't like those sons of bitches one bit. They hurt my girls. Bad. One of them was bleeding and sobbing in such horrible pain after one of those bastards was finished with her. I've tried saying no, but the girls need the money, saying that they can't be that bad."

"They are," Forest said sipping on her whiskey. The alcohol wouldn't affect her in any matter, but she had to keep up appearances. She preferred red wine anyway, but they didn't serve that here under any circumstances.

Lorena said, "I don't know what you are, missy, but you're tough. Still, I wouldn't recommend you fighting the McLaughlin brothers under any circumstances. I don't wanna know what they'd do to a pretty thing like you."

Forest smiled over her glass. She asked, "Do you remember when I said they are that bad?"

"Yeah," Lorena answered skeptically.

Forest grinned as she put down her glass. She replied, "Well, I'm much worse." With that, she stood up and stepped out of the bar.

******

Brothers. Well, that explains a lot. I wonder who bit them though and if they're still here, Forest thought as she stood before the McLaughlin ranch. She was hidden from them by the trees, with the three quarters' moon shining down on her. She crept closer, trying to form a plan of action.

Tomorrow night they would have to change for the entire night. There would be no being able to shift into their human form. They would be wolves and werewolves under the full moon. They were basically mindless beasts under the full moon, easier to outsmart and outwit. Still, she would be on guard simply because they were stronger and more powerful because of the moon.

She tensed up when she heard a twig break behind her. She sensed the power of one of the werewolves behind her and pulled her gun out. She didn't want to face them without her shot gun, even though she used silver bullets for the Colt. She pulled back the hammer and shifted her weight. Ballet was a wonderful thing.

The wolf from tonight was snarling down at her. He was in his beast form, the form that was part man, part wolf. He stood on two, hunched legs. His curved spine did nothing to hide the fact that he was massive. His body was covered in a russet fur. Golden eyes glowed in the darkness down at her. His mussel dripped clear saliva and flashed huge, white teeth at her. She wrinkled her nose at the feral stench of the wolf.

She snapped, "Trying again, flea bag?"

"Bitch, you'll respect me," he snarled as he lunged for her. She cursed as her gun was knocked from her hand and onto the ground. She pivoted out of the way, but his claws caught her shirt.

She snarled as she looked down at the torn fabric. She felt everything grow keener. She could see every detail in the wolf's fur as she looked at him. Her fangs lengthened and grew more sensitive.

"What the hell?" he cursed as he looked at her.

Forest was pissed. She hissed, "What, flea bag, never seen a vampire before?" She launched her self at the wolf. She drew her fingers tight to release the agent that would make her finger nails grow into sharp claws.

She rolled at the last moment, burring her talons into his skin. She felt the warm rush of his blood on her finger tips. She could smell the wildness of it in the air. She spun back around and grabbed his arms. She twisted them behind his back and held on with all of her might.

He was stronger than she was, thrashing her around as he howled in pain. Forest relaxed, letting his body take most of the impact. Enough playing with flea bag, she thought as she grabbed onto his mind. Stop! She commanded.

He didn't. Instead, he ran strait back into a tree. She grunted as her body was jolted with the impact. He did it again, and her head crashed into the oak. She tasted her own blood in her mouth and gasped. Her back was hurting.

He then started to change. She gasped and jerked back as the sound of bones crunching as they re-knit together made her stomach churn. He stood before her, fully nude and human. Then he launched himself on her.

She was surprised by the attack. She tried to spin away or grab his arm and throw him when his body impacted into hers. He held her down, but he was human now. He was strong, but not as strong as she was. Besides, she could feel his arousal of the fight and her personally against her thigh. He fumbled his hand along her breast.

She laughed at him and he froze. She wrapped her hand around his neck and lifted. She lifted him off of her as she stood up. She held him up as he gasped for air. She could smell his blood, his fear as he started to change again.

She had other plans.

She snarled as she struck. His blood gushed into her mouth in a fiery rush. She drank of him until there was nothing. His blood rushed down her throats and her wounds resealed themselves. She dropped his body and picked up her Colt.

Only silver would kill this monster. She knew the terrible sound the gun would make, but she knew she could be out of here before the other werewolves found her. She placed the gun at the back of his skull and pulled the trigger.

With the loud sound, his brains splattered on the ground. She put her gun back up and turned around. They were coming after her, all eight of them. "Shit!" she cursed as she reloaded her gun. She put it away and reached behind her.

Sheathed in the back of her belt was a silver blade. She drew the silver Bowie knife out as she felt the wolves surround her. She took a stance and held the blade with ease in front of her.

The first werewolf, in the true werewolf form, charged her from behind. She hunched up her muscles and jumped strait up. She then flipped up and thrust the blade into the creature with a grunt. His eyes widened as his dying body shifted back to his human form.

Another snarl signaled another werewolf coming at her, except as a true wolf. She tumbled out of the way, but she didn't see the other wolf, this one a beautiful blond, until her hindquarters were ripped. Forest screamed in pain as she felt the blood stream down her legs as she fell.

Her rump was ablaze with pain. It also sent her off balance. She fell to the ground with the sharp cry, "My ass!" She tried to move, but the first wolf was on her even as she healed. She could feel the muscles heal and pull themselves together. She felt flesh move and cover the bite within seconds.

The wolf closed in on her throat and Forest thrust up with the Bowie. The wolf's green eyes jerked back in its head as she plunged the blade through the wolf's skull. Immediately, the wolf started to change back into his human form as well.

Forest tumbled back in a back handspring. She landed on her feet as she looked at the remaining six wolves. Two were in their wolf forms while the other three were in their werewolf forms. She pulled out her gun and smiled.

"Fuck this," she snapped as she aimed and pulled the hammer back. One of the werewolves dropped. She repeated the action as she aimed at the other two in the half and half form. Except the wolves got smart and started to run.

Forest chased after him, sending her body into over drive. Nothing mattered, she moved almost as swiftly as the five wolves running. As she ran, she aimed and fired again. She cursed as the bullet hit a tree and not the wolf who'd been there an eye blink before.

She aimed again and smiled as she hit that wolf seconds later. She laughed, "Thought you could fight me, didn't you!" She jumped over a fallen log with an adrenaline high from the blood she had taken earlier.

She reloaded as she ran, keeping sight on one of the wolves. She aimed and fired. The wolf screamed as it fell to the ground. She kept running. She was losing sight of the two wolves!

Well, one of the werewolves crashed into her. His claws were ripping through her flesh and clothing. Forest shouted as he knocked her gun away from her. He pinned her there and his brother, perfectly nude and human, walked over to them. She screamed when she saw the oak branch in his hand.

"I heard about your kind. Wood'll killya, bitch," he hissed at her.

Forest thrashed and finally managed to get a foot hold. She twisted up, sending her legs spinning. She caught herself on her hands and flipped back up. She smiled as she aimed at the last werewolf. The bullet caught him right between the eyes.

She aimed and said, "Now your turn. You were way out classed." She fired. The hammer clicked harmlessly. "Dammit," she groaned as the guy changed as he leapt at her. The werewolf and the vampire were soon on the ground, tussling.

Forest felt each bite and each scratch he dealt on her skin. It ate at her, made her angry as she sank down and bit again. The blood was enough to give her a contact high as she drank. The musky scent was all in her nostrils as she fed off of him.

It didn't matter. She felt the wolf grow weaker and her own wounds healing. He changed into his human form and tried to pull himself off of her. She told him, No, this is for those girls. For all those people you and your brothers terrorized. She saw his human blue eyes widen in shock and horror.

Say hello to your brothers for me, okay, she requested as she shoved the Bowie knife into his chest. He jerked twice and looked down at her with empty eyes. She stood up and withdrew the bloody blade. The puncture wounds on his neck were already healing. She licked her lips and picked up her fallen Colt. She slipped it back into the quick draw holster and headed back to town.

******

Lorena was surprised as she heard a soft knocking at her window. The madam stood up, slipping into a black silk wrapper. She walked over to it to see the mysterious young woman standing there. She was torn, tattered, her clothing hung onto her slender, dancer's body in shreds. Her long blond hair was a wild tangle along her classic features.

The keen, indigo eyes brightened as the girl smiled at her. Lorena opened the window and asked, "Good God, child, what happened to you?"

She smiled and wiped her nose. Blood and dirt smeared across her milky features as she did. She answered, "The McLaughlin brothers?"

"Yes?" Lorane asked, worried for the girl.

Her smile brightened as she replied, "You and your girls don't have to worry about them any more."

"What happened?" Lorane asked the strangely beautiful girl out her window.

She smiled again, slightly manic, but beautiful none the less. She answered, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." With that, she jumped off of the window sill. Four stories above.

Lorena almost screamed when the girl fell to the ground. She gracefully, impossibly, landed. She gave a jaunty wave as she walked off.

******

The next day a group of miners found the bodies of the McLaughlin brothers near their ranch. Some of them were killed with knives while the rest were shot to death. There were signs of struggle and blood everywhere. Other than that, there was no clue to the murders except that the bullets used were silver. She never told anyone, but Lorena knew that the mysterious woman who was in town one knight had rid Dead End Walt of its problem.

London, England

Present Day

The vampire assassin known as Forest lovingly looked at the old Cold revolver in her

hands. She put the gun down in a velvet case along side a huge, silver Bowie knife. She put the glass lid over the case with a smile. The glass offered her no reflection, but she didn't need one.

A vampire was a monster by nature, but evil by choice. Forest liked to think that she was the perfect example of that. The gun and the knife were perfect reminders of this.

"Forest, what are you doing?" a young voice shouted out. Forest smiled at the vampire fledgling that climbed down the stairs into the display room. Her long wine colored hair swung around her slender body. Her bright, light green eyes looked around at distaste. The young ones were always like that, Forest realized, remembering her days under her mentor.

She answered, "Remembering, Minerva, remembering."

Minerva asked, "Why do you have those old weapons and stuff?"

Forest smiled and wrapped her arm around the sixteen-year-old girl's shoulder. Eternally sixteen, what a tragedy and a privilege that would be Forest figured as she guided her out of the display room. Forest answered, "Let me tell you a story about a pack of werewolves."

The End!

Dead End Walt was a town mentioned in the Petshop Boys' song, "East End Girls." That

is where the idea came from.