Hunter and The Thief

Casha blushed slightly as she shoved her tiny clutch bag under her arm. Kat laughed openly and then dragged her friend from the house with a wave to everyone else. Once in the car, Kat squeeled with delight to find a bottle of champagne already chilling in some ice and two crystal flutes. "This will be so much fun!" She cheered, handing one to Casha. Casha could only smile and sip her champagne, just happy to have her fun, frollicking, if slightly neurotic friend back again.

The limo arrived outside the Elipse Nightclub shortly after 10 and the door opened to a hoard of flashing cameras and people scrambling to greet them and have their pictures taken with them. Kat made sure to look completely human, having been happy to wander around for the last few months in her fur and tail openly. Many of the reporters there began asking questions as expected and Casha made an odd move to actually engage them. "My dress is by Christian Dior." She told them, "My jewelery is by Cartier, yes." More questions. "No, he's at home taking care of business tonight, but I'm sure he'll race you with his presence eventually." What about Gabriel, where was he? "He's at home, sleeping as he should be. No, he has a nanny for nights like this. Of course I express before I leave! Do you honestly think I'd feed him that powdered crap? Absolutely not. I don't endorse any form of artificial baby products." What would she say about people that did? "That's their choice, just not mine. Everyone is entitled to their opinion." The questions moved on as they moved inside and she nodded gratefully to the security at the door for stopping the reporters following further.

Once inside, the mood changed in a big way. There were many well known faces there and they were all having a good time in their own way. They all looked relaxed. Clearly this place was a haven for the continually hounded celebs that made LA their home. Kat was quick to the bar and Casha joined her in time to find two large Martini's placed in front of her friend. A waiter then arrived and carried their drinks to a table. Kat took a seat and looked around excitedly. "This place is so amazing!" She said over the loud music.
"I have to agree!" Casha said back as she sipped her drink. A quick look around then. "I didn't expect to see so many press outside though. Someone in the office must have leaked what we were up to."
"Don't worry about it." Kat said cheerily, "You're famous, so you should expect people to do these things by now." She then started jumping up and down in her seat. "Oh my God!" She cried, then pointed her thumb over her shoulder, "Do you see who I see?"
Casha leaned slightly to one side, "Who am I looking at?"
"Are you totally insane or something?" Kat screeched, "That's Kyle Snider!"
"Really." Casha replied, "And who's he?"
Kat looked utterly shocked then, "He's only like the biggest action star on the planet!" She cried, "Don't you watch TV at all?"
Casha smiled, "I try and avoid it at all costs. So he's a movie star then."
"Duh!" Kat said, then laughed and shook her head, but stopped suddenly as the said actor then made his way to them with his entourage in tow. Kat could have fallen off her chair!

"Ladies." The man said with a slight bow. Very swarve and charming. He was definitely TV handsome enough and had biceps to rival a body builder. "I've read about you two."
"Really?" Kat asked. Casha laughed slightly and sat back in her chair. Crossing her legs, she looked him up and down with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes." Snider replied, "You are Katarina Vance. Michael's sister. I've read about you."
Kat could have swooned and quickly invited the man to sit with them. He did so with a nod of thanks. "I'm so happy to finally meet you. I've watched all your movies."
Snider offered a knowing smirk and tilted his chin up with pride. "Thanks." He said charmingly, "I'm glad you like them." His eyes then turned to Casha. "And you just have to be Casha. I've read a lot about you too. Your pictures don't do you justice at all."
Casha lifted her glass slightly and then sipped it. Kat glared at Casha briefly before turning her attentions back to Snider. "When is your next movie being released?"
"In the new year." He replied, "But I'm hoping to do something different after that."
"Why?" Kat seemed mortified.
"There's only so many ways you can blow things up." he said with a laugh, "I'd like to do something more military."
Casha almost snorted her martini through her nose. "So you're going from blowing up civilian things to blowing up military things. That's um... fascinating."
"You really think so?" Snider asked. Clearly, he had missed the joke. "Do you follow my work?"
Casha shook her head, "I'm not really a movie kinda person. I don't watch TV all that much. I prefer my music, if I'm honest."
Now Snider seemed the one mortified.

Kat and Snider bantered for a while and Casha seemed happy to just sit there and watch her friend having a good time. Eventually though, she realized her friend had become bored. Kyle Snider was't as interesting as she had thought after all. He left, leaving a signed photo for Kat and the pair had a good laugh and joke about him. They had a few more drinks, but Casha was becoming bored. She began seeing the patrons more as food than entertainment; something Kat picked up on very quickly. The tab was paid and the limo picked them up shortly after midnight.

The route home took them past a darker district of LA and it was part way through this district that Casha's ears picked up something. "Stop the car!" She said suddenly and rolled her window right down. The smile around her lips got bigger.
"What is it?" Kat asked.
Casha's smile widened, "Something I haven't heard for a lifetime." She said with delight, "It's wonderful."
Kat shuffled over and listened out of the window. At first, she couldn't hear much beyond city noise, but just in the background of it, she heard the heavy thud of drums and a collection of electric guitars. "Sounds like a rock event or something." She offered. "Hardly wonderful."
"Oh, but it is!" Casha said, then turned her eyes to the driver. "Find me an open store!" She ordered.
"Casha?" Kat asked cautiously, "What are you doing?"
"Something monumentally stupid probably." She replied, "Want to join me?"
Kat couldn't believe what she was hearing, but nodded anyway. The car began moving again and eventually stopped outside a clothing shop with a few lights on.

Casha was first out of the car and she beanged loudly on the door to get someone's attention. The shop owner came out, a small oriental looking fellow with sleepy blue eyes and a shiny bald head. "Can I help you?" He asked cautiously.
Casha smiled and nodded, "Would you be willing to open up for me and my sister for a minute?" She asked politely, "I'll pay you. Please?"
The owner blinked dumbly before leaning slightly to look at the limo. "Ladies like you shouldn't be in this part of town at night." He told her, "It's dangerous. You should head back to the main strip."
"Please Sir?" Casha pleaded. "It would mean the world to me."
Suddenly, the penny seemed to drop and the man opened the door. "You're... you're Mrs. Vance!" He breathed.
Casha smiled and nodded, "Yes, but please, just call me Casha. Tell me, what kind of clothes do you sell here?"
"Uh..." He looked around, "Just clothes for your average Joe, I'm afraid, Ma'am." He offered, "I don't know if there's anything here you would be interested in."
"Average Joe will do fine, Sir." casha promised, "Could I take a look around?"
"Sure!" The man said, "Uh.. help yourself!"
"Thank you so much!" Casha replied, giving the man a kiss on his blushing cheek. She then went off down the main aisle with Kat close on her tall heels.
"What the hell are you doing?!" She demanded.
"Changing out of this dress." She said quickly as she pulled out various styles of jeans.
"For this crap?" Kat asked, "Are you insane?"
"Definitely." Casha replied, picking a pair of low slung jeans with studded pockets. She then went off to find something to go with them.
"Casha, this is madness!" Kat cried as she caught a few thigns that came her way. She wrinkled her nose at the lot. "What are you trying to achieve?"
Casha pulled out a two tone shirt, then put it back in favour of a black halterneck. "I'm going to that rock event." She said with a smile and then tossed a selection of tops to her friend.
Kat looked utterly horrified, "What about our night out?" She cried.
Casha stopped briefly, "We're still having one." She said, "I'm just changing the venue, that's all. Come on, get changed. You turn up like that, you're gonna get laughed at."
"But I liked the Elipse. It's all my favourite kind of people." She said.
"I know." Casha said back, "But don't you miss the adventure? Shake off the truss Kat and have some fun for a change!"
"Watching idiots head bang to deafening noise isn't my idea of fun, Casha." Kat said pointedly.
Casha cocked her head to one side. "You like my music at home." She said, "I've caught you dancing around to that more than the chart stuff!"
Eventually, Kat gave in and got changed into the jeans and a tight fitting teeshirt with an absynth fairy on the back. Casha got changed into her chosen outfit too and then paid the man double what he clothes were worth before leaving. Once in the car, Casha smiled to Kat. "Take me to that music!" She ordered the driver.

At this point, the body guards Anubis had put in place were in a panic. Casha and Kat had left unexpectedly and they had lost them. The lead guard, Cristy, called to the house. "They left unexpectedly." She said, then screwed her eyes shut, "I know!" She yelled, "But I can't track what I can fucking find!" The others around her were in a panic too. "Yes, I know the shit I'm in right now, thanks for stating the obvious, Gabe." She hung up the phone and looked to her cohorts. "We gotta find her." she said, "Spread out, find her scent and trace it. She's gotta be around somewhere."

Back at the houe, Gabe came into the study and looked at Anubis with worry. The man was sweating like a pig in a slaughter house. This was his first fuck-up, but it was a huge one. "Boss?" He said carefully to Anubis and then looked at Gabriel in his arms. Some father-son bonding time, it seemed. "I er.... um..." She rubbed his mouth and then sucked in his breath. "We have um.... a problem, kinda....".......

Anubis was holding his son, enjoying the feeling of the little guy in arms when Gabe came in sweating and looking worried. He looked at Gabe, not a very happy look on his face. "What is it?" He asked. He had been hoping for some good quality time with his son. He wanted to spend as much time with him as he could, his position as a leader taking up a lot of his time.
Gabe tensed his jaw and furrowed his brow in worry. "Christy and her guys have lost Casha and Kat." He said. "Apparently, they gave them the slip. She said they were there one second and gone the next. She's tracing Casha's scent, but they haven't found anything yet. Boss, I'm so sorry! I thought Christy could handle this, but I was wrong."....
Anubis' eyes narrowed. "You get a hold of her and tell her if she doesn't, I will have a new fur coat made of her hide." His eyes flashed with a bit of anger. He then gently turned his soon back over to his nanny and wondered if he should go out himself to find her.
Gabriel began to cry when he was handed back to the nurse. The woman in turn, held her hand out to Anubis. "Sir?" She asked, "Could I have the bottle back?" Gabe visibly cringed and backed off a few steps. "I'm sure she will Boss." He promised. "I told her to check in the second she finds something, but I’m gonna head out and see what's happening on the ground."....
"No you stay here and coordinate things." He handed the bottle to the nanny, and touched Gabriel on the nose. "It's alright my son. Your mother is just being a bit naughty tonight." He then turned back to Gabe. "I can cover more ground, faster and I know her scent very well."
Gabe nodded, "Yes Sir." He said quickly. Just then, his phone rang. It was Christy. "She did what?" He asked, and then rubbed his thumb and forefinger down his nose. "Did he say where they were heading? Well, didn't you press him? Fuck's sake Christy!" He slammed the phone shut and looked at Anubis. "Apparently, Casha turned up at a small outlet store in the lower district. Bought some jeans and stuff. Paid the guy $200 for opening up the shop for her. Said something about people laughing if they turned up dressed as they were. That's all she could get out of him and he has no idea where they went after that. Sir, please let me go with you. I know that area; I know the kind of people down there.".....
Anubis looked at Gabe, “Well you had best change into something sturdier then what you have on. I will be carrying you, mostly by your clothing and we will be going over roof tops." He told Gabe. Normally he just ran and jumped across rooftops. So much easier then moving through the streets.
Gabe disappeared and grabbed his Kevlar jacket. The last thing he wanted was an accidental bite or anything. He came back a few seconds later with his jacket done up and his gun holstered under his arm. "Ready when you are Boss."....
Anubis led Gabe outside and then with his right hand he grabbed the back of Gabe's coat and leaped. The two were flying through the air landing a distance from the mansion. A few more and they were outside the estate. That is when Anubis used his ability to move from one place to another in the blink of an eye. All Gabe would be able to see was a blur and then they were somewhere else. He looked over at Gabe to see how he was holding up.
Gabe couldn't exactly say he was enjoying this mode of travel. In fact, the constant jump and blur made him feel a little nauseated. He held a brave face though, deciding he would rather die than hurl in front of his boss. He gave a thumbs up....
Anubis grinned and again they were on the move. What would have taken a lot longer only took a matter of minutes and they were in the city. "Where to?" He leaped up on to a roof top about five stories up. "Hope you don't get air sick."
Gabe took a moment to gain his bearings before looking around and studying the area. And then something pricked his ears. He tried to ignore it at first. "Ok, so she said the store was down there on ninth. Casha was there about an hour ago." He looked around again; trying to see anything that Casha might have taken notice of. Then his head told him the answer again and he turned a full circle on the roof. "Do you hear that?"....
Anubis closed his eyes and turned his head, listening. He heard people talking, the sounds of cars, but in the distance the faint beat of music that was not on a radio. "She does like music." He said.
Gabe listened for a while longer and nodded, "That she does." He said, and then looked curiously at Anubis. "Worth a closer look?".....
Anubis looked down from the building at the crowd. It did not take long to find the two. He pointed them out to Gabe. "Get Christie here now, and see if she and her bunch can keep an eye on them."
Gabe nodded and quickly made the call. He spotted Christy and her group turn up within a few minutes. Gabe then sat and watched for a minute or two. Casha was definitely having fun and nobody seemed to care who she was. Even Kat was having fun. "Somewhere people don't paw over them." He said, "I should have known."......
Anubis sat down on the edge of the building and watched. "Well at least they are enjoying themselves."
Gabe nodded, "Yeah, but I still don't like it, Boss." Gabe said, "Anything can happen at these things."....
As they spoke two men that looked like bikers moved up to Kat and Casha. One grabbed Kat by the ass with a hand. Anubis raised a brow and shook his head. "Dumb move."
Kat spun around with shock in her eyes and glared at the biker. "Hey!" She squealed. Casha was quick to her friend and put her hand on the man's shoulder. "Don't touch what you can't afford sweetheart." She said carefully.....

The second biker put an arm about Casha and pulled her to him. "Hey babe want to party." he leaned over to try and kiss her. Anubis had his feet planted against the face of the building and was ready to push off to leap down to the ground.

Casha turned her head to one side and pushed the man quite forcefully away. "Thanks, but I'd rather puke." She told him and quickly grabbed Kat's arm....

"Ah you like playing hard to get." he said and again grabbed her laughing. The other one grabbed Kat pulling her to him. Anubis' fangs were now extended and a snarl on his face.

Kat began to panic, but Casha shook her head. "Ok guys." She said, placing her right hand on his large chest gently. "We'll play, but we play together." She slowly moved to Kat and put an arm around her almost possessively. Kat visibly cringed. "Tell me you're not serious?" She pleaded in whisper. Casha leaned in and kissed her temple. "Trust me." She whispered back, then smiled at the bikers. "Hows about it?".....

The two bikers looked at each other smiling that almost drooling type and in their eyes was the desire. "Sounds kinky but fun. Sure why not." the one that had slected Casha said.

Casha took Kat by the hip and lured the bikers into a darkened corner. "I'm first." Casha said alluringly and pulled one into the darkness. Kat stood nervously, eyeing the other biker as Casha started to sigh and moan in pleasure. She kissed him first, forcing herself not to choke on his stinking breath before she moved to his throat. "You like that, hmm." She cooed.....

Anubis had had enough and had leaped from the building to the ground on the outskirts of the party and moved his way in. He moved through the crowd towards the dark corner of the place. The biker chuckled, "Yeah I do." he said as he moved a hand up to squeeze one of her tits.

Casha pulled his hand away, "Not yet." She whispered and then suddenly, her fangs were deep in his throat. He grunted at first in desire and lust, but within seconds, his voice left him and he could only breathe quickly. Casha bled him as fast as she could before letting him go. As he fell, she laughed quietly, "Oh dear, couldn't you keep up with me?" She laughed, "Maybe your friend can finish the job instead." Her eyes glinted in the darkness to Kat and she happily held out her hand to the guy. "Go right ahead." she offered with a smile....

The other biker eagerly moved into the shadows. Anubis was getting closer. He was ready to tear the bikers apart. He saw the second one enter the shadows as Kat stood there a smile on her lips. That is when the smell of fresh spilled blood filled his sences. He slowed his pace a smile appearing on his lips.

Casha made quick work with the second as she had done with the first and quickly drained him. When Kat heard the final breath leave the disgusting male, she entered the darkness and smiled to Casha. "We need to hide these." Casha said quietly and started pulling them further into the darkness. "A nice snack for some hellhounds, I think." And she threw them each into the shadow realm. Within minutes, she heard the hounds coming for the meat and quickly pulled Kat out and away towards the rest of the party. At that point, she spotted Anubis and chewed her lip. "I'm in trouble, aren't I.".....

Anubis raised a brow. "You have given Gabe a heart attack. He was sick with worry when you just disapeared." Anubis moved up to her and took her into his arms. He looked over at Kat, and smiled. "Well little sister, have you been enjoying your night out?"

Casha offered a slight blush, "I heard the music and couldn't resist." She said with a shrug. "The Elipse was nice and everything, but it was too nice, you know?" Kat simply smile and blew a kiss at Anubis. "It would seem so, dear brother." she said with mirth....

He chuckled and gave Kat a kiss on her forehead. "I think I had best get back to Gabe. I left him up there." he looked up at a rooftop. "I have a feeling he is not feeling to good with my mode of travel."

Casha laughed and shook her head, "Well fancy that." She chortled, "An Army vet afraid of flying." Kat laughed too and shook her head before Casha let her husband go. "We'll be back before dawn." she promised. "And there's enough milk for Gabriel until then." Kat nodded, "Same with the kittens.".....

"Oh I don't think the flying part bothered him as much as the 'rush' as I call it." He gave Casa a deep kiss and gentle pat on the ass before he left her and Kat and returned to the roof top with Gabe. "I think things are well in hand." he looked down again and saw the guards basicly making a circle around the pair so that no matter which way they went someone would be there to keep an eye on which way they went. "Ready to go back to the mansion." he grinned.

Gabe checked the position of each guard twice before he finally nodded, "Yeah." He said, "We got them covered now, unless Casha decides to vanish again in some god forsaken shadow or something.".....

If she did then she would be safe enough. Only her, Abfret, and Dante it seemed was able to do it, except for Amy which Dante said he saw her do it. He took hold of Gabe and was off and roof hopping. Then once in the suberbs he was using his 'rush' ability. Before long they were back at the mansion.

Gabe shut his eyes tight and held his breath as Anubis 'rushed' them back home. Only when his feet touched ground again, did he open his eyes and he took a deep breath.....

Anubis laughed. "Not often anyone gets to travel that way except a few of us." he knew Dante could do it as could he. Not many of the present day vampires could though. "How you feeling?" he asked Gabe.

Gabe nodded, "I'll be fine when I've puked somewhere quiet." He coughed...

Again Anubis laughed and gave him a slap on the back before he went to see his son again. When he left Dante approached and looked at Gabe. "Man you look bad. What happened?"

Gabe puffed out his cheeks as he felt the bile rising and swallowed it down hard. "Anubis took me on a jaunt into the city." He said slowly....

"Oh?" Dante grinned. "Guess he took you on the express mode of travel eh. You get use to it. Its a great way to get places in a hurry." He could see Gabe was about to hurrel so he helped him to one of the bathrooms down the hall.

Gabe nodded in gratitude and then quietly closed the door. He then heaved up whatever supper he had in him and slumped by the bowl to recover....

Back at the loft, Nicholas had taken Alecia back to the bed chamber and laid her on the bed and held her tightly in his arms. The truth was out and now the two of them had alot of talking to do. Cain had been the cause of everything, their pain, their anguish, everything. Now they had to decide on what they were going to do. Across the ocean, Cain looked at a map he had of where all his new children were. One was in the US Senate, another in the French parliment and a third in the German government. All were being preped for the long run, for what they would become down the road. All was going well. All had been dismayed when word came that he had been killed, but elated when he surfaced and got in contact with them.

Alecia remained silent for a long time, well into the night, but eventually, she came round a little. "I need to report to Cain." She said quietly....

"What will we tell him." he asked. They surely could not let him know that they knew and what if anything they discovered about Anubis and Casha. "We have to walk a fine line."

"Then I will lie to him." She said quietly. This was something very strange for Alecia. Certainly, she would withold the truth, but she would never openly lie.....

Nicholas went and got the cell phone and gave it to her. He still wanted to go to England and kill Cain.

Alecia took the phone and dialled the number. She took a few deep breaths and waited for the answer....

The phone rang and Cain picked it up and looked at who was calling. He smiled and flipped the phone open. "Ah Alecia my dear. What good news do you have for me?"

Alecia closed her eyes tight, "I've met with Anubis and Casha." She said with her usual cold tone.....

"Good. I trust that you were able to gain their trust." he said with a happy tone.

Alecia gritted her teeth, "To a degree, I believe so, yes." She said....

"Well tell me about it." he told her. He wanted to know what she was able to find out and what Anubis was up to.

"They wouldn't say much at first." She said, "But I managed to use Gabriel to my advantage. Women together and all that nonsense. Anubis wouldn't discuss anything business wise in front of me."....

Cain chuckled. He knew his Son would not. He wouldn't say nothing until she had gained his trust completely. "And what about Casha, how is she?" She use to be a hunter and now the rebirth of Akasha. He wanted to know what kind of person she was now with two conflicting personalities in one body.

"She seems quite sure of herself, though with Gabriel around, she's incredibly protective of him."....

"Of course. And what of the child. What do you think of him? What kind of security is there about the child?" he asked.

Alecia screwed her eyes shut now, "He's the image of his father." She said, "There is a little security around him, but she prefers to handle that herself by the looks of things."....

"Ahhhhh that sounds good. And security about the estate?" was his next question.

"Rotations every hour.".....
They weren't of course, she'd seen them rotate at least twice while she was there and that had been less than an hour....

"Well I think we can work around that. Excellent. Now I want you to get closer to them and see what you can find." he told her. "I know you have to work with Nicholas, but it will not be for long. When you are done there I would like you to return here."

"I see." She said, "How do you wish me to get closer to them?".....

"I am sure you will find a way. You have done good so far." he told her. "Try to get closer to Casha and the child."

"As it happens, she has invited me to tea tomorrow afternoon." She said, then looked at Nicholas. "But I'm afraid Nicholas won't be much help anymore."....

"Ah yes, he is usless on many things. Very well my dear use him for what ever you need. I hope to see you back here soon my dear." Cain smiled and hung up the phone.

Alecia cringed slightly, "Can I ask, Sire?" She said politely, "Is there a reason you wish me to return to England when I'm done? I had rather hoped to return to my little haven elsewhere.".....

There was no answer, only a dial tone. He had hung up. Nicholas looked at her and reached over and caressed her face with a hand. "I will enjoy ripping his heart out." he told her.

"Not before I do." She hissed quietly and then handed him the phone back. "Call Anubis. Tell him I need his help.".....

Nicholas nodded and called the mansion. The call was forwarded to Anubis. When he answered the phone, Nicholas told him. "I am sure Casha has told you everything. We need your help, and we can help you." Anubis agreed and told Nicholas to come to the mansion in the morning. They would sit down and talk. This he relayed to Alecia.

Alecia nodded to the message and then retired to her bed for the night. The day's events had exhausted her. By dawn, Casha and Kat finally staggered into the house and went straight to bed. No sooner had they done that, all the babies woke. casha took Gabriel to bed wth her and fed him there. Kat did much the same thing. Shortly after breakfast, Alecia arrived at the house with Nicholas and entered cautiously. She handed her long coat to a servant and then looke around for anything she might have missed before. Gabe watched cautiously from his vantage point and made sure every gun was pointed at them albeit descreetly. He didn't trust them at all.....

Nicholas saw Gabe and his look. He could not blame the man. It would probably take time to gain their trust and have them see that they no longer posed a threat to Anubis and his people. Anubis greeted the two of them and took them into the kitchen where breakfest was being prepared. Even though Kat and Casha were sleeping the rest needed something. "Now tell me what you want." Anubis looked over at Alecia.

Alecia kept her icy facade as she always did. "I have information for you and the queen." She told him. "Cain requires me to get close to her and she and report back to him what I find. I have given a forward report already, but you needn't fear. I told untruths.".....

"Oh, and what is it that you wish help on. He took a seat at the breakfest bar and dished up some food. "Help yourselves. This is self service." he told them. "Casha told me everything that transpired at Nicholas' place." he looked at Alecia. "So you don't have to put on an act for me. Here we don't act like that." he sipped some coffee. "I think you will be more comfortable that way as well." Nicholas took Alecia's hand and squeezed it, nodding.

Alecia remained ramrod straight however. "We tend to stick with what we know in circumstances that we feel uncomfortable and unknown to." she replied smoothly, "But thank you for your concern." She perched on the edge of a stool. "Cain's attention rested particularly on Casha and the baby. The security she had around him and how certain she was of herself. I told him that security was light and that Casha was confident of her ability to protect him alone. He also asked of your patrol rotations. I told him once every hour."....

Anubis nodded. "That will give him something to think about." he sipped some more coffee. "What about Cains Security and the castle. What do you know of that?"

"His security seems erratic. No patrol is ever done at the same time, save for shift change. That happens twice a day, dawn and dusk. The castle is an expanse of corridors and tunnels. he spends most of his time in the weat wing. He's recently changed the decor, though that could have been years ago.".....

Taking some bacon he munched on it and then a piece of toast. "Do you know what his plans are and where the other "children" are?"

"They are placed throughout the world. I don't know of all of them, but I know some that have been placed in various governments and high powered companies." She said, eyeing a teapot near the stove. A servant noticed this and poured some out for her. She nodded and then thought some more. "Theere is one in the German government and the French parliament. There is one here in America somewhere in the Senate, but I don't know who he may be, I'm sorry."....

"Governments, powerful companies." he stopped eating and thought. "A power play." he shook his head. "He is going to try and take control of the world through his children." He shook his head. The plan had merit and would work. But Anubis could not let him do that. He had his own plans. "I think the two of you will have to stay here for now. Make it look as if you have become part of the "family". he looked at Nicholas. "I know his habits and quirks." Nicholas told Anubis. "I know the castle as well, and the guards know me."

Alecia seemed to consider this for a while. "Not so much family." She said, "Cautious guests would be a better situation. Cain has become increasingly suspicious since his rather pride destroying encounter with the queen and her friend. Too much so soon might make him question what is happening.".....

When the Pair came back from their night of romping about, Dante woke up and got out of bed, putting on a long robe. He checked on the little ones quickly and then greeted Kat as she came back to their quarters. "Ah I see the two of you had a fun evening." he grinned. "I told you she has been a bit busy of late" he took her into his arms and kissed her deeply before he patted her ass and sent her off to bed.

He then went downstairs to the kitchen where he saw Alecia and Nicholas. Now that was a sight to see for sure. He had just came in when Alecial was talking about Cain and how suspicious he had become after the encounter back east with him and Casha. He had to grin at her comment. "Well now I see you took Casha's advice." He sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee. He snagged some bacon and bread and made him a bacon sandwich.

He looked over at Aleica. The Ice Queen was no longer so icy. Two more for Anubis new world. Two that could travel about and mingle with the normal people. "So what have I missed this morning?" he looked over at Alecia.

Alecia put her cup down quietly and lifted her chin. "Your queen is wiser than she appears." She said to Dante calmly, "I would have been foolish to ignore her advice." Then he passed her and made himself someite lies, breakfast, asking what he had missed. She picked up her cup again and took a few more sips. "I have given your king a report on Cain to the best of my knowledge, allowing for a few white lies, of course." She then began to regard Dante a little differently. While more at lease like this, she was able to read further into him.

"You and the queen are related." She said suddenly to him. Did she sire you long ago?" Of course, Alecia had no knowledge of his past or what had happened when the pair had first met. It wasn't so much an assumption, but an educated guess, but then her nose picked up something and she shook her head, "My apologies." She continued, "When did you sire her rather? And if I may, I would like very much to know more about your encounter with Cain. I was given a few details of it by him, but he has always downplayed a loss."

He listened to Alecia explain what they had been talking about. "Sire her? I am no vampire. I thought that my blood, since it has healed my wounds over the years would do the same to her. She had been badly injured after the encounter with Cain and I simply gave her some of my blood. Nothing like how you would 'sire' some one. It did something I had not intended or had wanted. "

He still blamed himself for all her pain and misery and what had happened after. He looked down into his coffee cup, his face showing the turmoil going through him. Though now she seemed to be okay and so was her son. Something good had come out of it all. He took a deep breath and looked back up again.

"I would not doubt that he would not want to talk about it. His whole leadership organization at the time was wiped out along with a lot of underlings. Then to........ he was killed, or at least it seemed as if he had been. Nick has the sword that I used on him then. It was made a very long time ago in Japan to fight the "Demons". Now I know who they are." he shook his head. He had not believed that demons existed untill recently. "Cain was to self centered and sure of him self. All he saw in me was that I was another human hunter. Big mistake. I used my abilities to move about him and attack him. I ran him through with the sword. Should have chopped his head off. That would have ended him for sure." he sipped his coffee. "I think I dented his pride and ego." he gave a half grin and looked over at Anubis.

Dante had a feeling after that battle Anubis who was just as cocky and had such a big ego at the time had learned something. He was not one now for underestimating some one, and it seemed he did not have the same outlook on himself as he had when Casha had been hunting him. He then basicly gave her a blow by blow account of what had happened that night and how they had to get Anubis out of there before the Hunters over ran the place. "Next time his head comes off to make sure the bastard is dead." He then got up and refilled his coffee cup and made his way back to his rooms.

Alecia listened carefully as Dante told hr the tale and hauntingly, she took on board the information much the same way Casha did. Even the distant smile was similar. Each detail was stored in her mind for later use. The look in her eye said she would use this to her full advantage, again much like Casha would do. She remained silent until he had finished and then drank some more of her tea before she spoke.

"That's a very different story to the one Cain tells." She offered, "The tale he offers puts you and the hunters with you in a different light. Certainly, we all know the depths hunters will stoop to in order to kill us, but you and the Trydant hunter are an incredibly sore point with him. To even mention your names without the desire to rip you both apart is punishable by death." At this point, she offered a slight smile and finished her tea. "The idea that the king has taken said hunter for his wife and his would-be muderer as his brother, well, I'm afraid to say it has destroyed his faith in most of his blood. Besides myself, there are few now that he allows with anything beyond mild irritation. Of course, there is a reaon for that, but I'd prefer not to go into detail." After that, she went quiet for a time with a fresh cup of tea and a lightly buttered croisant she had watched a servant making.

After a time, Alecia looked at Dante with a half cocked smile, "I feel curious about something, Dante." She asked, "How was it that you and the queen first crossed paths? Her reputation as a hunter is the stuff of nightmares for all our kind. How is it that you tamed the beast?"

Dante didn't get to far when Alecia asked him another question. He stopped and shook his head. How him and Casha had met. He turned back and looked at her. "I am a thief by trade. One of the best. The cops call me the Cat, since I seem to be able to go where no man could possibly go. Never been caught and they don't know what I look like." He leaned against the wall remembering that night.

"I was in New York on a job. Some one had an esquisite Ruby that was worth quite a nice chunk of change. I had just aquired it and was making my exit when the owner suddenly showed up. All I had been able to find out about the man was that he was rich and an ecentric. Well he was alot more then that. As I leaped from the window ledge to the roof of the building across the ally way, he was able to follow. That is when I realized he was not human." he chuckled.

"The chase was on. We ran across roof tops, jumping from one to another. There seemed to be no way I could escape him. Suddenly there was the sound of a gun report and a small explosion, then a second report and a piece of the roof exploded in front of me making me hesitate. In an instant I knew that I would not make it to the next roof top. We were twenty floors up and even being what I am, I would not have survived that fall. To think is to act and I did a back flip and turned to face her."

"That is when I smelled and then saw the lycan behind her. Her attention was on me and she had no idea it was behind her getting ready to strike. I jumped over her and a well place kick sent it sprawling on the roof. Casha finished it off. Now she was in a delima. Take me in after saving her ass or not." he laughed. "After that I showed her another side of me. I steal, but I don't take all the money I get from the things I steal. The majority of it goes to some where else."

"As for taming the beast. I don't think I ever did that. Maybe the big guy has, but not me." He shook his head and a dreamy look came over his face for a moment, then faded. "If you think she is tamed, piss her off."

Once again, Alecia listened with great intent and actually offered a small smile at the tale he told. "Fancy that." She offered after he'd finished. "A hunter and an immortal saving each other. Not an entirely unique idea, but rare enough. Though, as I recall, she's done it twice." Her eyes briefly went to Anubis and she gave a knowing smile before returning her gaze to Dante.

"Trust me though, Dante." She continued, "My previous visit here was plenty to show me not to cross her. There were rumours for years about her skills as a hunter. Back when I was a girl, she would have been hung for witchcraft for the things she could do. Having seen it now for myself, I can fully believe the rumours were true. I've come across many of her predecesors over the years, but never her. I can honestly say that I'm grateful for that." She finished her tea and croissant and then seemed to relax a little. She seemed to sigh a little as some of the stories she'd heard came to mind. "I nearly did about 10 years ago. She would have still been in her teens, if memory serves. The rumours were rife about the Order's latest success story. I remember I had taken some time out of my haven and gone into Prague for a festival of some kind. She was hunting a rather disgusting vampire that had a taste for very young girls. Needless to say, she killed him, but the rumour was, she castrated him with her pocket knife before she took his head."

At this point, a voice behind her made her jump and she turned her head quickly. "Not exactly." Gabe said with a slight grin, enjoying having snuck up on this woman.
"Oh?" Alecia offered.
Gave nodded, "She didn't kill him that quickly. In fact, she made him suffer in agony until dawn when she strapped him to a church spire and watched him burn."
Alecia shuddered visibly and then cocked her brow slightly, "How would you know?"
Gabe's grin widened, "Because I was there with her. The vampire's name was Artimus Bayen. Had a thing for very young girls. She took his dick off, that's true, but she didn't cut his head off. nstead, she ripped his fangs out with a pair of pliers and then dragged him to the tallest church spire we could find. She tied him to it with his own guts and then waited for dawn." He stepped forward and poured himself a mug of coffee. "Normally, she would just taken his head off and taken his fangs back to Rome for proof, but her being nearly as young as some of those poor girls he raped and mutilated, she took special offense. Many of us guys wouldn't even say boo to her for ages after that hunt. Old Arti was my first hunt with her. Been at her side ever since."

Alecia furrowed her brow slightly, "So you're Gabriel." She said, "Trydant's archangel." Gabe nodded, but Alecia gave a sly look to him, "But not quite on her level though."
"Pardon me?"
"I was given a rather in depth report about your hunt in New York. I suppose you didn't realize you were up against the king himself." She smiled, "As I recall, all of your team died, except you. She had to come in and rescue you."
Gabe half sniggered and actually nodded, "All true." he admitted, "But for all intent and purpose, we got one better than Anubis here." He grinned at the man. "We had Cain."
"So it didn't bother you that your commander technically died in the process?" She asked curiously.
Gabe put his coffee mug down and smiled openly at Alecia before giving a nod to Anubis. "She never died." He said firmly. "Her heart never stopped beating."
"But surely, it must have broken your heart that she was turned?"
"She wasn't turned either." He said, looking to Dante. "What Dante did was something totally different." He looked at his mug and his eyes became softer. "All the time I've been with Casha, there was always something missing. I used to catch her checking her reflection like she was looking for something and at first, I thought she was just making sure she was still alive. When our friend here gave up his blood for her, it was like watching a butterfly. What he gave her was something she'd spent her life waiting for. Before that, she was just another hunter, half a person living from one order to the next. Now she's the person she was always meant to be."

"How elaquently put." Alecia offered, looking around the kitchen for other responses. "Had I known better, I might think you loved her; the way you speak of her like that."
Gabe offered half a smile, but it was honest. "I do." He said, looking to Anubis again, "I love her dearly. She's been my best friend since I joined the Order. Sure, it's taken some getting used to and we've fallen out, but I wouldn't trade her for all the world. Neither would anyone else here. You'll understand for yourself soon enough."
"I believe I'm beginning to." Alecia offered in return, then looked to Anubis. "Does she have this effect on everyone around her?"

Anubis had been listening to everything that had been said. All the time that he had known Dante, he had not heard the story of how Casha and him had met. He had known about Gabe and other hunters, and he had known about Trydent. But he had not seen her before that night and had not known that she was the reincarnation of Akasha. He wondered what he would have done had he known. What risks would he have taken to awaken that part of her.

He looked over at Dante. The man that had released Akasha with in her. He had a feeling that the young man...... young in a manner of speaking, probably had fallen in love with the huntress. But now he was a friend, a good and loyal friend to Casha and to himself. "Well I think she has an effect on everyone, one way or another." he grinned. "It seems she has a way of making people see things in their true light and she can see what a person really is like. For example, Dante here." he nodded over to him. "From what he told of their encounter, if there had not been something about him, she would have hauled him into the hunter's headquarters. Even saving her from the lycan attack she would have taken him in."

Anubis had no idea of the orphanage and the kids that he supported. Though he probably should let him know about them. Dante would feel better if they had some guardian angels looking after them. Well lycans any how. Keeping their distance but watching and making sure that all were safe, especially now that the church, hunters and the like knew who he was and might be able to find the connection.

He shugged his shoulders and rubbed his chin. "Well it is probably because of the soft spot I have." he grinned. "I took her to where I spend most of the money I get from the things I steal." he looked over at Anubis. "Something that I think I need to ask your assistance on big guy. Kat and I are planning to go do some visiting when the kids are able to look human. Back in New York I fund an orphanage that two wonderful people run. Now that the hunters know who I am, they might make the connection. So do you think we can have a few people keep an eye on them, to make sure no one bothers them?"

Alecia lifted an eyebrow, beginning to understand how Casha was able to affect people the way she did. "So not only is she a walking library, a gifted hunter and an all round rather dangerous creature; she also has incredible empathic abilities." She pushed her tea cup away. "I feel even more jealous." She looked between the three men before her and shook her head. Though it seemed Casha had given her heart to only one of them - Anubis - it was clear that all three of them had deep feelings for her. She almost wished she could do the same. Almost. Playing that game could easily get one killed, but here, it seemed to hold a clever balance between family and friendship. If nothing else, it was certainly an interesting way of guaranteeing loyalty. Bit this wasn't nothing else. It seemed clear to Alecia that this little empire was far more than Cain could have bargained for.

Gabe finished his coffee before he started looking around for whatever breakfast had been prepared. While doing this, he still kept a close eye on Alecia and Nicholas. "She was that way long before all this happened." He said openly. "The only real differences between then and now are her fangs and that weird thing she does with shadows. Beyond that, she's changed very little." He decided not to mention the morning his stomach was turned over; along with almost every other persons in the house. Alecia remained silent after that, deciding to think on things carefully before she made her next move. Gabe found his breakfast and decided to take it upstairs to share with Marla. He had noticed she was starting to struggle getting up and down......

Anubis assured Dante that there would be a presence about the orphanage. It was the least that he could do for his friend. He had a pair of lycans with children that would fit right in. After a brief discussion with Dante, it was agreed that Dante would suggest Mary and John hire a couple of people to help run the orphanage. Especially since it seemed to have grown some since his last visit.

Once that was arranged Dante left not to far after Gabe, leaving Anubis alone with Nicholas and Alecia. "I see a look on your face that is strange for you, well after what you first appeared here. What are you thinking." Anubis looked at her as if he could read her very soul. They had souls, quite the contrary of what the church thought of them and humans had been shown in books and movies. They were not dead, walking corpses. They were very much alive and had their souls. It was just the way that vampires were created that seemed to make it look as if they were dead.

Marla looked at Gabe as he entered the room. "What?" she stood up and began moving around the room. She took the breakfast that he had brought up for her and placed it on a table by the glass doors that looked out on to the balcony. "I can still get around you know. I am not that big." she turned to look at herself in a full length mirror. "Am I?"

In England, a hooded figure was ushered into the study of Cain. Cain laughed and leaned back in his chair. "Well now look who the cat drug in." he gave a mock bow of sorts and chuckled, "His emminence the former leader of the Holy Church. How nice of you to drop by."

The former Pope removed his hood and did not look to amused. "Yes enjoy your amusement." he said. "That traitorious bitch and your creation has made me a hunted man."

"As I heard it, the one called Dante gave you what you wanted." Cain chuckled. That did not set well with the former Pope.

"Yes the same Dante that nearly put an end to your miserable life." the former pope smiled. "The same man that turned your trustworthy creation against you. Not the loyal follower you thought he was. Especially after he found out what you had done to him all those centuries ago. Oh yes I know all about it." Now it was Cain's turn to become angry.

"Watch your toung!" Cain said as he stood up.

"Sit down." the former Pope told Cain. "I did not come here to banter with you, but to join you in so much as to destroy those that did this to me."

Alecia took her time in answering, finishing her tea and then pushing the cup away. She declined another refill and simply sat to consider her words a little more. Eventually, she sighed lightly and tilted her head to one side. "The last time I heard someone speak of another in such a tone and manner, I was still a child." She began, "My father had acquired a new mistress in the court and while drunk, he began to speak of her in front of my mother." She stared softly at the space Gabe had occupied. "To hear him speak of the queen in such a way without being a lover, or even a suitor; it reminded me of that time. One could say, he might have inspired a little of my soul." She looked back at Anubis again. "And to note that he is still very much alive despite his feelings for your wife speaks volumes of your trust and devotion to both of them. I find it unnatural that you're not even the tiniest little bit jealous or perturbed by his words. And, strangely, I felt much the same pride of feeling from Dante. To know that a woman could inspire such feelings in those around her and still retain the heart and soul of the man she does love is utterly alien to me."...

Anubis nodded. "It is rare indeed. But I think you do not have far to look for the same thing." he nodded to Nicholas. "I know Casha's heart and that even with men such as Dante and Gabe whose feelings for her are deep, I know that she has given me her heart and soul, as I have given mine to her." he pushed his empty cup from him. "You would have to go all the way back to the begining to understand fully."

He paused a moment and then continued. "Back then when Cain created us, he pitted us against each other in a way. Kept us trying to do better then the other to gain his favor. When he spurned Akasha's attentions for one of her creations, I helped her back from the depression he casued her. From that time on it seemed as if we had been made for each other and and our love burned like the brightest star in the heavens. Nothing could quench it."

He got up to leave. He wanted to go up and be with Casha for a while before all the days business took him from her. "What are your plans now?" he asked.

All this time Nicholas sat there being quiet. He had listened to what Dante, Gabe and Anubis had said. His love for Alecia burned deeply and brightly within him. Long had it been since they had been seperated by the deceit of Cain. His hate for Cain also burned deeply within him. His desire to kill or see him killed would never die until the day Cain ceased to exist. He touched Alecia's arm gently.

Alecia looked down when she felt Nicholas touch her arm. She stared at his fingers briefly and then looked back up and to Anubis. "I'm still forming them." She said honestly. In other words, she had no idea. "But perhaps, when the queen has awoken from her nightly escapades, I might sit and talk further with her? I feel she and I have much to discuss. And, if I might be permitted, I would very much like to see the young prince? The whispers of your slaves and what snippets I could gain from Nicholas make the infant all but irresistable."

Upstairs, Gabe stared at Marla with a happy smile on his face. Carefully, he put the breakfast tray down and moved to her, sliding his hands around her ever growing girth. "You're the size of a house." He told her honestly, "But you're still gorgeous." He leaned in and kissed the back of her neck. Then he laughed quietly as he felt something move gently beneath his hand. In a flash, he moved to her front and got to his knees. With both hands on her bump, he pressed his face into it and kissed it lovingly. The response was a little kick across his broad nose and he laughed again quietly. "Yeah." He cooed, "You know I'm here alright. You keep on kicking away there, nice and strong. I can't wait to meet you." He kissed it again and finally looked up at Marla. She looked more beautiful every day, he thought. Maybe once upon a time, he might have imagined Casha like this, but not now and not ever again. "What did Finche say?" He asked quietly, "Are we having a boy or a girl?" Somewhere deep inside, he wanted the answer to be a girl. Boys were prevelent in his family and he knew his mother would adore a granddaughter.......

Anubis nodded as he left, "I will let her know that you wish to talk to her. As for our son, I will let her decide on when you can see him. I think that is a mother's privlage." He then left Nicholas and Alecia in the kitchen to go back upstairs to check on Casha. As he left Nicholas stood up and behind Alecia and put his arms around her.

"Much has changed so quickly." he whispered. He could only hope that their love would burn as bright as Anubis and Casha's, like it had once done. "What are you going to do about Cain. I am sure we are not the only ones here in the city that is still loyal to him."

Marla sighed as he moved up behind her and kissed her neck. Yes she was getting bigger. it would not be to much longer before their child would be born. Parents had already been contacted and were on the way. Trouble was they were hunters, and by now knew what was going on. Her father had been a very adherent hunter, as had her mother. Gabes were just the same. How were they going to handle being in a nest of vampires and lycans with one of the most powerful ones there ever were.

Then she felt the little one kick and Gabe moved to in front of her and kissed her stomach. "I know you want a girl, but he said...........a boy. Guess there is something to that old woman's foretelling after all." She thought of what she had said. That Gabe's son would fight alongside Casha's and Anubis' son in a war against someone. Probably Cain or she had a funny feeling the Demons. The coming of the demon to talk to Anubis did not bode well with her. Something was up and once she had her son she was going to go into training again to keep her skills up and sharpen them.

Dante entered his and Kat's rooms and found her fast asleep. The little ones were up and about playing with the Hell Hound. They were taking turns riding her like a horse, and she seemed to be enjoying it. The servants and nursemaids that at first had been dreadfully frightened of her had come to terms with their fear and saw how she was with the children and now paid no attention to what she was. She had become like a regular pet in the house. Uncle Abfret was there as usually as well sitting in a chair watching. He seemed to enjoy watching his great niece and nephews. He told a couple of the servants that he had missed out on to much and was not about to again.

Mary and the Albert were in the nursery with Gaberial. They were not about to miss out on his growing up. They had missed so much of Casha's that they swore they would not miss out on Gabreial's. Soon Dante's little ones were scampering down the hall to the nursery followed by the hell hound and Abfret. Albert instinctively reached down and scrached the big hell hound behind the ears, and she sat down next to him and watched the children play.

Alecia in her usual style, took her time in answering. Indeed, what would she do about Cain? There were many things she wanted to do to him, much of those incredibly painful and unpleasant - for him - while others consisted mostly of simply watching him die in some equally painful and degrading fashion. For the time being however, she didn't have much of a choice in what she did. Cain was expecting detailed reports on a regular schedule and she would have to give them. This was one of many things she intended to discuss with Casha. After a time and with Nicholas' arms still around her, she seemed to relax somewhat. "Yes." She said finally, "Many things have indeed changed." She looked across the kitchen at a nervous looking servant going about her chores. "And there are many still yet to change." From just inside her tight collar, she began to finger another tiny piece of pink ribbon, twirling the edge around her slim fingernail. "I feel jealous of her, you know." She continued, "Despite everything she went through and put others through, she still got to keep her baby; yet I had to watch my own die. I still hear her sometimes. Her cries rip through me like hot blades. Sometimes I think I could have done something to save her, Nicholas, but no matter how many times I go through the event in my mind, I cannot. In every case, she still dies. I should never have been in that place. I should never have returned to the house. Perhaps then, she would be at my side. She would have a name and a family. A life and lineage to be proud of. There isn't even a stone to mark her grave anymore. She's been replaced by some greedy mortal that savoured and enjoyed the life she was robbed of. Casha doesn't realise just how lucky she is." With that thought in mind, she slowly rose to her feet and untangled herself from Nicholas' arms.

Upstairs, Gabe shrugged his massive shoulders and grinned up at Marla, "I guess there is." He said, "Nevermind, son." He cooed at the bump, "You'll have a sister as soon as your mother lets me at her again." He grinned once more and then kissed the bump before rising back to his feet.

Casha slept for a while longer, allowing the nursemaid to take Gabriel into the nursery, but woke when Anubis joined her. Her keen ears soon picked up the playing kittens and it amazed her how quickly they had developed. She imagined that very soon, they would be taking over the entire house with their games and frolics. She began to wonder how on earth dante would keep up with them then! She also heard the cooings in the nursery between her mother and grandfather. Bernard had worked hard to gain her trust and he had been dependable and loyal ever since. As for his brotherhood friend, she didn't know yet. As she listened, she began to pick up on words being said downstairs. Even though Alecia had been speaking quietly, as was her thing, it seemed, Casha felt and heard almost every word. It sadenned her. When she felt Anubis put his arms around her, she woke proper and turned over. "What has she to say?" She asked quietly....

In the Holy City, the remains of the leadership of the Hunters had gathered. The Cardinals that oversaw the operation of the Hunters sat with the high officials of the Hunters. "We have been branded as terrorists, murderers," The Grand Hunter told the cardinals. "You can not come out and tell the world about us, the holy father is no more and how can it be explained that he is no longer the Pope. What are we to do?"

One of the Cardinals spoke. "We wait and we regroup. As for the Holy Father, we have come up with an explanation. The Holy Father has had a sever stroke and is incapable of performing his duties as the leader of the church. He has abdacated his position as the Pope and a new one will be elected, one that is aware of the inhumans and the Order. For now lay low and when the dust has settled, we will again hunt them and destroy them."

In a carnaval that traveled Europe the Ringmaster sat in his trailer at a desk going over the receipts of the day. He sighed. Times were getting tougher and it would not be long before he would have to disband his little band of Carnies. From the next room a young lady entered and smiled. "Father you look worried." she was a lovely woman that liked to dress in clothing of another era. She sipped from a large mug and licked the warm blood from her lips.

"It is nothing." he told her, trying to sound convincing. He sighed again and patted the seat of a chair next to his. "Come my dear, I have something to tell you." On his desk was a news paper and the headlines and photos were of Anubis and Casha but on another page was a photo of another woman, one that dressed like his lovely Camilla and looked like her. He knew about them, knew what they were. The woman he had an idea of who she was.

"I am going to tell you something that I thought was not necessary until just recently." he smiled a gain and squeezed her hand. "You know that you are a vampire. That you thought that you became one by being bit by one. That is not the case." He poured himself a large glass of burbon and took a drink. "Long a go I was on the run from hunters. I had escaped them and had come upon the recent ruins of a house. I was in need of clothing and anything that might get me a bit of money so I began searching the ruins for anything I could use or take. But I was interupted by evidently the owner of the place. I hid not wanting anyone to find me. I was not in the best of shape at the time. The woman seemed to be searching franticly for something and did not notice my hiding place. A short time later a group of men came and attacked the woman and that is when I noticed she was with child."

He continued to drink his drink. "The woman fought them with such strength and ferocity, that I knew she was a vampire. But not like any vampire I had every heard about." he saw the bewildered look on her face. "Yes a vampire born of a vampire. " he told her. "As the men cut her open and pulled the infant from her they severed the cord and threw the child over by where I was hiding, close to flames that had begun to flare up once more and soon became a very hot fire. I could see that the child would die if not tended to so I quickly snatched it from the floor to my hiding place and then made my way out of it through a hole in the wall. I managed to stop the blood flow and tie off the cord. Just in time I guess. The child's healing abilities took over from there, Your Healing abilities. I heard the whistles of the authorities blowing and found a new hiding spot, keeping the child warm with my body heat and the clothing I managed to find and take with me. Later I returned to the house and saw all the blood. I figured that the hunters had killed the vampire and had taken the body away.

He drank a bit more of his drink and moved the newspaper over closer. "I raised you from an infant finding a wet nurse to nurse you till you could drink from a bottle. Years later when you changed I made up the story of you being bitten by a vampire and the shock had wiped that attack from your memory. I have guarded you from the hunters all these generations. But now something has come to my attention and I think that you need to check it out." He opened the newspaper and showed her the picture. "You and her look alike and you have the same taste in clothing. I have done some checking and have found that this woman has traveled to Los Angeles."

Camilla looked at the picture and her eyes went wide. She looked at her Father. "If this be your mother, I think you should go and see her. At least confirm or not that she is. I have already arranged for your travel."

Anubis held her to him and kissed her neck. "She wishes to talk to you and to see our son. I told her that would be up to you. Those two need a lot of nurturing. They have just had their worlds turned upside down."

Marla, laughed when Gabe talked about having a little daughter as well. "We will see about that when the time comes." She told him, "Not to soon anyways, and now I will make sure that our little kitty cat doesn't tamper with the birth control pills again." She had plans for after the birth. Getting back into shape and training hard, especially with the lycans and some of the vampires to build up her strength and skills. She had an opportunity that no hunter or former hunter ever had.

Nicholas felt Alecia's pain. For he would have loved to have had a child to watch grow and to love. "I know the sorrow you feel. Perhaps one day, if you are willing to try again. Now that we are among our own kind and safe."

(You never said she had recovered the body of the baby. Another little twist in the story."

((true, but if that's the case, what did alecia bury in the graveyard? if you really wanna run with this, i think it would be great. even more family for anubis and casha to nurture against cain. i might have to go through a few older post though and delete a few things or change them around so it makes sense. otherwise, fantastic idea hun. btw, who is gonna play camilla and the old carnie?))

Casha gave a long smile and yawned, bradnishing her dangerously unique fangs in all their glory. "I thought she might." She said at length and began to wriggle down the bed a little to get up. Anubis' arms were like tree trunks that just didn't want to let go, but she found a way. "I'll sit with her over breakfast for a while, if it's still being served, and then we'll see about having Gabriel join us."
No sooner had her feet touched the lush carpet, her personal slave arrived and bowed her head lightly. Seconds after that, the shower was running and fresh clothes were being laid out for the day.

Alecia wandered around the kitchen for a moment, taking it its simplicitic style and latest gadets. Not her style at all, but it seemed to work. At least, the servants made it all work. She wouldn't have to do much, or at least, she hoped not. Hearing Nicholas hope for another chance at children, she froze to the spot and stared emptily out of the window and downt he expansive lawn towards the outer boundry wall. "We were among our own kind before, Nicholas." She said, "Under the protection of Cain himself and she still died. Could you honestly expect me to take that risk again?" She turned to face him, "Not that I even know if it would be possible. The hunter did so much damage to me, I don't think it possible to carry another child. I know that the King and Queen are different entirely from Cain, but I still don't trust enough to leave myself so vulnerable a second time."

(On your post describing the attack, you said they cut her out and that the cord was torn and the child was bleeding out fast from it. That it was tossed aside and she fought the so called hunters. Now the buildings of that time probably did not have concrete floors, probably wooden. I was thinking the previous owners had a child die at birth and put it in a small wooden coffin and placed it under the flooring. The fire would have uncovered it and the second fire I mentioned that sprung up and burned hot would have destroyed the wood coffin and burned anything but the bones.)

Nicholas felt like a dagger had been thrust into his heart when Alecia said she didn't want to try again and didn't even know if she could have another. He sat down on the kitchen bar stool hanging his head. It was all his fault. He should have been there instead of being fooled by Cain into leaving to see about a job that would set them up for a long time. Had he been there, Alecia would not have been looking for him, they could have escaped together and found a new place to blend in with. Now he would never know the joy of have a child of his own, especially knowing that it was possible with vampires such as Alecia and him. He got up slowly and walked out into the garden.

"But this is my home Father. You are the only Father I have ever known." Camilla looked at him trembling.

"Yes and I will always be. But you have a mother out there and possibly a natural father as well. Think of what she must have went through thinking you dead, mourning the child she thought she had lost. " He rose from his chair and stood over her, squeezing her hand. "I will take you there myself." he knew that would be dangerous, he had stayed obscured with the carnival. But he wanted to reunite his adopted daughter with her family as was proper. Then Camilla could decide what she wanted to do.

Anubis sighed as she slipped from his arms and got ready to get up and talk to Alecia. He rose as well and waited for her to get done showering and dressed so they could go down stairs again.

((that's actually a really amazing idea. the fire and smoke would have masked the scent of older bones from alecia and she would have been in such a state, she wouldn't have noticed. love it, love it, love it. any ideas yet on who is playing the new arrivals?))

Alecia felt the stab of pain in her former lover and cast a careful glance over her shoulder at him. He looked heartbroken, defeated and utterly lost by her words. She felt much the same in her own heart, but that same heart had spoken the words. She just couldn't trust herself like that again and she really didn't know if she could have children anymore. After Nicholas, the idea of sex in any form made her feel sick with fear inside and she avoided the prospect at all costs; much to Cain's annoyance over the years, that was for sure. She remained in silence for nearly half an hour after that, simply staring out of the window through the edge of her blackened veil. It was Casha that finally broke the ice as it were.

Casha entered the kitchen looking far fresher than she should after the heady night before. Servants began to flutter around to make fresh coffee and some light breakfasts for whatever their queen fancied for the morning. She entered in silence, having felt the stiffness in the air and decided to sit down with her coffee first. Finally, after much thought, she broke the stillness with a simple question. "Would you rather I came back later?"
Alecia spun her head about, but didn't answer and looked to Nicholas.
"Clearly, I have intruded on a moment that I have no business to." Casha continued, "If you would prefer, Ms Latimer, I'll leave you alone. When you are ready, you can come and find me." She picked up her coffee mug and stood up to leave.
Alecia's eyes shone at Nicholas as her mouth moved, but no sound came out. Her eyes pleaded with him to say something. She really needed to talk to the queen, but her voice seemed to have simply vanished......

(Nicholas can't say anything. He is out in the Garden, unaware that Casha is there in the kitchen. I will try to do Camilla and Darious. Though I am terrible at doing women.)

Nicholas walked slowly about the garden, the pain in his heart and mind begining to turn to rage. Now, even more then before he wanted to be face to face with Cain, driving the demon sword through his putrid heart, and twisting it. He wanted to watch Cain die a slow and agonizing death, and he began thinking of how he would accomplish it all. He could have the demon that was there and able to move through the shadows to other places, take him there. Perhaps surprise Cain and get his revenge.

Darious moved back to his chair and sat down. "We will leave with in the hour and catch the first flight to the United States and then to Los Angeles." he told Camilla. "Go pack some things and try to dress in the modern day look. We don't want undo attention drawn to us. Here at the Carnival it doesn't matter. But out there we must be wary and on the look out for hunters." As Camilla went to pack, he called the Airport to arrange for a second ticket and then began packing the things he would need, and then called in Andre and informed him that he would be in charge for awhile, till he returned.

An hour later one of the old trucks used to haul things for the Carnival was rolling down the road towards the city and the airport.

((i'll do camilla if you don't want to?))

Casha regarded Alecia for some time, watching the nerves run rampant. Nicholas had unexpectedly left her alone, it seemed, but it didn't matter. Alecia would talk when she was ready and Casha could wait. Instead, she went outside with her coffee into the garden and stood by a rose bush as she watched Nicholas wander. She could feel the anger and pain tearing through him and she knew instinctively what he was thinking. After a few moments, she came forward. "Planning your revenge in detail again?" She offered quietly. "Which plan is this one? Perhaps you would steal the Demon Blade and go after him alone? Or maybe you would take someone with enough about them to give you the edge?" She smiled as she handed her mug to a passing servant. "Or maybe neither. You could just turn up and demand the truth. Fight it out man to man and watch hell fly up to claim you when he parts your head from your shoulders. Believe me, Nicholas, we've all been thinking the same things."......

Nicholas sensed Casha's approach. When she spoke he slowly turned. "You have not lost a child you never knew had been, never felt the pain of never having a child that you never knew you could have. You have not lost the intimancy between the one you love and yourself." he slowly walked away from her and started back towards the house.

There was another way to get to Cain. Begin eliminating those others, placed in high positions. Make his world crumble around him as his plans falters and then begins to crumble. Then get close to Cain, make him trust you beyond reporach and then kill him. He was making the plans in his head as he walked. He walked past Alecia and on into the main part of the mansion to seek a place he could be alone.

The flight took off and both Darious and Camilla settled in for the long flight to the United States. Camilla was a bit nervous about flying since she had never been on a plane before. Yet she was thrilled at the same time, being up in the air, flying. Darious just relaxed and wondered how they would be received.

The kittens were now begining to run all over the place keeping their nannys on the run. They seemed to want to explore every where to see what was in every room. Dante was there also trying to keep the active little ones under some sort of control. The hell hound kept them in sight at all times

"Well now I wonder what they are going to be like when they grow a bit more. Might have to put all the breakables away somewhere." Anubis mentioned to Dante.

Dante chuckled and nodded. "More then likely."

Casha stood silent for a moment with her eyes firmly on Nicholas' back. It had been a long time since she had seen hurt run that deep. In fact, she began to remember clearly the very last time she had seen it. It was not long after she had come here.

Her beloved Anubis had already began believing they could pick up where he and Akasha had left off all those millennia ago and was convinced she felt the same. That hadn't been the case at all. Though she had never denied her connection with her lost ancestor, her life up to that point still held great sway with her and simply put, she just wasn't ready for what he had planned. She had been with him only a few weeks at most when he'd brought up the idea of starting again, settling down and trying for a baby. Deep down, he had terrified her and on voicing those fears, the hurt that she could see in Nicholas reared its ugly head in Anubis. He had been so desperate to return to that life with Akasha, that her turning him down had simply destroyed him. In the end, it had taken Kat's constant shenanigans and interfering and Anubis' unrelenting pleading to make her give in. Even then, it had still taken almost half a year before Gabriel was conceived.

Nicholas made it clear that she had no idea how it felt being in that position, and in truth, she personally didn't. Anubis however, was another matter. He did know how it felt; she had seen it in his eyes every day from the day she turned him down to the last time she bled. Only when her pregnancy had been discovered had that look finally left.

Still watching the poor man's back, Casha began to feel a heavy weight in her heart. It would take a miracle for this pair to reunite again; something no-one but God could create and she silently cursed his cruelty for this tragic couple. Understanding there was little she could do but make things worse, she began to wander back to the house. Gabriel was due his meal and she had been relying a little too much on nursemaids of late.

While up in the master rooms and with everyone banished a while, Casha had Alicia brought up to meet Gabriel as she had requested. The woman entered nervously, but Casha simply smiled and coaxed the other woman in. She had finished feeding the infant and he was comfortably on her shoulder being burped. As soon as Alicia's eyes saw the baby, they welled up with tears and Casha moved carefully forward. "Would you like to hold him?" She asked quietly. The other woman could only nod and she eagerly moved to the nursing chair and sat down. Casha handed the boy over and took a second seat nearby to let them have a moment.

Gabriel stared up at the woman now holding him, understanding that this was not his mother, but not seeing her as any threat either and so stared a while longer before yawning and he promptly then fell asleep in her arms. It was clear to Casha that Alicia was a natural mother and she smiled almost humbly as she watched them. There wasn't much she could do for Nicholas, but perhaps this tiny favour for his beloved might just be enough.

Alicia stared at the baby boy in her arms for what felt like an age. He was perfect in every way and reminded her so much of the brief sight she had of her own lost child. She had no words for the massive feeling rising up from her gut and through her heart and soul. She had only expected to see the baby, not to actually hold him in her own arms like this. And to see that he not only didn't mind this, but felt comfortable enough to fall asleep on her made her heart soar with pride and love. She let herself imagine that he was her baby. Just for a moment, but it was enough. Eventually, she broke her gaze with his sleeping face and looked around to find the lace and cotton lined basket by the bed and moved over to it carefully. She laid him down in it, pulled his blanket up slightly and then caressed his forehead with her thumb. She lingered for a moment and then finally turned away. All the coldness and loss in her features had gone; evaporated like morning dew and she looked at peace. Her eyes met with Casha's and she smiled almost lovingly. "Thank you." She said finally. Casha simply nodded in return and invited the woman back to sit with her. Alicia did and the pair sat together in silence for a while.

Afternoon tea was served in the master rooms and Casha made sure that they were left alone for as long as Alicia wanted. That turned out to be nearly the entire day. Casha didn't mind as she often enjoyed being away from the hustle and bustle of the house. Eventually, Alicia began to speak. They shared their hopes and fears, old stories of times and battles past and Casha was even able to recount a few of Akasha's memories. The two women were bonding. After some time, Kat was invited in and Alicia was introduced to the modern line of thinking. Not to mention four very active, very cute and utterly mischievous kittens. At first, Alicia seemed overwhelmed, but it didn't take long before she was smiling and cooing at them. She even relaxed enough to remove not only her veil, hat and outer coat, but her boots, her stiff waistcoat and her equally stiff outer skirts. She wouldn't go as far as Kat wanted and get rid of the Victorian look entirely, but she did concede the stiffness and that alone seemed to liberate something much softer and more feminine. Surely, this had to be a good thing.......