NationStates Jolt Archive

The two came to the peak of the mountain that they were hiking up and looked down into the valley below. It sprawled out before them, covered in lush green forests and plains, a small corner of the world home to over 2.3 billion lives. Rikan looked sideways to Nathan and smiled warmly,

"Welcome to my Hell...Tarlachia."

Tarlachia...home of dragons, elves, humans, and moonwalkers. It was also a land where she had learned the harsh realities of the world at a young, tender age.

Her mind flashed back to the death of her parents around the early teen years of her life. She had hated that moment with every fiber of her being, for it not only stole her parents, but also forced her to live the life she led now.

She stepped forward, taking the first step into the nation, the first step downward in the last two hours. She looked up to the sprawling valley and frowned.

She was home...but then again, she had never really enjoyed its existence. She fingered the necklace of fangs that hung around her neck. The fangs of her most valuable kills. The deaths of vampires by her own hand.

Nathan smiled as he looked over Tarlachia.

"So this is Tarlachia, the mythical place I heard about in my childhood. A place where things are different...cool."

Nathan slid down the hill a bit, and then walked at the same pace as Rikan did.

Nathan carried alot of what he carried back in the USA. He still wore the torn uniform he'd worn during the hell that was America, with weird undead roaming around, awaiting Nathan's from his two trusty Desert Eagles, which he had holstered in his leg holsters. In his backpack he carried some rations, camping equipment, booze (which doubled as Molotov's), and alot of ammo, as well as some change of clothing, and his helmet. He also carried some daggers around his waist, and two swords in holsters.

Nathan looked at Rikan, and smiled.

"So Rikan, what do you know about our bounty?" he asked.

Rikan nodded as she replied,

"The bounty is the largest the nation has seen since...the roam of Maximus Destroi. That was a long time ago, but some say that he's been killed already. As for whom we shall be hunting this time, that remains to be seen in detail. All I know is that there's a rather substantial bounty out there for the head of one vampire that's been causing enough of a ruckus in the land."

Rikan continued her walk and then stopped, "Tell me...have you ever fought moonwalkers before? Vampires?"

Nathan bit his lip.

"I know a few ways to kill one, and I've heard stories, but I've never encountered one. I'm guessing Vampires are exactly what I've heard them to be. Stalkers of the night, bloodsuckers, immortal etc..."

Rikan pushed aside a low hanging branch for the both of them as they entered the steep forests on the mountain side. She spoke:

"Most likely, what you've learned about killing them, is false. Yes, they are bloodsuckers and stalkers of the night, but one thing I've made many realize..."

She turned to Nathan once again, "They're never immortal...not in the truest sense of the word. In fact, once we get back to my camp, I will take you "sightseeing" into the nightlife..."

#TAG# (OOC: So, you brought Rikan back. :p )

(OOC: Never got rid of her...just hadn't used her in a while...however she's been back for a while...go look at the thread "City of the Dead" hosted by Golden Simatar)

Rikan pushed aside a low hanging branch for the both of them as they entered the steep forests on the mountain side. She spoke:

"Most likely, what you've learned about them, is false. Yes, they are suckers and stalkers of the night, but one thing I've made many realize..."

She turned to Nathan once again, "They're never immortal...not in the truest sense of the word. In fact, once we get back to my camp, I will take you "sightseeing" into the nightlife..."

Nathan smiled.

"Sounds...fun!" he said.

He took out his Desert Eagles, and loaded them. Pulling the sliders back, and then the hammers, he twirled the DE's around, before dropping them into his holster.

She made that sound almost...romantic. Heh. I wonder...if I were to marry her, I wonder where our honeymoon will be...

Grinning and shaking his head, he looked through the dense forest.

"I haven't been in a woods this deep since the Army Cadets..."

Voices could be heard up ahead as the two continued their trek deep in the northern forests of Tarlachia, on the slopes of the mountains. They pushed through the last of the trees and finally found themselves in a clearing. Rikan's eyes looked up ahead at the makeshift buildings. She led Nathan toward the campfire where two dozen men and a few other women, mostly prostitutes, were congregated.

Her boots crunched the dirt beneath her, causing all of them to suddenly look up in surprise. The men rose suddenly and formed a circle around the two.

Rikan and Nathan remained still. Rikan tilted her head from side to side, eyeing the men. They all had their weapons drawn and at their ready. Nathan whispered to her, "I thought these were your friends?!"

Rikan didn't reply...

"Who the hell do you think you are, just waltzing on through our camp?" demanded a gruff looking, greasy haired man with stubble at least five days old.

"Your worst nightmare..." Rikan replied, unsheathing her blades. Nathan had his pistols out, but they were suddenly whipped away by someone wielding a whip.

"Fuck..." he cried.

And then there was laughter. Not evil laughter, or malicious laughter...it was joyous laughter. Nathan looked about in confusement. Rikan herself was also laughing as she went forward and gave a firm hug to one of the men.

"Rysho! It's great to see you again!"

"As is you...who the grunt?" he replied, eyeing Nathan.

Rikan pulled Nathan closer by the arm, her hand firmly on his bicep. "Nathan Halycon...saved my ass a few times while on my last trip."

"Really? Well then..." Rysho stepped closer, his massive, barrel chest jutting forward. He crossed his arms in front of his six foot five inch height and looked down at the smaller man. His face broke out into a grin, "I guess I've gotta thank you."

He extended a massive paw toward Nathan. His muscles were clearly seen, and it was obvious that the man was much stronger than the average warrior.

Nathan looked at the massive paw and then back up at Rysho...

Nathan then grinned, and grabbed the paw, squeezing strongly.

"Good to meet you Rysho."

Then he cursed profusely. For Rysho had squeezed back, crushing his hand.

Gritting his teeth, he removed his hand, winced, and the collected his pistols with his one operational hand. Holstering them, he ran over to a bench, sat down, took his backpack off, and started to search for his Medical kit.

"So what brings you two here Rikan?" Rysho asked as he eyed the grunt across the campfire tending to his wound.

"We're here to collect a bounty prize...surely you've heard of it?"

"Ah...you're talking about the one doing all those rash killings. Some call him the Cobra. He strikes quickly and deadly, much like the snake..."

"Just the one we're looking for..." Rikan commented.

"I'd expect the Viper to say such a thing..."

Grunting, Nathan finished wrapping the bandage. He thought about using painkillers, but decided against it. He could deal with pain. Putting all his stuff back into his backpack, he walked back to Rikan. As he was a little behind her, heard her mention the bounty prize.

"Just the one we're looking for..." Rikan commented.

At this point, after Rysho spoke, Nathan came to Rikan's side.

"I assume you were talking about the vampire we're hunting." He commented.

Rikan nodded at Nathan's comment, "Yes, it's him."

Rysho leaned in, "I suggest you be on higher guard when you go looking for this one Rikan. He's been elusive of even the Tigers, and you know how good their boys work. He's even taken out some of their best operatives."

Rikan narrowed her eyes momentarily, staring into the fire. The Tigers...beaten down by this creature? The Tigers...their best operatives dead. But they're among the best the world has ever seen...

She looked up to Rysho grinning slightly, "I guess it's time this organization step up to the challenge and knock the Tigers from the the coveted spot of being the best..."

Rysho released a "Hoo-ah" in reply, his broad teeth flashing in the light of the fire. For a moment, Nathan could see the serious effect that Rysho's presence could have in any battle. The guy was nearly seven feet tall, had muscles only people sent through the toughest of training, torture and fights could have. His beefy hands alone could take a man's skull and crush it to the size of a child's...

Rysho stood and spoke, "You're leaving at dawn I suppose?"

Rikan nodded, "Yes. Gotta do some recon first of course."

"Of course. Well, I'm off to sleep." Rysho commented, leaving the other two in the light of the fire. His massive shape could be seen in the fading light, walking out of sight, into one of the crudely designed buildings. Soon, his snoring could be heard as it simultaneously shook the foundations of the crude building. Rikan laughed silently, watching the building. She turned her head to face Nathan's own.

"Moon will be up within the hour. We leave then. For now, get your weapons cleaned up and ready. Oh...and you're going to need something else to wear. I'll see if I can find something more suitable to wear, something that'll hide you better in these parts."

She got up and headed to another construct and entered it. A large chest was heard as it creaked open.

She looked at the various items in the chest. Apparently Rysho had done his job as requested just before she left. He had gone and "obtained" some more of the necessities of everyday life, clothing that was made to hide well in the lush forests, and even the shadows of the cities. She pulled out an outfit that she deemed to be roughly Nathan's size. It was a mix of very dark green and black in color. It was a leather outfitting, meant to help provide decent armor, yet keeping agility at a maximum. It included a mask of the clan, complete with the merc clan's emblem of a viper's head with its mouth open. She grinned as she recalled the clan's decision to change that, in honor of herself. She didn't want them to, but their decision could not be halted.

Closing the creaking wood lid she placed the clothing on top and turned her attention to another chest sitting in the corner, covered by a large coarse fabric, that made it appear to be a table instead. She removed the cloth and pulled out a key and unlocked the padlock.

Inside, there lay a wide assortment of weaponry, weapons she had used in the past, weapons that made regular warriors wonder how in the world she managed to use them. Weapons like her preferred bracer-blades.

"Nathan." she called out, watching as he came in moments later. "Clothes are over there." she gestured with a finger. "Get dressed, then come over here...I've got a something for you."

Nathan's eyes fell upon the chest she stood by, but its lid was closed once again. She knew his curiosity would drive him nuts, but soon enough he would see what she was talking about.

Rikan crossed her arms and waited, watching Nathan. She wondered if he would have the balls to strip before her presence. It never bothered her before, she'd seen men nude before, especially in this camp. The same was true the other way around as well. Her mercs had seen her nude, but had never dared to cross her wrongfully. She was the best of the group, and could best any of them. Even Rysho.

Nathan nodded.

"Hope you don't mind."

Nathan unslung his backpack, and put it on the floor carefully. He then unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his toned body. Being careful of his damaged hand, Nathan carefully took off the shirt, and dropped that to the floor. He then leaned over, and began to unlace his boots.

Taking his boots off, he then undid the belt around his waist, and threw that to the pike he'd made. Then he took off his holsters. Grinning to himself, he undid the button to his trousers, and dropped them.

Throwing those onto the pile, he grabbed the clothes Rikan had laid out for him, and began to put those on.

Rikan let out a sly grin as she watched Nathan undress and put on his new outfit. She had apparently gotten his size right with the clothing, for they fit perfectly.

"Come here." she commanded as she turned and opened the weapons chest.

She pulled out each weapon and set them upon a table nearby, six weapons in all. Each were deadly in their own respect, each had killed opponents before.

She picked up the first weapon. "This one is a gun...it fires circular serrated blades. Fifty to a clip."

She picked up another, "This one is a titanium wire projectile weapon...completely severs the body of any foe at a high velocity. Kind of messy in its results."

A third weapon is picked up, "This one is a blade weapon that extends to an extra three feet in both directions." She demonstrated it, "A dual blade weapon, used as a bo would be used."

The fourth weapon was picked up, "This is an armor piercing, high velocity sniper rifle. It has been modified to include small explosives strong enough to equal that of a C4. Something even the government wishes they had."

The fifth weapon was brought into view, "This one isn't much, but has a nice result. This button here ejects a dart that contains the devil viper's venom. This viper can only be found here in Tarlachia, often in the forests, sometimes in the plains. It can hold up to five cc's of the venom, and is strong enough to kill an elephant. Fired at a dragon, it will bounce off the scales, unless it hits the underflesh. If that happens, an older dragon will survive eventually, but will become delusional, and very very sick. Unfortunately, due to vampires' ability to survive many things, it won't kill elders or ancients. Most fledglings will be killed though."

She paused to clarify her next words, "Don't shoot yourself with this, or you'll be dead before you realize what you just did."

The last weapon was picked up, "Or...you can just simply stick to a longsword. This one I used when I was younger. Quite lightweight, yet carries the strength and damage of a claymore."

She replaced the sword back to the table and stepped back.

"Take your pick." she offered, holding her hand out.

Nathan looked at the selection of weaponry. After a few seconds, he picked up the longsword. He felt the weight, stepped backed, and started to twirl it around his fingers, and practice a few moves. He then smiled.

"This will do. My Desert Eagles will do for long range."

Nathan then remembered something.

I remember overhearing what Rikan had to do when she entered the base, and to those guards. Yet, I was closer than anyone there. Lucky them... he thought.

"Lucky them, getting to see her...I barely got a bit of cleavage, not any of her body to say the least..." Nathan muttered. He then bit his lip out of view.

I sure as hell hope she didn't hear that!

Rikan grinned slightly as she heard Nathan's words clearly.

"You know...one of the skills a vampire hunter learns is to listen carefully to the soft, and yet very important speech of vampires. They often like to whisper in your ear, as if they are attempting to mimic your inner thoughts. And in a sense, they are..."

Rikan turned to Nathan, her grin spread across her face. She could see the suprise on his face.

"You want to see my cleavage? You won't be seeing it tonight. I'm already dressed in optimal wear..."

Nathan just grinned back.

"Good things come to those who wait."

He practiced with the longsword some more, and then turned to Rikan.

"Are you going to choose a weapon at all?"

Rikan looked down at her favored weapons, then back up to Nathan, "Normally, I'm good with just these...however, I think I'll add a little flair to this little hunt..."

Rikan kept her blades attached to her arms, to be used as secondary weapons if needed, and picked up the modified sniper rifle. She grinned at Nathan.

"Ready to go?"

She didn't wait for him to respond as she strode past and slung the rifle by its strap around her shoulders. She picked up two belts of bullets and slung them across her torso. The woman seemed to becoming a walking tank, deadly and to be respected.

She nodded to Rysho who called out, "Good luck."

"I don't need luck." she replied with a smirk, before disappearing into the shadows of the woods. She knew where she would lead Nathan...

Nathan waved to Rysho with his damaged hand, and then followed Rikan into the woods. He caught up with her easily.

"So, where are we going now?"

Rikan let out a sly grin, "We're going to the 'Graveyard'."

Nathan looked at her quizzically, "Something tells me there's more than tombstones here..."

Rikan grinned again, "Correct. The 'Graveyard' as so named by the locals, is actually a large pit in the ground covered by a steel heavy door that closes horizontially shut. A set of stairs leads down into the earth, into a massive underground complex that stretches for five miles in each direction. It had been a thermonuclear shelter erected about a mile inside the edge of the woods of the nearest city, built about a century ago. It was built to hold up to a thousand inhabitants comfortably. It really was just an underground city in its own respect, complete with even shops and the like, to help ease the transition from above-ground to below ground easily for the civilians."

She paused momentarily, catching her breath.

"But the arrival of the moonwalkers changed all this. It was decommissioned by the government and given to them as one of their cities. Most of them live peacefully, in agreement with their side of the contract drawn up long ago with the government. But occasionally, we get a few rebels who think they can ignore the rules of society and do as they wish. The government sometimes sends its own Antivamp agents in, but those guys are amateurs. They don't study how a vampire lives, how he stalks the night, how he thinks, acts, does. That brings me to the existence of these merc groups. The government won't wipe them out, for they are the best at these hunts, and usually take them up as a challenge. So in essence, we exist because we're that good."

Rikan looked over at Nathan, "You're going to learn some of that tonight."

Nathan grinned.

"Sounds fun." He commented. He looked at the longsword.

"Who made this. This is probably the best bladed weapon I've ever used!"

Rikan peered into the woods momentarily. Something shifted in the distance. She looked past it, before turning her attention back to Nathan.

"That sword was crafted by Rysho, made specially for me. I was only ten when I joined this clan. He wished for me to learn to wield it, but also wanted it to be lightweight enough to make it easier on me back then. Amazingly, he managed to put the deadliness of a claymore packed into it's slender design. The blade has only been sharpened once, and never has needed it since. In fact..."

She stopped and pointed to a thick tree branch that hung low from the trunk of an oak tree.

"Give it a shot, see my words are true. It will bite cleanly through the tough wood of the oak."

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a slight movement once again. She seemed to ignore it. Nathan never noticed it, nor her attention to it.

"Sure..."

Nathan moved over to the tree. Gripping the sword, he moved it around a little, got a better feel for it. That was when he saw it. A slight movement. Nathan bit his lip.

Maybe the stories were true...

Bringing the sword back, he swung out lightly, and watched the blade blow through the oak. It didn't move. Proding the oak a little, it suddenly slid off the new stump Nathan had made, and the tree fell to the ground.

He turned and smiled at Rikan.

"Nice..."

Then he saw it again.

Keeping a straight face, he walked right up to Rikan, and brought his head close to hers. He held her face. He moved to kiss, but stopped just short.

"There's something out there..."

Then he held there, and wondered what would happen.

Rikan leaned in as well, knowing in his eyes what he finally had noticed.

"Yes, I know. It's been out there for the last ten minutes at least."

She planted a light kiss upon his lips, momentarily distracting him, "First rule, never let them know you know they're there."

She drew back, "Secondly...duck."

Nathan's eyes flared for a second.

Jesus...that was just a light on-

Realising, Nathan immediately dropped onto the tips of his feet, his head level to Rikan's upper legs.

Rikan glared forward at the shadow that zipped between the trees, bringing her rifle up and simultaneously slamming a clip into place. She braced her legs and aimed, following the speeding figure.

Its eyes watched the man drop to the woman's waist, Stupid humans, always looking for sex...

"Cover your ears." she commanded softly to Nathan, who willingly obliged.

The sharp bark of the powerful rifle shook the trees as the bullet screamed out of the muzzle and sped forth past dozens of trees and continued forward.

The shadow zipped between a set of trees, only to be caught unwittingly by the bullet slamming into his torso. His body flew sideways and collided into a nearby tree. Barely a millisecond later, a tremendous explosion tore the creature's body apart, as well as the surrounding trees, that creaked and fell to the earth in a crashing orchestra of destruction.

Rikan lowered her rifle, her eyes alight with a look of smug victory. She tapped him on the shoulder, bringing him to his feet.

Nathan looked at the destruction.

"Wow." is all he could say. He turned to Rikan, and smiled.

Rikan nodded in agreement, and watched as Nathan turned to survey the destruction once more. She turned his head and spoke,

"I never got to finish what I started..."

She replaced her kiss to his lips, letting them linger much longer than before. A tingle went down her spine. So this is what girls say a good kiss is like... she thought to herself, before forcing herself to part with Nathan.

She smiled softly, "Lovely." She stepped around him and made her way to the scene of death. She surveyed the scene and spotted something that caught her eye.

Her fingers plucked the item embedded in the trunk of the initial tree the vampire had hit. She yanked hard, finally freeing it of the wood. She held it up to look at it carefully.

"Nathan..." she called out, turning to look at him. He wasn't there. He was in fact, still standing where she had kissed him, a sort of dreamy look on his face.

"Hey! Get over here." she commanded. He snapped out of his thoughts and came closer.

She took his hand and opened it, placing the item inside his palm and closing it.

"There's your proof."

Nathan looked.

"I guess some of the stories were true..."

Smiling, he put it in a pocket.

"Thanks."

Rikan led Nathan out of the area, continuing their path toward the 'Graveyard'. She walked to a nearby, foliage covered stump and pulled the leaves aside, revealing a small foot by foot platform that held a small box on top. She opened the lid and put in her code, followed with her hand print on the scanner. She closed the lid and turned back to Nathan, stepping closer to him.

"The fun begins." she commented as she watched the steel doors unlock, their gears grinding and sliding apart. The door creaked open slightly, allowing passage into the dark underlair.

"Let's go. Keep your eyes and ears open. Also, if you hear voices in your head that try to persuade you to do something you wouldn't do normally, fight it, or they will take control of your mind and lead you to your eventual death. They are vampires after all... and we'll be like lambs walking into a lion's den."

Rikan looked over at him, "But they often don't realize that I'm the viper in sheep clothing..."

"Don't you mean we're vipers?" Nathan said jokingly. Sheathing the sword, he got out his Desert Eagles, dropped the clips, and slapped in some red coloured ones. Pulling the slider back, he grinned.

"One of the stories says you can take them out using silver, so you can guess what these are..."

Rikan looked sharply at Nathan.

"You've not earned the title yet. Keep your ego deflated boy." she said somewhat testily. Her attitude changed again to a less serious one.

"As for the stories...that part is only a noodle of truth in a soup of lies."

She strode down the hallway, and watched as it stopped and revealed a large steel door that stood before them. The first door slammed shut with a finality behind them.

She entered her code and her handprint once more, and watched this door open silently, just enough to allow them to slip through.

Once inside, a large city lay sprawled out before them, torches and streetlights lighting the area before them. The streets were mostly empty, the sounds of goth music in the distance. There was a strange pungent odor that filtered into their noses.

"Blood." she commented, sniffing the air slightly, "But not fresh."

She strode forward and toward a vendor stand off to the side. Its bore the name of the underground cities' circulating newspaper, "The Goth Times". She tossed the figure behind the counter two coins, the only valued currency of the underworld. He caught them easily, speaking "So you're back, Viper."

"Yes. What have you got for me?"

The figure lowered his copy of the newspaper, revealing his pale face to the two. He spoke, his fangs flashing in the dim light.

"You're after Gerand, the one causing havoc on the surface." he said, more as a statement, rather than a question, "You'll find him in his usual lair."

"Tell me where."

"Going to cost you."

Rikan tossed him a few more coins. The vampire elder caught them, pocketing them swiftly.

"The Rave."

Rikan smiled, "Do you all just party all the time?"

"And feed." he replied darkly, moving his eyes to the newcomer, "New clanmember?"

"You could say that." she replied.

The vampire raised an eyebrow, "Keep with her, sheep. She'll keep you safe. I imagine you've not even noticed the one standing behind you..."

Nathan grinned.

"I did actually." he lied. Spinning faster than Rikan and the elder could see fully, Nathan had his Desert Eagles on the vampire. One on his head. The other on his heart.

"Something tells me your not here for a newspaper..."

Rikan shook her head, "Nathan, lower your weapons, now..."

The near-ancient vampire remained still, his eyes piercing Nathan's own. His face remained stone-cold, expressionless. He spoke...but not with his voice.

In Nathan's head, a cold voice clenched his thoughts, You are foolish, mortal...

Nathan suddenly dropped his weapons from his hands as he clenched his head with them, moaning. His brain felt that it was going to be crushed, flooding his eyes with redness. Blood.

Viper will keep you safe, as Mercutio has said. I advise you to listen to her...

The near-ancient released his grip upon Nathan's mind, and turned to Mercutio. He handed him a few coins and picked up the paper, scanning the headlines and suddenly disappeared.

Nathan looked around to find the vampire, but failed. The vampire had sped away, toward his home...

Rikan hefted the man to his feet, kicking up his pistols with her other foot, catching him in one hand. She stepped closer to Nathan, "Keep your cool, or you'll be dead before you know it."

She nodded to Mercutio, who sent her a telepathic message, Good luck with him...his mind is hot with his ego...

I know. Do me a favor, keep an eye out for Gerand, let me know if you see him.

Payment is required...

You'll get it... she snapped back mentally.

The two strode away toward the center of the city. Vampires passed them by, a good number recognizing the Viper and kept moving. They had seen her in action before, and wouldn't dare to challenge her, or harm her company.

The crimson lights of the Rave began to send an eerie glow ahead of them, their only indication they were getting closer, except for the music increasing in volume.

Nathan bit his lip.

"I guess not all the stories were true."

Rummaging in his backpack, he found some eye drops. Grunting, he put them in, and his eyes leaked for a few seconds. blinking, he replaced the eyedrops.

"Was that some sort of elder vampire? I've never heard of a vampire that can crush brains...even though your brain can't feel pain."

Rikan kept her pace, and occasionally staring down a few of the passing vampires. Uknown to Nathan, they were slightly challenging her in their thoughtspeak, but quickly abandoned their impending attack upon confirmation of who she was. They had heard of her before, and also knew that she was ruthless in combat, not stopping until she was finished.

She replied to Nathan, "That was Vincient Deglorad, one of the members of the thirteen underworld cities that form their council. That council participates in aboveworld meetings with the government, representing the moonwalkers of the cities. Should you have made an attempt to kill Vincient, he would have called the wrath of the city against you, and you would have seen your folly finally. You were lucky I was there. My reputation preceeds us here, and in this, you are safe enough. But I'm not invicible, and they know this. But they rather keep me around, for I keep the troublemakers in line, which in turn keeps the government off their asses."

Nathan nodded, and then stopped.

"If that's the case, it's time I showed you something I made..."

Unslinging his backpack, Nathan began to rummage around. After a few seconds, he pulled out a bulky black belt, which seemed to have boxes lining it, all interconnected to the 'buckle', where two red clips stuck out.

Rikan looked at the item in his hands.

"Keep your cool..." she repeated. She paused to look at him.

"What is that?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. She began to wonder if it was a mistake bringing Nathan down here. She should have never told him of the bounty, of the prey...

Nathan shook his head.

"Ever seen any of those Tomb Raider movies?" he asked. Rikan shook her head. Nathan sighed.

"Right, basically, it's an ammo belt. Allows for uber quick reloading. The belt's loaded with twenty or so clips for each Desert Eagle. All you do is slap the Desert Eagles on the cartridges, pull the slider, and start firing. But here's the good part. The belt uses a spring mechanism, so once one cartridge is gone, another one takes its place."

Rikan looked it over, nodding in appreciation, "A good invention, it will help you well."

She continued walking, and soon passed into the Rave. Strangely there were no bouncers at the door...anyone that went in either was a vampire, or a foolish mortal.

Or...in this case, were seeking a bounty...

The goth music reverbrated within the building, lights flashing mutiple colors, casting the entire room into a surreal evironment. Voices rose and fell, their words strung with poison. Telepathic messages flew about the room, seemingly in disarray. A number of faces turned to eye the two newcomers carefully, smelling fresh meat in the room. Rikan met each with her own look of cold daring.

The room danced and swayed amongst them, subtle movements to block off the entrance, the only exit as well.

A voice rose above the masses, amplified by a microphone,

"Brothers and sisters of the Underworld!"

The vampires all throughout the room released a collective roar and baring of fangs.

"Drinks are on the house!" the voice declared.

A loud, almost insane cry of approval was heard as the masses made their way to the bar, which was modified with a titanium cage and kept by five burly vampires that served the red goblets to the patrons.

Rikan watched this momentarily, and turned back to the voice that spoke. Her eyes caught sight of the vampire holding another female, gripping her thigh with his manacles of hands. She studied him.

"He's a mediocre fledgling, but some of these folk have told me in my mental interrogation that he's stronger than many fledglings. One has told me that he's fed from an ancient in another city, and managed to kill him by draining. Now he is full of the blood of the ancient, and will remain so for a month after the feeding. Rich is the blood of an ancient, and its properties will enhance the moonwalker's own abilities for a short time."

Rikan moved closer to the vampire, to Nathan's surprise. She seemed to have abandoned all judgment and reasoning.

A hand gripped his shoulder. He spun, pulling his Desert Eagles out, but did not fire.

The striking blonde raised her eyebrows and intoned seductively, "Oh now...I don't want to hurt you...I just want to ask you something. You've got guts to come down into this city, only armed with pistols and a longsword. I like that in a man...where do you get such courage?"

She took a slender grip upon his mind with her own, releasing telepathic hormones into his. His eyes became slightly glazed. But he remained stout and pressed the guns closer.

She moved her body closer, pressing herself into Nathan as she gripped him and moved her head closer to his face, licking his cheek, "Mmm...I love the smell of a man..."

The hormones increased their potent amount...

Her hand moved behind his back and undid the sheath of the longsword, passing it away to another seductress watching them intently. She took it and placed it on a table behind herself.

Nathan's mind was flooding with the hormones, his thoughts becoming irrational. He made another attempt to stop the vampiress, but it was weak.

She moved her hand across his backside, sliding it up under his shirt and caressing his muscles. A fingernail slit the cloth easily and it pulled apart...

The vampiress took a gentle grip upon Nathan as she slit her sports bra and revealed a pair of luscious breasts to Nathan's touch. She hugged him, her cold flesh pressing into his skin, actually arousing him some more.

The two were lowered to the ground by her stealthy movements, upon which she slid them softly underneath another table...

She kissed him passionately...he was almost completely under her control...

She kissed his neck, licking his skin... and bared her fangs...

The ssschhhch-clicks of a blade was heard as it suddenly slit through the woman's cheek and out the other side, stopping her feeding advancement toward Nathan's pulsating artery.

"Get up. Now." a cold feminine voice commanded.

The blade pressed deeper into the vampiress's mouth, creating a horizontial slit toward her throat.

"Now." the voice commanded again.

Grudgingly, the vampiress released her clawed hands upon Nathan's chest, leaving a slash across his stomach as she stood. She turned toward the voice.

Rikan snarled, "Go find another, you whore. This one's mine."

"Fuck you Viper, Fuck you!"

Rikan brought her blade to the vampiress's crotch, "With this... gladly. But you're having a lucky day today. Don't ruin it."

The nude torsoed vampiress snarled and bared her fangs at Rikan, who merely looked at her coldly. She finally turned and left, disappearing into the crowd. Soon, she had begun her work on another male vampire...

Rikan looked down at long last at Nathan, "Are you ok?"

Nathan shook his head.

"Jesus I'm so sorry..."

He got himself up, and collected his stuff, he didn't mind being exposed from the waist upwards, but minded some of the other female vampires...

"She...did something to me, I kind of blacked out."

Nathan felt his chest.

"But w-..."

He cut himself off. He wanted Rikan. Period.

"Sorry."

Rikan nodded in understanding, "It's all right...but if I ever catch you with another woman like that..."

She grinned at Nathan's defensive look.

"Relax, I'm not going to cut your balls off...not like Merrin. Now let's go, we've got a bounty to collect."

She picked up his weapons that lay sitting on the other table, and walked back to him, slapping them into his chest.

"She had you hook, line, and sinker." she commented.

Nathan shook his head, ashamed.

"I know, I...I don't get it. I'm quite a tough nut to normally...but...I don't know."

He sagged his head.

"Man, I'm sorry."

He felt the cuts on his chest.

"I deserved these."

"Nah, she was just good at what she does." Rikan offered, as she led him away from his site of humiliation.

She walked toward the vampire who had become the club's favorite patron.

"Gerand."

The vampire snarled and turned to Rikan, "Who the hell are you? What the hell do you want?"

"You. There's a bounty on your head. And I aim to collect." she replied.

The vampire growled loudly, throwing the vampiress clearly across the room. He stood up, his massive shape seeming to be a twin of Rysho. Rikan, who was shorter than him, looked up. She turned to Nathan,

"Tell me, Nathan, why do men see it necessary to have to stick out their chests like so?" she indicated with a thumb toward the vampire.

A swift movement occurred, and Rikan was held in the air by the throat. The hand squeezed, causing her to gasp for air.

"You think you're here for a bounty?" the vampire declared, "You're mistaken."

Rikan unsheathed her bracer blades and swung them upward, severing the flesh and bone of the vampire's arm, right in his forearm. She fell to the ground, and ripped off the hand off her throat. The vampire growled in pain, but lunged toward her with a powerful kick...

"Nah, she was just good at what she does." Rikan offered, as she led him away from his site of humiliation.

She walked toward the vampire who had become the club's favorite patron.

"Gerand."

The vampire snarled and turned to Rikan, "Who the hell are you? What the hell do you want?"

"You. There's a bounty on your head. And I aim to collect." she replied.

The vampire growled loudly, throwing the vampiress clearly across the room. He stood up, his massive shape seeming to be a twin of Rysho. Rikan, who was shorter than him, looked up. She turned to Nathan,

"Tell me, Nathan, why do men see it necessary to have to stick out their chests like so?" she indicated with a thumb toward the vampire.

A swift movement occurred, and Rikan was held in the air by the throat. The hand squeezed, causing her to gasp for air.

"You think you're here for a bounty?" the vampire declared, "You're mistaken."

Rikan unsheathed her bracer blades and swung them upward, severing the flesh and bone of the vampire's arm, right in his forearm. She fell to the ground, and ripped off the hand off her throat. The vampire growled in pain, but lunged toward her with a powerful kick...

"Oh fie..."

Biting his lip, Nathan threw his backpack and spare clothing onto a nearby table. Eyes fell on him. Waiting for the right moment, which was when the vampire was about to kick, Nathan sprung into action. He rolled behind a table, and then equiped his Desert Eagles. Standing, he aimed at the vampire.

"I don't think so f**ker."

Nathan pulled the triggers on his Desert Eagles...

Four bullets fired almost simultaneously as the vampire lunged forward in his kick. One penetrated his leg, just above his knee, burying itself into his femur bone. The second plunged into his stomach, and embedded into his liver. The third and fourth were forced through his neck and shoulder. The vampire spun from the impact, but remained standing, his one arm useless, thanks to Rikan's blades.

Rikan was on her knees, grasping her throat. The vampire had a tremendous strength and had nearly permanantly collapsed her esophagus. She looked up to see Nathan off to the side, his Desert Eagles smoking. She turned her eyes to the vampire, who glanced at both of them and roared. He turned and fled with vampiric speed through the wall, creating a massive hole in the wall.

Suddenly, Rikan turned her head, to see nearly a hundred vampires all watching them...a little too closely.

"Nathan..." she spoke quickly as she scrambled to her feet, "It's time to go...the party's crashed..."

She pulled him up and yanked him toward the door, "Now...we've got to go now. I may have a reputation in these cities, but against large numbers of them, they know they have the upper hand."

Rikan ran down the street. All around them, they could see eyes peering from teh shadows, watching their every move.

Rikan...Gerand just went flying past me. He's headed to the surface.

Rikan acknowledged telepathically.

"He's gone to the surface. We're going after him..."

"Gah!"

Using his arm, Nathan scooped up his backpack and Longsword, leaving his torn top on the table. Putting the two Desert Eagles in one hos his hands, he used the other to put his Longsword and backpack on.

"He's gone to the surface, we're going after him..." Rikan said, or rather, ordered.

Nathan nodded.

"Some vampire, are Silver Bullets not that useful against a vampire? Especially from a Desert Eagle?" Nathan enquired.

Rikan looked into his eyes, "He's got the blood of an ancient running through him. Ancients are naturally decently strong against even silver attacks, but they will fall if enough hits them. I suspect that because he is in actuality a fledgling, this will eventually counter his blood, and he will fall. At that moment, we will strike and we will strike hard and claim the bounty."

Rikan glanced around them. She could see the eyes watching them. The hairs on the back of her neck were tingling, giving her a warning to ill-intentioned enemies.

"We better move faster. We're no longer welcome here." she commented, picking up her pace. The exit to the world above lay ahead of them in the distance, its looming darkness almost lost in the darkness of the underworld city...

Nathan nodded, and looked behind him. He saw the eyes watching him, he bit his lip.

"Shall I start ?" he whispered to Rikan. His fingers tensed on his Desert Eagles.

Rikan looked at him in surprise, "Start fighting? Are you insane? We are vastly outnumbered by the millions. We must not engage in battle at this time."

Rikan glanced behind them, still no sign of pursuers. But she knew they were following out of sight in the shadows. The two jogged down the dark street, their exit much closer now.

Suddenly Rikan caught movement on both sides, suddenly moving faster than the two of them.

"Nathan, run!" she cried as she exploded from her jog to a full stretch run. As she ran, the bracer blades clicked open and waved to and fro as she pumped her arms running. She was fast, but Nathan was managing to keep up.

The shadows in front of them suddenly materialized as hundreds of vampires formed a wall...

Rikan slowed quickly to a halt.

"Fuck" she whispered. She didn't like this, not one bit.

Her eyes flashed with a look of defiance as she prepared herself for battle...

"No..."

Nathan skidded to a halt beside Rikan. He watched the vampire wall materialise. He bit his lip. Hard. He dropped the two clips from his Desert Eagles, and moved them over his belt. This was it.

He smiled.

"Hey Rikan, do you remember the time we were at the mall?"

Rikan let her lips curl slightly upward. "The mall? No, try again. It was the museum, love. And...those creatures were not vampires. They were nowhere as deadly in speed or combat. What we face before us could actually be seen as an evolved version of those creatures. Dead, yes, but very much animated."

Rikan suddenly turned to Nathan and pulled him close, planting a passionate kiss upon his lips. Several moments passed until she finally broke away.

"In case we don't live..." she explained quietly, enjoying the aftereffect of the kiss.

And in that moment, she knew she wanted to live. For the first time in her life, she wanted to live... She didn't want to seek death anymore. There was hope.

And hope stood next to her with a dumb look across his face.

Rikan smiled softly and suddenly turned and ran toward the vampiric wall, screaming at the top of her lungs the cry of her clan, her battle cry of defiance...

Nathan shook his head, and snapped back to reality. He grinned. He gripped his Desert Eagles tightly, and grit his teeth. This was it. His eyes flicking about, Nathan looked at his targets

"5..."

He bit his lip.

"4..."

He took a deep breath.

"3..."

He let the breath out.

"2..."

He remembered his Special Ops training.

"1..."

Grinning, he dropped the Desert Eagles, and began to run. The Desert Eagles slid neatly into their new clips, and were sprung up. Nathan grabbed them, pulled the hammers back, and started firing...

Rikan heard the crisp barks of the Eagles as they spat toward the vampires. She kept her pace as she neared the vampires. Bullets claimed at least three of the vampires at once, penetrating their skulls in some unfashionable way.

The wave of vampires surged forth, fangs flashing in the light of the streetlamp. Then...there was another slash as metal suddenly reflected crimson as the infamous blades of the mercenary screamed forth in fits of rage.

The vampires were mostly fledglings and young elders, hardly anything in the world, and were surprised to see such a creature, and a mortal human at that fight so bravely so...ferociously.

Strangely, this only motivated their attacks...

Nathan leaped over a couple of vampires, and blew their heads off. Rolling, he came up and pulled the sliders on the Desert Eagles, and started picking off the vampires surrounding him.

If you have keen eyes, however, if you look just behind Nathan, you could see two empty Red Clips lying on the ground. That's how fastthe belt reloaded Nathan's Desert Eagles.

Emptying another clip into a group of vampires, Nathan flipped (and reloaded) over some more vampires, and slid on his back across the floor, taking out the vampires now chasing him...

Rikan felt one of the vampire's presence behind her and grip her by the throat and throw her hard.

She flew over the pack that had been advancing and crashed into a wall. She thumped heavily onto the ground and groaned in pain. A few ribs were broken, she was sure of it. She raised herself up and looked for Nathan.

"NATHAN!" she cried.
_________________

A new presence landed in front Nathan, facing the vampires, his back to Nathan.

"I'm here to help you, mortal." declared the vampire. Nathan looked toward the vampire in disbelief.

The vampire snarled his fangs toward the wall of vampires, "Come on. You think you can take me on?"

None moved, knowing who this one was. It was Viktor Schlorenzo, one of the elders of the council. The same one who had been behind Rikan and Nathan earlier at the newstand...

"Well? If you won't fight me, then disperse!" demanded the vampire, flexing his fingers as he waited...

Slowly at first the vampires dispersed, snarling their dislike at the elder's demands.

Nathan grinned, and then heard Rikan's outcry.

"Rikan!"

Holstering his Desert Eagles, he ran to Rikan, and unslung his backpack. He quickly went through it, and took out his Medical Kit. He looked Rikan in the eye.

"Try and give me a diagnosis. Where are you hurt?"

Rikan was glad to see that Nathan was unharmed. She looked past him as she saw a figure walking up to them.

"Viktor...thank you..." she grunted as she was pushed back down onto her backside by Nathan, "Watch it...a couple of ribs are broken..."

Rikan raised a hand up to her throat, noticing there was a few slashes from the vampire's fingernails. They weren't deep, but nevertheless, they still stung a little.

Viktor finally spoke, "You ought to have come to me first, Viper..."

Rikan looked up to him, "Perhaps..."

She looked back to Nathan, "But we're going to stop Gerand, one way or another..."

Nathan turned to Viktor, and nodded appreciatively. He then turned to Rikan.

"Right, hold still..."

Opening up his Medical Kit, he got out a syringe, filled with a blue coloured liquid. He injected it into Rikan.

"To kill the pain. Right, there's not much I can do at the moment, but I can do something to support your torso...but you need to take your top off, okay?" He asked.

Rikan caught Nathan's eyes with her own. She looked at him sternly at first, then spoke,

"For anyone else, I'd have cut their eyes out...However, for you, I will do this..."

Rikan carefully sat up, feeling the ribs move and grind against each other under her skin. She reached around herself and paused momentarily,

"Enjoy the view." she grinned.

Her hands pulled the top of her outfit off, releasing her firm breasts to Nathan. She glanced over to Viktor, who also was admiring her.

"Viktor...if you don't mind..." she started.

"Oh, yes, of course." he replied, turning around, scanning his eyes upon the city before him.

Rikan turned her eyes back to Nathan, "Well? What do you need me to do now doc?" she grinned.

"Alot of things..." Nathan said hurriedly. His hormones set off like firecrackers, and he turned away, and bit his finger. Hard. Shaking his head, he turned back.

"Sorry...what I need you to do is to arc- arc- ar- ar-...crud."

Nathan slapped himself around the face twice, and then said hurriedly, "What I need you to do is to sit fowards a little, and lean back, so your shoulders are on the wall. This will make your torso go diagonal, so I can do what I need to next."

Nathan took a deep breath, and sighed.

Rikan did as Nathan requested, straightening her torso as indicated. She could see him blushing slightly from what he saw. She knew that men were wired to become sexually aroused by simply seeing a woman's curves, even if she weren't undressed. She sighed and raised a hand to his, taking a gentle grip on it.

Nathan looked at her, somewhat surprised, as if he had been a deer in the headlights.

Rikan watched his face as she guided his hand to her chest, pressing his hand against her breast closest to him. She spoke softly, "You don't need to be ashamed of what you feel, Nathan..."

Her thoughts continued what she didn't have the guts to say that moment, I think I'm falling in love with you...

Nathan just smiled, and blushed a little. However, to put it simply, his body was full of exploding C4. He'd never...

Nathan nodded.

"Okay, but I can't do my job properly if I'm turned on." He said with a small grin. Reluctantly moving his hand away from Rikan's breast, be began to get some weird looking bandages out from the Medical Kit. Turning to Rikan, he began to wrap it gently around her ribs. He continued for a few minutes, before cutting it, and sticking the bandage on. Rikan's were still out, which may prove to be a problem.

"Right, that's all I can really do. This will help your ribs heal quicker, and help support you. It'll also inhibit your movement in some ways, but that's to stop you from damaging the ribs any further. You can only wear light armour, and no tight fitting clothing."

Rikan smiled and tested her manueverability. She frowned slightly, the bindings would keep her from being as effective in battle as she would've liked.

She looked at Nathan, "Well, I guess I can't use this top for now...got something else I can use?"

Rikan got to her feet with Nathan's help. She smiled slightly as he couldn't keep his eyes off her chest.

Boys will be boys... she thought to herself.

Nathan bit his lip.

"I could wrap you in bandages I suppose...or..."

Nathan turned, and walked in front of Viktor, so he couldn't turn to see Rikan.

"Hey Viktor, are you up for a little clothes shopping?" He asked with a grin.

Viktor looked coldly into Nathan's eyes, "Shopping? I don't shop. I take what I want, when I want it. My status in the underworld allows me to do so."

Viktor beckoned for Nathan and Rikan to follow, still not turning to look at Rikan. Rikan began to keep pace, walking carefully for her ribs still hurt like hell.

Minutes later, the three were inside one of the small malls of the Underworld. Inside, there were an array of gothic clothing. Viktor called out to the clerk, "Let them take what they want."

The clerk nodded respectfully, raising an eyebrow at Rikan's appearance. He could imagine the lucious blood that pumped rhthymically under he skin, giving her that healthy glow she seemed to have, no matter how beat up she was.

Rikan caught him staring at her chest and caught his attention with a hand giving him the middle finger. The clerk opened his eyes, surprised for a moment, his fangs slipping out slightly.

Rikan kept moving, heading toward the women's section...

Nathan grabbed his Desert Eagles, and followed Rikan. She wasn't fully combat ready, and hey, a few more glimpses wouldn't hurt. Would it?

Sighing, he looked around as he caught up with Rikan. So many ic clothes...

Rikan turned to Nathan smiling slyly.

"I've got an idea...since Gerand is gone for a bit, why don't you pick out what I wear?"

Rikan grinned mischievously...

Nathan grinned.

"I'll be back."

Taking a good last look at Rikan's chest, he moved off deeper into the women's section. Time and time again, he was tempted to buy a few fishnets, there was even a top with a plastic front! But eventually, he settled for this: http://www.gothicasylum.com/products/images/spd0023.gif

Shrugging, he walked over to Rikan, and grinned.

"Will this do?"

Rikan raised an eyebrow, "Keeping the others boys off me are you?"

Nathan began to stutter. Rikan put a finger to his mouth, "Don't bother." she laughed.

Rikan took the tank top and ripped the tag off, and donned it gingerly down her slim figure, and over her ample bosom. She looked up at Nathan and asked, "Well?"

Nathan grinned.

"Fantastic, it's a new you!" He said playfully. He walked around Rikan slowly, and nodded.

"Yup. Definately."

Rikan smiled as she watched Nathan check her out. Inside, she had never felt so happy, so feminine, so...alive... Finally, once Nathan was done, she stepped closer to him, taking his hand and pulling him closer.

"Nathan..." she started. Yet, words failed her lips as she looked gently into his eyes. She closed her eyes and kissed him...

At this point in time, Nathan did only what his body told him to. He kissed back passionately, and for a few moments, he was lost in his own bath of passion. Slowly moving his lips away from Rikan's, he smiled.

"I love you..."

At this point Viktor appeared. Nathan turned, and then sighed, and shook her head.

"We're gonna call the hunt off for tonight...she er...needs to heal, or at least rest. It's been a hard day, and I can do more to her when we find a room."

Later, Viktor would puzzle himself wondering what Nathan actually meant by what he just said.

Nathan just grinned.

Viktor raised an eyebrow and looked between the two. "Whatever suits your fancy."

Rikan nodded, "Let's get out of here, Nathan." She thanked Viktor and walked somewhat stiffly out the door, a hand on her lower ribs. Despite the bandages, they still hurt like hell. However, she wouldn't let Nathan see this pain, and kept a straight face.

Viktor escorted them to the Gate and closed it behind them, leaving them on their own on the surface once more.

"Well...let's get home." Rikan suggested with a sly look in her face.

Nathan grinned.

"As in going back to Rysho and his lot? Or shall we try out that Camp-kit I scavenged from the Chopper?" He asked. He unslung his backpack, and waited for Rikan's decision.

Rikan gave a mock glare, "What do you think?"

She kept walking, but stopped when Nathan did, and reported the kit he had swiped.

Rikan smiled and asked, "Are you always this resourceful?"

She took the pack and peered inside, "Hmm..apparently so..." she muttered, "We need to get further from the gate to the city."

She led him for a while through the woods until they were at least five miles from either the merc camp or the city. Rikan turned to Nathan and proceeded to take the pack from him again.

"I'll help you with that." she stated.

Nathan took it away from Rikan's grasp.

"Nonono. Doctor's orders. You need to be comfortable. Helping me will only agro your condition, anyway, I can handle it."

Nathan saw Rikan's disdain, and bit his lip.

"Please."

Rikan glared at Nathan. Her voice was slightly sharp in its clipped words, "I hope you're not thinking of completely controlling me, if at all..."

She turned away and sat down carefully, looking up at the stars. Inside, she smiled, A true gentleman...so hard to find...

She lowered her gaze to watch Nathan as he set to work on setting up the camp. She got up and disappeared from the small clearing, returning minutes later with a few small logs and branches. She dropped them into a pile and knelt down carefully to set the fire pit strategically to get the best results. She walked over to a pack and rummanged around inside until she found what she was looking for. A homemade quick-start fire catalyst.

It was a simple creation, something she had come up with. It was a small cup from an egg carton, filled with lint from laundry machines in the human towns, and topped off with a bit of wax on top. It would burn for a few minutes and establish a decent small fire that could be fed and controlled as she wished.

She produced a lighter from her pocket and lit the starter tossing it into the middle of the wood in the firepit. It was followed by a few more branches, but left enough space for oxygen to feed the fire. Soon, a warm fire illuminated the camp, casting soft waves of light onto the nearby trees.

Nathan smiled as the fire came to life. He could feel the warmth from here, not that he was cold of course. Wiping some sweat from his brow, he grabbed his one shoulder, and ed his neck a little, and loosened up his body. He'd set up two metal chairs and one big ten around the fire, in a triangle formation, with the tent at the 'peak'. The tent was camoflagued, covered in fake foliage, mud and twigs. Inside was one sleeping bag, sadly, Nathan had 'misplaced' the others, but the sleeping bag was a large one, more than big enough to accomidate Rikan and himself.

Smiling, he went over to Rikan, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Interesting way of starting a fire I must admit. They didn't teach me anything like that in basic training."

Rikan grinned, "This kind of thing, you learn on your own. You learn to make the best use of what's around you. In basic, they'll have the supplies already for you. Out here, in the real world, its much different. Same thing with battles and wars. It'll always be a far cry from what basic will show."

She sat herself down into one of the chairs and stared into the fire, falling into deep thoughts for several moments before snapping out of them and looking over to Nathan. She smiled, allowing herself to relax. She leaned her head back and rested it against the chair, closing her eyes...

"Hey Nathan?" she called out.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for coming."

She reached her hand out to his, clasping it gently. Her hand was lean, yet muscled more so than the average woman's. It fit the rest of her physique perfectly. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked over to him, "I'm serious...I...never thought this would happen, with all that's happened to me..."

She stood and pulled him to his feet, pulling him closer, "And I want to thank you for bringing life back into this bitch of death."

Nathan smiled. Letting out a small breath, he squeezed Rikan's hand gently, and looked into her eyes deeply.

"Thank you, for giving me a purpose in life..."

That was all he could really say, for Nathan believed in the saying 'Actions speak louder than words'. Smiling, and remembering all they'd been through, Nathan moved his lips slowly towards hers, and paused just short.

"I love you..."

Not wasting anymore time, Nathan closed his eyes, and kissed Rikan passionately.

Rikan returned the kiss, pulling Nathan closer, holding him gently. The kiss seemed to create fireworks in both of them. She pulled him closer, continuing to kiss him as she led him to the tent. Inside, she zipped the tent shut.

Nathan spoke for a moment, "What about the fire?"

Rikan replied quickly, "It'll be fine, its a small fire, and the rains around here have been heavy up to the last few days. Now shut up and pay attention..."

She pulled away and gingerly removed her weapons, placing them aside, safely sheathed. She ran her hands across his muscled chest, smiling slightly as she leaned in for another kiss...

"You want to do this?" she asked, patiently waiting for his response.

Nathan grinned.

"Hell yeah..."

He kissed her. With careful manuevering, Nathan managed to get them close enough to the sleeping bag to do what he'd been planning to do. Moving Rikan slightly back, he took hold of some of Rikan's top, and pulled it off Rikan slowly, exposing her luscious br*asts and fantastic body, even if some of her lower body was covered in bandages. Still kissing, he carefully slid his hands around Rikan's ass, and grinning, squeezed a little, and jumped Rikan up, her legs wrapping around his torso. He was definately 'In the zone' now. Rubbing Rikan gently, he eased down slowly onto the floor. Smiling, he began to taste her, kissing her neck and moving downwards...

Rikan closed her eyes and allowed her senses to awaken with Nathan's intimate touches. Her heart beat faster, louder as she felt a simultaneously pleasing tingle down her spine. She whispered softly, "Yes..."

She arched her back, creating a graceful arc that seemed to mold right into Nathan as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.

The night blurred in their minds, the sounds of the forest fading away as the two focused completely into each other. Time froze, or seemed to vanished completely. The fire in both of their bodies rose with intense fury as they enveloped themselves in their inferno, oblivious to anything else...

__________________________

Some time later...

Rikan snuggled close into Nathan, her arm wrapped around his chest daintily. Both slept soundly, exausted but in a good way. Things were different however, for Rikan in her dreams...

A loud crashing noise is heard downstairs. The little girl looks up to the doorway of her room in fear. She grabs her doll and runs to the top of the stairs and looks down. She sees her father standing menacingly against the men that had swarmed into the home.

"Get out of my house!" he demanded, pulling up a shotgun to bear. A flash of light and suddenly her father dropped the shotgun, clutching his throat. He collapsed moments later, with a blade of sorts buried deeply. Dark crimson blood coated his hands and the floor as he died in his agony.

Upstairs, Rikan gasped in shock. "Daddy!" she cried, as she watched her father die. Her mother's scream was heard in the next room.

"Rikan! Erica! Run!"

Rikan was pulled away by her older sister, who had been standing next to Rikan, and had also seen the murder.

"Come on! We gotta go!" cried Erica. The two ran, followed by the sounds of heavy booted feet running up the stairs after them. The door slammed shut, the lock sliding into place. Erica continued to pull Rikan toward the window. She opened it quickly, and quickly guided her younger sister out the window. Moments later she herself followed Rikan onto the tree branch that hovered near the window. Rikan touched upon the ground and turned her eyes up to Erica, "Hurry Erica!" she called out, tears streaming down her face.

A sickening sound of wood breaking was heard, and soon, a single dark figure appeared at the window and glared out. Erica screamed at the man, "Fuck off!"

The man pulled out a whip and snapped it, quickly wrapping it around the girl's throat and pulled it hard. Erica gripped the whip with her hands, just before she lost her footing. Rikan screamed as she watched her sister struggle against the now life-threatening weapon around her throat, slowly strangling her. Rikan made an attempt to jump up and try to help her sister, but she was out of reach. Her sister looked down at Rikan, the light fading slowly from her eyes. She gasped,

"Rikan........ru--"

Her eyes rolled back in her head, before her body fell limp, her finger still bound into the leather whip. The man sneered, and glared down at Rikan. He called back to the others in the house, just as the mother's scream was heard, before it was cut silent by a pistol shot.

"One's outside! Get her!"

Rikan turned and ran as fast as she could, her little legs pounding furiously into the packed earth. She escaped into the woods, and soon became lost in the darkness of the woods...

In the tent, Rikan was whimpering, convulsing slightly as she vividly relived the brutal murder of her family in her mind. Tears streamed down her face as she cried "No...Erica..."

Her hands dug furiously into Nathan's chest, her nails drawing blood. Yet, in her dream, she was clawing the earth in her fury, her fear, her sorrow...

"Err.... argh, Jesus!" Nathan awoke instantly. He looked down, and saw Rikan clawing his chest. She was having a bad dream, as far as Nathan could tell. Sighing, he carefully moved her hand away from his bleeding chest, and held it. He carefully licked off the blood on her hand, and kissed it. He didn't mind about the bleeding, it wasn't that bad after all. He watched her for a few seconds before sighing. He bent down, and kissed her, after a few seconds, he moved his face away, and waited to see if she'd wake up.

Rikan awoke with a gasp, her face a complete mess from her emotions having poured out as she slept. Her eyes first met the scratches on Nathan's chest and she widened her eyes as she looked up to him quickly.

"I'm sorry...just...a bad dream..."

Rikan sat up, her back to Nathan as she pulled her legs up to her chest and held them tightly. Her nude form was rather smooth in its curves, the figure, a dream that only artists loved to mimic on their mediums. She lowered her head to her knees and cried silently. The pain, although it had happened nearly two decades ago, was still just as raw as if it had happened the day before. She had been an innocent child, and darkness raped that innocence from her mind. How she might have been a completely different person, had those bandits chosen to bypass the house.

But they hadn't, for Fate had drawn them there into a grisly scene of death, pillaging, and rape. Fate had sealed Rikan's destiny with that one fork in the road, that one defining moment that changed who she was, forever.

A few more tears stole silently down her cheeks as she closed her eyes and recalled the visions of her family's faces, all smiling, all unaware of what had happened...

Nathan shook his head.

"It's alright..."

Nathan shifted closer to her, and held her shoulders. He rested his chin lightly on her on shoulder, and peered around to her face. He saw the tears.

"Honey, what was it? What happend?"

Rikan shook her head negatively. Drying her tears she reconciled her self, and turned to him. She looked into his eyes and sighed. At long last, she began her story, telling Nathan of the horrid events of her childhood that had scarred her, changed her so much. They had changed her into the person she was now, a ruthless killer. Only one thing remained different between herself and the bandits of long ago. She killed only for survival, and in certain cases, for justice.

The bandits of course, were long dead. Justice had been delayed briefly over the years, but she soon came back, and had killed them, one by one. Her slaughter left the corpses strung up on the courthouse of the nearest town, their bodies stretched beyond their normal abilities. On their exposed torsos, a single word had been carved by a blade that defined the message.

Justice.

Rikan finished her story, bringing it right up to the last few days...

Nathan nodded, and bit his lip after hearing her story.

"I'm sorry to hear that happend too you...but after you killed the bandits, why go on and become a mercenary?" He asked.

Rikan sighed. She thought she had explained it clearly enough. Apparently not. She looked back at him, "Justice was too long for the law to enforce. Sometimes one must do what they must."

She lay back down, mindful of her ribs. She slid in close to Nathan and held him lightly. "Sometimes, one must take the law into their own hands. Besides, my group took me in, taught me all I knew about combat, about war, about life and death. Besides, I had to make a living somehow..."

Nathan nodded, and then bent down. He looked over her body, not hungrily, but more in an examining fashion. He then smiled, and looked at Rikan.

"How do the ribs feel?" He asked.

Rikan sighed, "Feels like shit. But the patch job you did is working. They're not grinding against each other so painfully anymore."

She pulled him back down to lay next to her, "Now let's get some sleep. It's going to be a long hunt tomorrow, searching for the clues that will tell us where the bastard's been hiding..."

Nathan nodded, and smiled.

"Well, have a more pleasant sleep than before, and I'll wake you up when I've made some coffee."

He kissed Rikan on the lips gently, and stroked her hair.

"I love you, and I always will."

Smiling again, Nathan lossened hismelf up, and got comfortable.

Rikan smiled softly to herself. She was glad Nathan was here. She still was having a somewhat hard time believing that their initial meeting had led to this...to this moment.

"I love you too..." she whispered quietly...

She closed her eyes, slipping into her dreams quickly. But this time, they were nicer to her conscience.

Nathan smiled, and before he knew it, he'd drifted away from the tent, in some colourful dream of his. He flew past the Sun, and looped around it a few times, before hopping over Mercury and Venus, and watching over The Earth, occasionally batting away a few asteroids...

_________________________________________________________________

[The next day]

Nathan walked in with two steaming metal cups. It was a nice day outside, the fire had died down, the birds were out, and the forests were revealed with all their beauty. He smiled, and bent down to Rikan.

"Rikan? Rikan..."

Sighing, he kissed her on the cheek.

"Rikan, time to wake up..."

Rikan had heard Nathan the first time, but decided to give him a bit of a shock. Her hand whipped out and gripped his throat somewhat tightly. She spoke softly with her eyes closed.

"You're dead. Blade across your artery and esophagus. Death will come within five minutes."

Nathan had managed to keep the coffee from spilling in his surprise. He sat down and handed her one of the mugs. She sat up and accepted it. She noted she was still nude.

"Nice to wake up to this eh?" she asked, sipping the coffee slightly to test for its temperature. It was perfect. She wondered if Nathan had cooked anything. She couldn't smell anything, so she figured he hadn't.

The moment Rikan had told him how he'd have died, he laughed, and grinned.

"Good to see you're in a good mood."

"Nice to wake up to this eh?" Rikan asked. Nathan nodded.

"Should hope so."

Nathan had a pair of trousers on, identical to the ones he was wearing yesterday. He pointed outside of the tent.

"The fire's died down, so I'll need you to start the fire. While you do that, I'm gonna go into town and get us some food."

Rikan raised an eyebrow at Nathan, then smiled, "Go on. I'll have it done."

She returned to inside the tent and dressed herself, then pulled out two of the firestarters. Minutes later, she had a blaze roaring nicely in the fire pit. She pulled out a few basic cooking supplies and set them aside, ready to be used. She sat down in one of the chairs, and looked into the fire. As she waited for Nathan to return, she thought back to the previous night, the time with Nathan, and the dream that plagued her thoughts so vividly.