Bloodlines, Beasts and Bad Business (Sarjin x Fieryangel)

Ryker walked down the sidewalk every so often he gave a gaze up at the monstrous building that blotted out the sun. He wasn't used to big cities, he was a country wolf. Used to the outdoors, forests and fields. This city with its pollution was burning his delicate nostrils threatening to suffocate him. He didn't understand how the city wolves lived in places like this, separate from everything a werewolf should hold dear. Being powerful enough to run free, they choose to live like slaves to government and to be so close to the leeches, the only creatures who could challenge them as potential apex predators since time immemorable. Neither of them sat on top of the food chain anymore, technology evened the playing field and gave humans a leg up in the war. Now they both had to live in the shadows lest bad things happen.

Recent events had drawn him from his pack, Ryder was a shaman. A werewolf who could see spirits and through them tap into magic. One of these spirits told him of a creature that was bringing the city wolves and the vampires dangerously close to coming out in the open. The city he walked through was under a recent crime wave. Murders, property damage, hunters those humans that were in on the secret were flocking to the city, looking to put down the beasts that lurked in the shadows. The very thought made him smile, most people would never see one of them, and if they did wouldn't live to tell the tale. The spirit told him of one who transcended race, a child of the union between werewolf and vampire.

He had thought long and hard about what to do, he even consulted the alpha of his pack, but was told that it was a city wolf problem. Ryker didn't buy that answer. As a wolf of nature, one closer than the rest, he knew it was his duty to get to the bottom of this. To figure out the mess, and restore balance to the situation. It was to this means he had enlisted the help km the current spirit he was following. It was a simple wisp, a very low level spirit, it claimed to have seen what he was looking for. Unfortunately there was no way to tell if it was lying, telling the truth, or simply insane. He had no other choice, no other leads, his heightened senses were dead to him in the smog of the city, not that he would know what a half vampire half werewolf would smell like in the first place. He had no choice but to trust the wisp and follow it through the tangled concrete jungle.

He sighed, he felt like he'd already been walking for hours and everything in the city looked alike. Concrete and steel, all disheartening bland colors. Couldn't even match the beauty of the Plaines desert, he disliked the city wolves even more in that moment. He brushed a hand through his long straight black hair. It was going to be a rough day, especially if his enemies found out he was trespassing. He blinked his hazel eyes a few times, trying to wash the filth from the air off them, he already felt like he needed a bath and he hadn't even touched anything. He renewed his effort shouting at the spirit " let's make this quick I can't be here forever" His shouting at nothing drew the concerned stares of several onlookers as he yelled at nothing. The spirit however complied and began to float faster, which in turn caused him to lengthen the stride of his long legs and move things just a little bit faster.

Shadows cast down upon the city from towering buildings that reached the clouds, giving ample darkness for night dwellers to shift through the alley's. In the light, wolves in human form stalked the crowded streets. Neither side worked together, but it would appear that they were. A common enemy lurked somewhere near, driving both sides to halt their war simply to hunt her down. Swift shadows lingered in the shade, eyeing each wolf that passed by with caution, toying with the humans who dared walk too close in hopes to lure one out of sight. It was a game to the night walkers, desiring nothing more than blood and death. The wolves, however, were on a mission. This enemy could prove to be far too valuable to the vampires, and it was there job to destroy her before she could destroy them.

A frightened girl walked the streets, hood pulled over her raven mane an hiding her ocean blue eyes. Sticking to the thickest crowds, she couldn't risk to be detected. Eira was a hybrid, born and raised from vampire and lycan, both who had been hiding in the city for years. Upon her eighteenth birthday, they were found, both parents executed for their crime. She had been running ever since, hiding for 3 years from those who deemed her far too dangerous to survive. It's not that she had hurt someone, but the potential was far too great, either side not willing to risk her allegiance pledged to their enemies.

No where was safe as she walked the streets, shoving past those who walked far too slow for her liking. Passing by a coffee shop, two men pointed in her direction, quickly following after. Breaking into a run, her heart began to race out of fear. Footfalls were harsh upon the pavement, people ducking and dodging as her approach grew near. It was clear she was in a hurry, and willing to run over those who dared stand in her way.

Cutting down an alley, her escape was cut off by two dark figures lurking in the shadows, grinning wickedly as they advanced. She was surrounded, two men on either side with no where else to run. Hands up in surrender, the advances didn't cease, the look of determination in each of their eyes. They weren't about to let her go. Eira let out a blood curdling scream as they all pounced, pinning her to the ground. She was strong, but not enough to fight four men of races that weren't human. Snapping her jaws, blood spilled as she tore at the vampires, who only hissed back. This wasn't a battle she could win, but it wasn't one she'd so easily lose.

Ryker was growing frustrated. He spent a lot of time so far and barely seemed any closer to his goal, although the city was changing as he traveled. It had gone from clean and uniform to disgusting and shoddy craftsmanship. Graffiti painted the alleys, he could feel the taint of what he would describe as evil all around him. People looked at him differently here, they looked at him as a target.

It wasn't long before he heard a scream. The wisp reacted to the scream, zooming toward it leaving Ryker with no option but to sprint behind it. Luckily it wasn't far, the wisp had recognized her voice, and was rushing to where she was being attacked. He skidded into the front of the alley, taking in the situation four of them on her. This was the first moment he realized that the mixed breed was a woman, the wisp could be vague sometimes.

He contemplated his options, he wasn't exactly considered a great warrior by any means, he was expected to use his magic. He rarely trained with his pack to learn to fight, there was never a need he was more important, he gave them more advantages than the alpha did. Regardless he was still a werewolf, he could overpower one, maybe two. He might get lucky and tack them all out if he shifted, but in a crowded city a large wolf-beast wouldn't exactly be inconspicuous.

Ryker thought on his feet, he used his limited resources, he couldn't draw from nature very well here but he had some tools. He imbued his hand with a type of magical energy, one that would allow him to touch the wisp. He grabbed the wisp and sprinted towards the closest vampire, he smacked his palm down containing the spirit on the back of the leeches head forcing the wisp inside the skull, which as an incorporeal being was an easy task. The spirit had no form until he passed the energy from his hand into the vampire.

The vampire was suddenly, painfully, and violently aware that there was something swimming around in his head. The vampire in unimaginable agony failed and thrashed upon the ground d clawing at his own face to try and dig out whatever was hurting him. Ryker jumped back out of range, of the vampires and thrwe his hands up in an inviting gesture "Who is next" I'very got a dozen more tricks up my sleeve" he bluffed.

A shift was tempting in the shadows, flight or fight kicking in as she thrashed about upon the ground below the beings clawing at her skin. She was stronger than them, far harder to harm and maim, each grab that should have torn flesh seeming to only graze upon hardened stone. Eira was no stranger to the game of cat and mouse, her assailants clearly not quick to kill and simply wishing to torment the beast before one would be declared a winner. She wasn't willing to give up, not yet, and mustered all of her strength to fight back. A hand wound around the wrist of a wolf, yanking it so that the bone snapped in two, leaving him yelping and cussing up a storm, anger flaring in her eyes. Normally one to boast about such things, she had no time as yet another charged into the scene.

Unsure if he was friend or foe, Eira did nothing to help in the fight against the vampire, though she watched curiously as he thrashed about in agony. Who was this man and what powers did he posses? Fascination would have to wait, the quick distraction giving her ample time to rise to her feet and charge the other wolf, leaping upon his back as the man had now decided to turn and run. He didn't make it far at all before she was perched upon his back, arms snaking around his neck to quickly drop him to his knees. Not wishing to kill him, she simply held on until he drifted to sleep, making sure his breath was coming before stepping away.

The other wolf snarled viciously at the half breed, his mangled arm already working on healing, but still quite useless. Lips pulled up into a wicked grin as he approached, this time bearing a weapon. Her grin faded, arms raising in surrender. "Don't shoot, okay? I don't know what the hell you guys want or why you're hunting me, but if you don't stop this, we're going to get noticed.

The man laughed at her, uncaring about the bloodsuckers fighting against another wolf, though he was curious as to who he was and why he'd never been seen before. "You know why. You're a threat to us all. Come with us, and we'll make sure your death is painless and quick. Can't say much about the leeches over there." Shaking her head, she refused, but was nearly pinned against the wall with no where to run.

Ryker was pretty pleased with his quick thinking on the first vampire. He'd be down for a while, with the strong magic tied to his head, he felt it was a safe assumption the downed leech didn't know how to use magic himself, being an almost one In a million talent. He however was not as happy when the other vampire rushed him. He was weaker than Ryker but faster and quickly put the wolf on the defensive.

Ryker had to be careful avoiding the claws of the fanned creature before him. He carefully slipped and move around the creatures haphazard attacks. He could tell that he was fighting an inexperienced opponent, a young brave one. He was hoping to scare it off withwhat he did to his friend. Ryker was buying time trying to figure a way out of the situation. Simply avoiding contact and creating distance. He needed a plan and so far he had nothing.

He saw the gun come out and he knew the situation had taken a turn for the worst. Guns were such a pitiful weapon, technology disgusted him. He knew the only way out of the situation would be with magic. Something that was going to take a whole hell of a lot of power and draw a whole lot of attention. He noticed the concrete structure structure that made up one side of the alley. It was a long shot but it was his only hope.

He stepped into the vampire eating a claw to his shoulder while simultaneously delivering a massive uppercut that downed the smaller creature for just long enough. He then called out to the spirits, the spirits of sand and water. His eyes glowed yellow with a massive output of magic as the sand and water that made up part of the wall violently came out of solution the concrete erupting in a spray of sand and rock directly on top of the wolf with the gun.

Ryker took his chance he turned tail and grabbed Eira's hand while the two viable combatants were distracted. "We've got to go" he yelled and tried to pull her with him as he tried to flee the alley. A huge creaking sound was heard as the building beside them began to slowly crumble under the weight of the missing supportive piece in the wall. It was only a small time before the whole building would collapse and the alley would fill with debris. Ryker though still moving fast was gasping for breath and already had a sick look to him, his eyes still glowing.

A focused gaze lingered upon the gun before her, a look of shock and fear playing in her deep blue eyes that begged for her life. "Look, let's talk about this." It was far too late, the one with the gun having about enough of this, far too eager to end her life and seek his reward. His smile was sickly sweet, the kind that made a stomach churn just from the sight of his flawless pearly whites. It was clearly mocking her as she was facing death, or worse. A single tear fell down the gentle curves of her cheek, knowing full well that this was a weapon she could not defeat.

Suddenly, as the alley filled with debris, she couldn't make sense of what she saw. She became lost in the chaos, her sights no longer set upon the wolf that once stood there as he was surrounded by dust which seemed to conceal his presence. Confused, she stood there staring in awe, unsure just what to make of such a situation. It wasn't until a hand reached out towards her, yanking her towards the street and away from the danger that it all came to light. Peering behind her, the sky above was littered with debris as the building tumbled down, surely trapping and killing those beings beneath it.

Panting violently, she was out of breath, and now began to fight the grip that later led her away. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Planting her feet into the concrete, she tugged and pulled until freedom was gained, and though tempted to run, she could only manage to quizzically stare upon this hero. Breathless, she struggled for words, unsure whether to thank him or curse him for trying to claim her for himself, if that were his true intent. "Not sure who you are or what you want, but I'm not going anywhere with you."

Her hood had fallen down by now, displaying a mess of what was once a silky black mane, an icy gaze that was both fearful and angered, and flawless porcelain skin that was usually only found on china dolls. As her heart beat began to slow, adrenaline quit pumping so violently through her system, and a sharp pain in her let ferociously made itself known. Stepping back, she hissed, nearly collapsing upon the pavement had it not been for the rough brick wall to catch her fall. Blood spilled down her calf, leaving droplets upon the ground that left a clear trail from the fallen wall, leading right to where they stood. People stared as they walked past, wide eyed and amazed to see a woman bleeding, and a chunk missing from her leg.

Ryker was annoyed when she dug her feet into the ground and refused to move any further. Anyone who survived the collapse or wasn't buried in debris would be after them. Plus there was the fact that a building collapsing in broad daylight with no known cause was bound to bring all types of unwanted attention, attention he was not equipped to deal with in this environment, or this advanced state of magic use.

When he noticed the blood his first thought was a question of why he didn't smell it first, but an attempt at smelling the blood only burned his nose with more of the toxic smog that riddled the air. Focusing more on the task at hand he kneeled to examine the injury, he couldn't get a clean look through the blood but he was under the impression that any injury at this point could cost them dearly. If there were any survivors that had seen him work his magic, things could get real ugly.

"Alright look, I'm not with the city wolves" he said his words a bit of a rush. " I'm a country wolf, and I'm here to make sure these idiots in the city don't cause too much damage. Also I cant just let you become another victim in the war between the city wolves and the vampires. It's not my style. So you've got two choices, you can trust me, and let me help you get the hell out of this city or you can try to pull it off on your with an injured bleeding leg while the whole city's eyes are on you."

A crowd was gathering by the rubble, curious whispers and pointed fingers trying to figure out the puzzle. Sirens echoed from the distance as numerous calls were made to authorities. Clearly, the disaster was drawing far more attention than Eira desired. She was torn, watching the murmuring crowd and stealing glances to Ryker. "I can't believe you did that. How did you, by the way?" Unsure if he was friend or foe, she was still rather curious as to the strangers abilities.

Tearing at the shirt hidden beneath her hoodie, she tore a piece off and bent down to tie it around her leg. It would have to do for now until she could get somewhere safe. "Let's see, you want me to trust you, a country wolf, when I've never heard of such a thing. You're probably only trying to gain the bounty on my head. I guess word has begun to spread far and wide, and it won't be long before all of creation will be after me." Standing upright and adjusting her hood, long raven locks were tucked beneath, face conceal by the fabric that blocked out the sun.

Decisions needed to be made quick, and none of them easy. Eira's frustrated sighs lifted her shoulders in a careless shrug. People had begun to notice them standing there, a few with silver glowing eyes that she immediately knew as wolf. "Looks like we're out of time. If I trust you, and you cross me, I will enjoy each and every drop of blood from your veins. Understood?" Two men with curled lips snarled in their direction before storming forward, clearly ready to pursue. It was her turn to take Ryker by the hand, dragging him off into the shadows. "Come on, I know a place we can hide for now."

Ryker nervously eyed the people who were gathering, he did what he thought would be the only way out of the situation, it would backfire if he couldn't get her to trust him. It would bring too many of the wrong people down right on top of them, and he was in no condition to pull off another feat of magic at this point. He could already feel his legs growing heavy, his body feeling as if he'd just gotten done with the most intense workout of his life.

He watched her preparing her wound, a temporary fix. He was hoping that she could heal quickly, like a werewolf could it would come in handy in this situation. "If I was after a bounty, I wouldn't have gone and made enemies with everyone in the city. There will be just as many people after me as there are after you at this point." He turned to look at the crowd, his trained eyes easily finding the wolves heading towards them, he bared his teeth his instinct reacting for a moment, his canines slowly growing as the fight or flight instinct slowly pushed him towards transforming.

He was ripped back to reality as she grabbed his hand, all her words catching up to him at once. " I like where this is going" he quipped back. If she was going to trust him, she'd have to get used to his cheeky behavior in-between, the moments of seriousness that plagued him. He willingly followed her hoping she really had a good hiding spot.

She remained silent, but his poor attempt at a mild joke had her rolling her eyes. The fact that she was stuck with him was bad enough, but now he had an odd sense of humor? Eira had no desire to tolerate such things, but right now there wasn't a choice. They had to escape, and fast! Luckily, the hiding spot was close by, though it wasn't at all glamorous. Stopping mid stride, she paused and spun around. "Watch your step." Kicking the grate aside, she freed the entrance to the sewer, and with him in hand, pulled Ryker into the darkness.

Landing harshly with a thud, they had fallen a decent way but it seemed no more than a small step for her. She had all the grace of the undead and the strength of a vampire. Such a fall didn't affect her one bit. The air was thick with the scent of sewage, smelling nearly of death itself. "Hold your breath if you can." She did so herself, not needing much air thanks in large part to her vampire mother. However, she would need to breath eventually. It took a few minutes to figure out her way, blinking into the dimly light cavern until she found her destination.

Voices echoed down from below, the wolves hot on their trail. Hissing and muttering a slew of swear words beneath her breath, she continued to drag the country wolf along. "This way. The stench down here will make it harder for them to find us. It's like a maze down here anyways, they'd likely get lost if they're stupid enough to follow." Eira laughed heartily now, sort of hoping they would follow. This was her domain, and they'd likely never come out alive.

After a few twists and turns, she'd finally stop at a dead end. Piles of blankets rested on the floor, along with clothes and books and a lantern. It wasn't much, but it was where she was safe, a place she's called home for years. "We should be fine here. The vampires are the only ones stupid enough to come down this way." She motioned to one who lay lifeless in the corner, completely ghost white and drained of any blood left in his body. "Don't mind him. I haven't disposed of him yet. At least I got breakfast out of it." She sighed and sat down on the pile of blankets, flipping the switch on the lantern. What was dark was now light, showing off just how filthy her little hole in the wall was. "So, let's get down to business. Why do you want to help me?"

He was having trouble keeping up with her, his body ready to give out on him at any moment. He was slightly amazed at how strong and smooth her movement were, as she kicked the grate aside and dove into the sewers. He had not choice but to follow her and strongly consideredtearing his nose off as he did. The smell alone could probably drive him mad if he stayed in it long enough.

His eyes were adapted to the light very quickly, and he wasn't in much danger of tripping on anything it was a struggle to keep up with her as his body began to cramp. He was beginning to believe that he was going to have to just roll over and die if they didn't get somewhere safe soon. Traveling through the dark, disgusting sewer wasn't exactly the situation he'd dreamed of when he came to this city. He pictured it much more heroic and whatnot.

When they finally arrived at her little safe zone he dropped to the floor nursing a stitch in his side, he wasn't out of shape by any means but the magic use had ramped taken its toll. He was sweating, out of breath, and had a pained expression on his face, and wasn't recovering like a werewolf normally would after a bout of physical activity. He was pretty satisfied with their escape, and more then surprised by how resourceful she was, she wasn't at all the damsel in distress he'd seen her as when he first laid eyes upon her, hell he was pretty sure she could take him in a fair fight.

As she turned the light on he curled against a wall, contemplating her question and the dead vampire that decorated the floor. "Well" he said as he thought over his words. "I heard of your situation, and I tried to get my pack to help you out. They didn't care for the idea, so I came alone. I am of the type that no one should be hunted like this, you deserve a fair chance at happiness just like everyone else. So I'm here to get you out of this city and somewhere safe."

Eira watched his struggles with a raised brow, unsure why a wolf was showing such weakness. "Are you alright? You seem a little off..." Moving with speed and grace, she was kneeling before him in a second, inspecting for injuries. "You appear to be fine. Perhaps some water will do you well?" Turning, she opened a cooler tucked away in the corner which was filled with water bottles, soda, and even booze. Grabbing a bottle of crystal clear water and slamming the container shut, she turned and cracked the lid before offering it out. "I promise, it's fresh and clean. No sewage water."

Sitting back, her legs crossed for comfort, eyes fixed on his like a child interested in story time, even wearing a goofy grin from ear to ear. "So, they didn't want to get involved? That's not really surprising. I appreciate you coming to help me escape, but it's a fools errand. Don't you think if it were that simple I would have left by now? You only risk death by aiding in the thing that's most desired by both sides." Sighing she shifted to lean against the brick wall, rubbing her back against the rough surface.

A look of sorrow flashed across her face for only a moment, the painful emotion leaving just as quickly as it came. "I wish I believed such as you, that everyone deserves a chance at happiness. However, you must not know much about me. I'm Eira, the freak who is half vampire, half werewolf, and apparently an abomination. I'm two halves of creatures who should have never bred. I've spent my whole life running, watched my parents as they were brutally murdered, and I've lived in these sewers for at least the last 10 years. Explain to me how I can find happiness? I've never even had a friend."

Rubbing her temples, she groaned in frustration, not at him but at the whole situation. "Again, the gesture is kind, but it will surely lead to your death. I cannot allow you to risk your life for me, who shouldn't even exist."

Ryker looked at the water as if it were an extremely valuable resource, he was slightly excited to take the outstretched bottle from the woman . He took a generous amount on the first pull taking down half the bottle before letting out a sigh of satisfaction. Feeling slightly better already from the small amount he had drank. He looked up at her with a smile on his face. "Thanks you're a lifesaver" he said with a heavy amount of meaning in his words. He paused for a moment getting his story straight.

He took a deep breath before he began to tell her of himself. " There are a lot of things you don't know about the world, things many don't know. I am a gifted werewolf, a shaman. I was born with the ability to see the spirits of the dead and the spirits of nature. I can control and interact with the spirits of nature to perform what is essentially magic. Now I need to rely on the nature spirits to do that, so when I brought that building down, I was Grasping at the fragments of spirit that technology didn't destroy. I'm actually slightly surprised it worked.. but it took a lot out of me, I feel like I have a really bad flu."

" I do believe the spirits I've communicated with brought me here for a good reason. Maybe it is fate, I'm confident that we can escape this city and get you somewhere that you don't have to live like a refugee. If we can get outside of the city, my magic is much less energy intensive, I can do a whole lot more, with a whole lot less. These city wolves have probably never heard of a shaman before.. they won't know what's hitting them."

Eira listened carefully, tending to her wound while he prattled on and filled her in. The strip of fabric was stained red as she tore it off and threw it to the side. Her pant leg was torn, but the hole in her flesh was nearly closed. It appeared far worse than it was, still covered in blood from battle. Cracking open another bottle of water, she poured it gentle on the spot, washing away evidence of injury. It would be healed soon enough, and wasn't anything she grew concerned about.

Chuckling, her head shook in disbelief at everything spilling from his lips. Then again, had she not witnessed the dust and the collapse of the building? "Don't underestimate them. They know far more than you'll ever realize. True, they may not know that shamans still exist, but I'm sure they've done their research. Then again, what do I know? I've lived in these sewers like a damn ninja turtle for so long." Pausing, wonder touched her eyes as they focused into the distance, staring at nothing. Musing over it all, she'd finally sigh and set her sights above. "I don't think you understand. I'll always be the outcast thanks to my parents. I'm not sure why I'm so damn evil in their eyes, but I am. I'll have no pack to run to, no coven to accept me. I'm stuck in purgatory. I'll go with you, as I'd love to get out of this damn city, but no one will have me."

Growing silent, she was quick on her feet and peeking around the corner, the faintest sound of footsteps echoing through the tunnels. "Dammit! Leeches...." Zipping around, the lantern was out the next second, her stance protective in front of Ryker. Peering down to the man, lips curled as she hissed. "You're too weak right now. Stay down and stay quiet." The echo of steps began to draw closer, a voice carried through the stone tunnels. They were right on her scent, and heading straight towards them.

He examined her leg when she took the bandage off and washed it off. "Wonderful, you heal fast. I was concerned that you might not have some of the strengths of the bloodlines flowing through you. You seem to be very strong, I'd imagine you have a wolf's strength and a vampires agility from what I've seen so far. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't at least a little curious as to what else you can do." He stood up using the wall to support himself, his metabolism was in overdrive burning off tons of extra calories to rejuvenate him, he looked noticeably skinnier, the magic being fueled at least partially by natural processes taken to an extreme. This was on top of the already sky high werewolf metabolism.

He considered the situation taking what she had to say into account. " The city wolves are a very close-minded group. The werewolf with the gun, that was sickening. It wasn't long ago werewolves were the protectors of the wild. In the past we kept humanity and the vampires from spreading too far, from warping the natural world past repair. Technology changed the tides on us, it used to be forbidden for werewolves to even use a basic spear or a bow. Once clothes were even a punishable crime for a wolf. Things gradually become more and more accepted, as humanity gained strength and we were slowly pushed into new roles, into hiding, we have to fit in now for better or for worse, and we get to watch the world suffer. The city wolves have lost the way of our people, I wouldn't doubt they believe magic to be a fairy tale. As they accept technology and the bastardization of nature they lose the connection that breeds people like me."

Ryker was interrupted by her sudden silence. She jumped in front of him and took a defensive posture, turning off the light. He crouched low, "I'll do what I can when the time comes" he whispered " worst comes to worse I can at least distract one or two long enough for you to gain the upper hand." He considered things for a moment, " Although down here there is nothing stopping me from transforming, in these enclosed spaces the vampires will have nowhere to run, easy win."

It was a convenience to heal fast, given the situation they were about to be faced with. Turning, she realized he was standing and furrowed her brow. "You need to rest." He looked far too ill, and too weak to do much good, and she wasn't willing to let him act as bait. "I really need you to stay alive. I want to hear more about the history of wolves, and I need you to get me to the forest. I've never seen it." Had his little history lesson given her a bit of hope? Or was it just an attempt to convince him to lay low? Either way, it aroused a smile before she turned to watch for their enemies.

The closer they came, their metallic scent from many nights of feasting on blood grew stronger. Three voices echoed through the tunnels, giving her a clearer idea just what they were faced with. "Well, you were curious about what I could do. Brace yourself for this." Tearing off her hoodie, she really didn't wish to ruin her other clothes, but there wasn't much time. Crouching down, a blood curdling snarl of agony rippled from her throat as she began to shift. Fangs longer that that of vampire or werewolf sprouted from her Canines, claws extended from tips of her fingers. Her height became massive as she turned into a muscular beast, one often only found in the darkest of horror movies. Pure black eyes searched the darkness as her skin turned grey. She never grew fur, maintaining a perfect marble upon her flesh thanks to her vampire blood.

Muscles flexed as Eira flew forward, disappearing into the darkness and moving as quietly as a shadow. Sensing her presence, the leeches stopped, frantically beginning to search the tunnels around them. However, she was one step ahead of their game, digging her claws into the stone above and hanging from the ceiling before landing harshly on the first. Stunned at first, the trio had not a clue what to do, and was forced to witness their first member die. Sinking massive fangs into his neck, he was quickly drained like a juicebox and discarded to the side while the massive beast wiped her jaw and proceeded to stalk the next of her prey.

Ryker did as she said, after all in his state he wasn't sure if he could transform or not. It might burn him out completely exhausting his bodies remaining energy stores, he would need to eat soon if he wanted to regain his strength. He smiled as she voiced her desire to see the forest, he began to think of her as a wolf at that moment accepting that she truly was more than what the other two groups had considered her as. " We'll get you there, it'll be wondrous. We'll run together and you'll see the world for what it is supposed to be."

He watched with curiosity as she began to show him her transformation. He was almost startled as it happened, he never imagined that she would have the ability to shift as a full blooded werewolf did. He wasn't even sure why, he just assumed she wouldn't have the ability. The form itself was terrifying, monstrous the vampiric blood altering it into something truly from a horror film. A full blooded werewolf despite a matched monstrosity could be almost elegant and beautiful with their fur and hair all in tact.

When she ran off into the darkness he had no choice, he couldn't follow her, wouldn't be able to transform. He sat cross-legged on the floor. He closed his eyes and opened himself to his surroundings in a meditative way. Focusing on the sense of his hearing, he could almost envision every movement as he heard it, the meditation his shamanic teacher had taught him heightened his already amazing senses. In this state every sounds could be heard, the flow of the world in his immediate surroundings entering his body and clearly allowing him to tell what was happening in the battle.

Gaining their senses, the two leeches remaining dodged a swipe of her massive claws, using their speed and agility to evade every attempt she made to grab a hold of her prey. They were fast, but not enough to throw her off as she charged into the darkness until all went silent. Their eyes cautiously scanned around them, unsure just where the massive beast went. The scuffling of their feet upon the stone was the only sound to fill the silence. "Maybe we should leave." Eira grinned as they contemplated retreat, however, his partner wouldn't give in. "We've been warned not to fail. The bounty has been raised, you know. They'll kill us if we don't make it back with her head."

Taking it as an invitation, she reached from the black depths and snatched one of them by the ankle, dragging him out of sight. His screams echoed clear down the sewers, his voice breaking into gurgles until all was silent. The last one remaining decided to flee, not caring what his coven would think. His steps were quick and pounding hard upon the stone, but hers were far faster. Claws tore into the solid floor as a massive roar erupted from her belly. The leech screamed and propelled himself faster, leaping at a nearby ladder as he prayed for freedom. However, it wouldn't come.

Yanking him from his only chance of freedom, he turned on her, leaping and landing upon her back with arms wrapped tightly around her neck. He wasn't going down without a fight. His strength was impressive, fingers ripping into her thick flesh while his fangs extended, reaching for her neck. Yelping in protest, she jerked and threw him against the wall, stones breaking and crumbling to the ground. Though it were only two, it sounded like a massive battle, one that finally ended with the third leech falling to the ground.

Weak and injured, she hobbled her way back to Ryker, shifting before rounding the corner and falling naked and human upon the floor. Not a word was said as she lay there shivering from the cold, blood painted upon her pale skin

Ryker moved as quick as he could over to her when she collapsed. He was aware of the whole situation but not in a condition to do anything about It. He felt slightly terrible for having to sit out a fight. Fighting was in a werewolf's blood, the anger they all possessed pushing them towards acts of passion and aggression, it was something he had an enormous level of control over compared to the normal wolf. He knew there was nothing he could do about that now, he had to make sure she was alright.

He took his jacket and shirt off covering her up with them and pulling her onto his lap to try to warm her up. He wondered if blood loss was part of her problem, as she had sustained several injuries over the past few hours. He cradled her close to him. One hand around her back and one on her far hip lulling her in so she could get as much of his body heat as possible. He shook his chin length brown hair from his face, and looked down at hers with his light blue eyes. He was in shape, not overly muscular but he had a very athletic tone to him, it was clear he got plenty exercise. The skin was pulled tight around his muscles as the fat burned off making him look as though he had a dangerously low body fat percentage, which at this point wasn't far from the truth.

"That was pretty amazing. You're going to be alright, I don't see anything you shouldn't be able to heal through. Just relax, catch your breath and we'll be alright. We'lol have to be out of here soon, there are only going to be more of them on both sides. We can fight them for as long as necessary but they'll overcome us one day, it's only a matter of time. They've got to be spooked though, several vampires dead, a couple werewolves dead, both sides are likely preparing for an overwhelming show of force. Though I question just how many of them are left in this city."

Soon enough her breathing began to slow, the smaller cuts and scrapes already healed before his eyes. Often opposed to close proximity with anyone, she wasn't about to complain as her own absorbed his warmth. Body heat from another is foreign to Eira, something that was denied to her even as a child once her parents were captured. It had been so long since she felt the warm embrace of another, that the overwhelming pleasure from it in her current state had the woman's curled fingers nearly clinging to his bare torso, purring softly like a kitten.

Orbs that were black only moments ago sparkled like a sapphire as she gazed upon his face, the faint hint of a smile lifting the edges of her lips. "Thank you." Trust had been earned, giving the hybrid freedom to relax, even if only for a moment or two. "I'll need to find food. Real food. I can only survive on blood for so long." Having had her last meal nearly two weeks ago, it was cause for her weakness now after pushing herself so far. However, being in such a state wasn't easy for the prideful creature, often deeming herself far too powerful to need an sort of assistance. Being naked and weak was enough to turn her cheeks crimson.

Nodding in agreement, she'd draw in a shaky breath and look around the only home she's ever known. "There's more than you can even imagine. They're like roaches, breeding and reproducing at an alarming rate, and impossible to exterminate. Both sides are. Some of the higher ups in the city are even a part of this, people you'd never suspect. It's why it's so hard to escape. There's eyes everywhere. I agree that things will get harder the longer we wait. We need to move fast. Those that I've killed over the last few weeks, years even, have been nothing but pawns. My strength is being tested. They hope to wear me down, and when they do, I'll be plucked from life like a flower."

Ryder continued to hold her. It wasn't a trait of the city wolves as they'd grown apart from their true nature and taken on more of the habits and physical cues from the humans than of their own speices, but the country wolves were accustomed to close physical proximities. Multiple families living in shared shelters was common, men and women of no relationship commonly sleeping naked in the same space, it was just how they were but they also understood the differences between them and humans.

He was thinking about the situation and was trying to come up with a plan. "If we can survive for two days, I can get us out of the city. I got to look at the sky on my way out and one thing I know for sure is that there is a storm coming. I can't change the weather, but when bad weather comes I can use it. Plus if the storm is as big as I think it will be we'lol have an abundance of free clean water on the ground for my purposes and to cover our scent. If we can can use these next two days to get to full strength that will be the perfect opportunity to make a break for it."

He was satisfied with his plan, he knew that anything was going to take a large expenditure of energy from both of them. It was energy that they didn't currently have, but with a little preparation they could be ready for a grand escape. He ran a hand through her hair absent-mindedly her scent reaching his nose for the first time through all the terrible smells that had been akin to trauma to his sensitive nose. He couldn't help but think that she smelled of heaven the scent being something completely new to him. It wasn't something he experienced every day, a brand new scent. It made him smile as he cherished the uniqueness of the moment, a bit of calm before the storm that would be their life until they made their escape.

Eira nodded as she closed her eyes, not asleep but enjoying a tender moment to rest against another. "Two days? I've been surviving down here for years. I think two days won't be an issue." She was confident, for sure, knowing that it would take far more than they've been willing to throw at her to take the beast down. However, if they knew she was injured and weak, it was a perfect opportunity to strike, and one she wasn't about to let them take. But now she wasn't alone, giving her a knew hope she hadn't been able to feel for so long.

After some time, she was reluctant to sit up, but found the strength to do so anyways. Prying herself from his arms, she sat up and grabbed a blanket from the pile, wrapping it around her shivering body. "Do you really think you can pull it off, our escape I mean. How do you know a storm is coming? Is it some country wolf thing?" Instincts that were once ingrained in the wolves from long ago were completely lost on those who lived in the city, her own abilities and instincts hadn't even been tapped into. She knew very little of who she was or how, except that she was a monster bred from two enemies with a great ability to kill.

Curled up in her human form, she appeared so soft and fragile. Black strands hung around her face, sticking to her forehead from sweat that had dried upon her brow. Though she peered determined and confident, it was clear to see pain and sorrow that filled her gaze, one that refused to meet Ryder's for too long, and was quick to divert towards the ground. "Well, I guess on top of food, I need to find clothes, as well. I think that was the last set I had that wasn't ripped to pieces."