---

Edging away from the ginger vampire and further into the alley’s shadows, Scarlet refocused.  Staring across the street, she peered through the darkness as the police nervously squinted into the veiling downpour, fearful eyes searching for monsters.  The flashing red and blue lights of their vehicles put a screw into her gut, taking her back to the night her life had shattered.

The spinning colors drew her into an internal loop, and memories of her dad and mom slowly pulled the world into a hypnotic swirl; things could have been so different.  Her father’s last message, the pain he felt while breaking down, knowing this was his last opportunity to make a change to help his daughter—to help her—made Scarlet want to cry again; she just wanted to hear his voice one last time, telling her it would be okay, causing a bloody tear to fall down her cheek.

“Scarlet, are you okay?”

She jolted as warm fingers pressed against her arm, Illa’s concerned blue eyes pulling her back to reality.  Reflexively rubbing the stream away, only to find it rising up to the crimson disk keeping the rain at bay, Scarlet buried the emotion.

“I’m fine,” she smiled, refocusing on the police car.  “We’ll just wait until they—umm, I think he’s going to give us away…”

“Stupid guy…”  Illa’s glossy orange lips creased with exasperation as Terry broke out of his handcuffs, beginning to make a fuss upon spotting them with his enhanced night vision.  She made a few gestures to calm him down.  “No!  Let yourself be captured!”

“Mistress!  Mistress, I…  Huh?”

Scarlet pressed closer to the wall, shadows pulling in to obscure them as more police cruisers arrived and the men that had cornered the vampire drew their guns.

“Hey!  Hey!”

“Relax, bud.  What’s got you agitated?”

“Yo, he called out to his mistress, or some shit—”

“Keep an eye on the perimeter…  The report said there were potentially three vampires.”

“Dammit!  When the hell did we start dealing with this supernatural shit?  Jack said he had stakes in his trunk, right?”

“Shit, I don’t know—Jeff, watch our six!  Possible hostiles in the area.”

“You’re shitting me,” the new officers snarled, pulling their guns and moving to their trunk to take out assault rifles and shotguns.  “How the hell are we supposed to handle vampires?  SWAT is on the way, but shit—c’mon, man!”

“What’s up with the vamp, Rex?  He’s not moving after that outburst—did he break the cuffs?!” the other officer exclaimed, keeping his gun trained on the suddenly still vampire, letting the rain fall over him.  “That alley…”

“Don’t agitate him!”  Jeff shot back.  “Let’s just hold the zone until backup—is he…”

Terry dropped to his knees and spread his hands over his head.  “I surrender myself.  I will cause no trouble.”

“Son of a—Rex, cuff him again.”

“The hell?!  I did it last time, bastard!  You do it—he snapped my cuffs like butter!”

“Shit…”

Scarlet breathed out her stress, fang biting into her lower lip as Illa’s arm pressed against hers, scooting closer and looking a little nervous.

“What do we do now, Scarlet?”  she hissed, leaning in to whisper; again, it was weird how warm the 16-year-old girl felt to the touch.  “I could tell him not to hurt them and escape?  He’d probably take a few bullets, but that’s whatever.”

Trying to keep her guard up around the Noble Vampire, as Rachel would, Scarlet shook her head.  “No.  Let’s just wait for things to calm down.  Everyone’s just really tense right now; it would only hurt our image, too.”

“True…  Ugh.”  Illa fidgeted with her broken bra strap, which was hanging over the top of her somewhat damp dress front; the back was soaked from when she’d been thrown against the wall.  “I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable, Scarlet.  I just… wanted to help, and now everything is a total mess.  I’m so stupid…”

Trying to force a smile, Scarlet hesitantly nudged her.  “Things will work out.  We just need to be patient; I can already feel their fear diminishing.  See?  They’re putting the cuffs on him and getting him into the car.”

The ginger’s vision fell to the wet road.  “Thanks…  I was afraid you might abandon me.  I just… want to make—no, never mind!  Don’t be the clingy-weird girl!  I’m not totally oblivious.  I can—”

“Wait, wait,” Scarlet hissed as the girl pulled away.  Scarlet grabbed her hand to keep her from exiting her shadow field and blood disk.  “My range is very short.  Just stay… here,” she prompted.

“Oh, okay…  Sorry, sorry…”  The blue-eyed Noble Vampire looked even more distressed at upsetting her, and she fell silent, gripping her elbow and acting as if she’d been scolded.  “I’ll just try to be quiet.”

Scarlet’s fang dug into her bottom lip while she fidgeted with her own hands, feeling her social anxiety acting up.

Dammit, I’m supposed to be over that!  Illa is trying really hard to be helpful.  How can I be mean to someone who isn’t mean to me?

Rachel’s brow-thumping frown smacked her brain while reciting the Lunar Hare’s advice to her when starting this special OP:  

‘If you notice something is wrong, act.  It’s what I’d do, and trust your instincts.  Think carefully, and don’t trust anyone.  If they’re approaching you, they want something.  You will have to make decisions that are uncomfortable, Scarlet, and that is the only thing that I am worried about…’  How right you were, Rachel…

Her gaze occasionally wandered to the awkward orange-haired vampire girl beside her while waiting for Terry to be cautiously placed inside an armored SUV that SWAT brought.  Illa didn’t peep a word while they waited, once again playing with her broken bra strap and occasionally fixing her dress as it slipped from the displaced weight from her undergarment.

What am I supposed to do about her, Rachel?  She really does seem like she admires me and wants to help… which is crazy.  Why would anyone admire me?

Putting the thought on hold, she studied the calming scene with the dozens of soldiers and police officers now securing the area and talking with the diner staff and patrons.

SWAT had brought a muzzle to put on Terry, and the police coordinated with the local National Guard battalion to bring in even more personnel to go on a vampire hunt for them.  Sadly, these weren’t soldiers under Captain Barbara.

She wasn’t worried since her shadows kept them more or less invisible; as obscure outlines against the wall, a quick sweep of flashlights wasn’t quite enough attention to catch the static, shadowy shapes they were against a black graffiti backdrop.

Once Terry was locked inside the armored vehicle, placed in a straight jacket, and muzzled, Scarlet teleported them into the back; a soldier was with him, but Illa’s hypnotic whisper and glance charmed him to fall into a world of dreams.

The ginger’s lips drew into a grimace as she collapsed next to the soldier, leaning against his shoulder as Terry fixated on her like she was his whole world.

 “I’m… so thirsty,” she whimpered, “but I probably shouldn’t nibble on these guys’ blood, right?  Mmmm!”

“Right,” Scarlet softly chuckled, fiddling with Terry’s muzzle to remove it from the blond man’s head.  “We can stop off at a hospital nearby; the doctors know me and have given me blood bags before.  Nice work with the guard, by the way,” she said with a thumbs-up that brought a cute smile to the girl’s lips.

“Thanks!  Umm…  I’m trying.  It’s hard… not to feed,” she mumbled, gulping and looking at her compelled High Vampire.  “Can I… feed off Terry?”

“Of course, Mistress,” the handsome blond man accepted, opening himself up.  “I live for you.”

“Eeesh…  Can’t… you wait for the hospital?”  Scarlet tentatively asked, studying Illa’s twitches and flushed cheeks; her body temperature was rising after her charming the soldier, sweat actually starting to form on her skin.  “You… don’t look well.”

“No, no—I’m fine,” she totally lied, hugging herself.  “I’ve never… drank anything but live blood since Mother told me t-to.  Umm.  I can try to do it your way, though…”

“Mmmgm.  If… it’s a vampire, I… guess it’s okay?”  she tried to rationalize.  Slowly scooting away from him.  “Who is your… mother?  What Legend or Myth is she from to be a Progenitor?”

Illa’s pigtails weaved back and forth, and she stubbornly set her brow in defiance, despite her sweat-slicked face as her thirst grew by the second.

“I… I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.  Hehe.  I don’t… really know who Mother is; she just… kind of came and went, which is why I think you’re so amazing.  I was here on vacation from Austria, and then… all the craziness in Miami Beach happened—mmm…”

She whimpered, fingers pressing into her sides as her eyes started to show a distinctly more ruby tone, making Scarlet sigh.

“Just drink his blood already.  Are you sure vampire blood will work?”

“Mhm!  But… are you sure?”

“Yes!  Do it,” she snapped, trying to keep her voice down.  “Just tell me…  No, we don’t have time…”  She wanted to curse when hearing people outside asking who wanted to join the soldier to guard Terry.  “We are on a clock—wait…  I’m stupid.”

“Huh?!”

Her blood snaked out of her body to cut Terry’s bindings, and she reached over to take Illa’s hand, pulling her on top of the blond man.  Pressing closer, she teleported them out of the vehicle seconds before the door opened, no doubt causing a panic, but this was probably better.

They exited the shadows inside a building’s boiler room two streets away, and she stumbled back in surprise as Illa tackled Terry to the ground, breathing heavily.

“Woah!  Woah!  Illa?!”

The ginger ripped the straight jacket to shreds with the man’s fancy shirt before sinking her fangs into his smooth, muscular left breast.  Terry relaxed, and Scarlet noticed two more bite marks near the same location as the man’s large arms gently held the trembling girl against his body.

Turning away and feeling her cheeks burning, Scarlet cleared her throat and cast her vampiric sight anywhere but the ginger girl latched onto the man’s chest.  Their heavy breathing and grunts didn’t help her flaming, pointed ears; she couldn’t keep her gaze away for long, though.

Gradually, her throat thickened upon peering through their flesh to the drawing blood being sucked out of Terry’s veins and soaking into Illa’s gums to bring an energetic pulse throughout her entire body, quivering with pleasure.

“Mmagh!”  The ginger unlocked her fangs and fell atop Terry, her chest heaving with her ragged pants as if just getting through an intense exercise.  “Haaa-haaa…  I’m… sorry, Scarlet,” she wept, burying her face in her arms.  “I couldn’t help myself!  I’m such a monster!  I’m sorry…”

“Mistress…  I am yours to take,” Terry caringly whispered, making the girl choke.

“No!  No, you belong to Selene!  I just… took you, and you don’t know any better!  I’m so… evil.”

A pressure erupted within Scarlet’s breast, and she was already crawling over to hug the girl before she knew what she was doing.  “You’re not a monster, Illa…  You didn’t want this.”

“No, you don’t get it!”  Illa sniffled, trying to shake her off for the first time.  “If you knew what kind of monster I am, you’d… you’d hate me.  Everyone hates me, but I can’t control myself!  I’m evil!  I’m evil…”

A sad smile lifted Scarlet’s lips while hugging the ginger, remembering Rachel doing the same for her when she’d hit her lows, and her dad’s words pricked her heart again:

‘Please, Scarlet… don’t give up hope to live.  Find people you can trust because I know you are so hurt right now… lost and afraid.  I want you to find a family that can support you better than we could.  I love you, and that will never change…’  Thank you, Dad, Rachel…

Her stress slid away, and she tried to comfort Illa through her panic attack, afraid she’d done something irredeemable; again, her instincts told her something was wrong, yet she made the choice to let things play out.

Yes, there are so many red flags with Illa, but I can’t turn her away.  Maybe she is manipulating my emotions.  Maybe she is after something from me or even a plant by Mom…  It doesn’t matter, because I’d want someone to give me a chance, too…  Someone did give me a chance.

After a few minutes, Illa’s hiccups mostly subsided, and she swapped positions to return her embrace, weeping softly, her hot breath pressing against her ear.  “You’ll abandon me.  Everyone abandons me…  You should throw me away.”

Fingers tightening against her quivering back, Scarlet shook her head.  “We reap what we sow, and I want to sow good seeds.  I want to believe you.  So, are you going to help me get my dad’s body back?”

“Yes!  I promise!  I promise I will!”  she cried, hugging her with all her might, which was shockingly weak for what Scarlet had anticipated.

One thing was for sure: Illa was a different kind of vampire than typical media portrayed.  She didn’t have the physical power or dead vibe most carried, and her need for physical touch and companionship seemed genuine beyond refute.

Taking a few deep breaths, Illa scooted back, cheeks flushed and showing stretchy black booty shorts under her dress as she sat across from her.  “Okay!  No more waterworks, Pumpkin; it’s time to get to work!  We got a body snatcher to catch!”

Scarlet giggled at the self-pronounced nickname and vigor that now overtook the ginger, spotting Terry sitting off to the side, waiting to be of use to his mistress.  “Feeling better now after having vampire blood?”

“Oh, I’m 150%,” Illa boasted, holding up her arm, pulling back the sleeve of her shoulder-less dress, and flexing her flat bicep.  “Terry, what did your previous mistress do with the body?!”

They both shifted to stare at the now shirtless blond man, the holes in his chest slowly healing over, but not completely.  Scarlet held her breath as he blinked and glanced between them.

“I wasn’t told.”

Illa’s eyes glazed over.  “Huh?”

“I worked at the edges of the dock security, where you found me,” Terry casually explained, running his fingers through his messy hair and looking a little fatigued.  “You wanted me to lure in Jacob because he was younger than me, but then—”

“No, no-no-no,” she hastily waved her hands in protest, cheeks bunching up.  “You said you knew where Selene was going, and you were tasked to get Scarlet to the docks!”

He slowly nodded.  “Yes, I did.  The Mistress had left earlier this morning on the Icon of the Seas luxury cruise ship she’d been invited to attend with many other vampire factions.  It was setting out from Miami, which made for a perfect cover with British diplomatic immunity to transport cargo that wasn’t to be searched.  I never saw the body, though.”

Scarlet’s throat went dry.  “He’s… gone already?”

Illa rubbed her temple.  “That’s… not what I asked, Terry.  Ugh.  Umm.  Okay, so Selene… already left this morning on the boat?  What is the other boat for—the one that you were guarding that I snatched you from?  Is that going to the Icon of the Seas?”

Relief flooded Scarlet’s body as he nodded, but then his earlier statement caught up to her lagging brain, and she interrupted before he could continue his explanation.

“Wait, wait, wait!  Multiple vampire factions have been invited to this cruise ship?”

“Ooh.  Mhm!  Mhm!”  Illa jumped in, shushing the man to get her own turn and becoming excited.  “I heard spooky rumors from Mother when she turned me.  She said that the Countess of Blood—theee Countess of Blood—was inviting other factions to join her for her Legend Quest, where they could gain great power.  It starts tonight.”

Scarlet felt like she’d been slapped; her parents were vampire enthusiasts, and one name was huge on their list.  “You… don’t mean… Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed…  The legendary vampire of Hungary that tortured and murdered over 650 virgin girls and bathed in their blood to remain young?”

“That’s the one!”  Illa chimed without a hint of fear.  “Basically, the woman all female vampires are based on!  Insane, right?!  Mother wanted me to attend, but I didn’t get an invite,” she sighed, “but we’ll just crash it!”

Terry frowned, true concern in his voice as he straightened.  “Mistress, you should not attend such a gathering.  Her invitations were not only for vampire factions but also for notorious hunters; it is more like a festival of blood and battle—probably more for her entertainment.  Lord Dracula told Lady Selene to investigate her motives.”

“Humph.”  Illa’s confident smile moved to her.  “If Scarlet is with me, then I’m not afraid of anything!  Oh, I almost forgot.  What did you tell me about the boat and Scarlet?”

Scarlet was happy that the pumpkin-themed vampire girl felt safe with her, but this did seem like a massive operation compared to what she thought it would be.  She definitely needed to check in with Rachel; they needed to move soon anyway since the National Guard and police were getting closer with their manhunt for them.

However, Terry’s following statement made her mind go blank as she processed it.

“It is not only Lady Selene you must be wary of, Mistress; Lord Dracula has obtained a pact with a Scottish Highland Fairy.  Several Faekin have fallen under this vampiric fairy’s rule, and she is more powerful than Lady Selene herself.  She is in command of the ship I guarded and is waiting for those who were late to the Countess’ gathering and failed to arrive on time for the ship’s departure.”

“Yes, yes,” the ginger dismissed with irritation.  “What about Scarlet, though?!  They are really waiting for her, and are using her dad’s body as a bargaining chip to get her to go on the ship, right?  I bet I’m right!”

Scarlet had her own question.  “Is… there going to be a vampire attack on Miami?”

Illa lifted an eyebrow.  “No, they’re not strong enough to do—”  She cut off upon seeing the blond man’s expression.  “Wait, really, Terry?!  What the hell?!  Everyone already hates us!”

Terry cleared his throat, and Scarlet saw his veins starting to protrude; Terry’s heart was working furiously to push what little blood remained through his vascular system.  Illa had drained the guy to dangerous levels; it seemed vampires used blood as a burning resource to live, which made sense.

“Lord Dracula… needs the fear to grow stronger…  Vampires will arrive on boats…  Fog will cover…”

Scarlet panicked a little as Terry cut off and started to shrivel up.  “Illa!”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she grumbled, crossing her arms under her modest bust with irritation.  “Humph.  High Vampires are so weak for the name; lose too much blood, and they go into a coma.  At least they don’t go and disintegrate like normal vampires.  I think we got the bulk of it…”

Her bright blue eyes lit up.  “Sooo, are we storming the boat and kicking ass—butt, I mean,” she corrected with a toothy, innocent grin.  “I’m all charged up and ready!  I, uh, just need to snatch a proxy fighter from the cast to help you since I’m not very good with my hands.  Eh-hehe, weak arms, ya know,” she explained, flexing her muscles again.  “Something wrong?  If we get him blood, he’ll be fine!  High Vampires, so melodramatic, right?  Bleh, I’m turning gross and wrinkly!”

Scarlet rubbed between her eyes with a strained laugh at her mocking jokes.  “No, I… need to report to my boss.  So, let’s go to, like… another city real fast so we can get us new clothes, and I’ll smooth things over with the hunting party—Illa?!”

“Oooh!”  She lurched forward to hug her and bounce a little.  “Our first shopping trip!  Aaah!  I’m so excited!  I want to try the goth look, too!  Do you think black lipstick and eyeliner would look good with my pumpkin style?  I don’t know—I can’t wait!”

She chuckled a little at how teen-like the teenager was; she suddenly felt so old, and she was only two years older than this girl, max—well, probably.

Fending her off, Scarlet got up and brushed herself off.  “Yeah, let’s do some quick multitask-shopping while I report—even though she’s been listening this entire time.”

Illa’s face became stricken, and she froze up.  “W-Wait, you’re talking about that heroine hare girl they all talk about in the news, right?  What if she doesn’t like me!”  She started playing with her hair and checking her attire.  “I know I can be annoying and a bit of a dunce… a klutz, and too forward and touchy!  What do I do?!”

Scarlet fidgeted a little herself, trying to determine what to do with Terry as Illa panicked like a total teenage girl; if she was acting, it was good.  She decided it would be best to drop him off back in the armored vehicle since the moment Illa stopped her charm, he’d be an enemy again, and the military could interrogate him or something.

“It should be fine—probably.”

“Scarlet, don’t tease me,” Illa cried, giving her a light, pouty smile.  “Does this mean we are becoming friends?”

“Friendly,” she chimed, pointing at the man, rapidly drying out from a lack of blood.  “I’ll drop him off before we go shopping, so just stay here for a second; be right back.”

Illa showed off her fangs again.  “Friendly is an improvement!  One step at a time.  Relationship goals, am I right?!”

“Eh-hehe.  Sure.  One sec…”

Kneeling beside the man, she transported him into the now empty armored vehicle and pounded on the side, practically scaring the ghost out of the SWAT driver.

“Special delivery!”

Giggling, she felt surprisingly good about how she was handling things.  Now, to see what grade she got by calling the boss hare herself.  Looking back to where she left Illa, her lungs jumped into her throat; she wasn’t alone anymore.

The ginger gasped at the sight of a pretty, 13-year-old girl who opened the door to the boiler room, her caramel brown hair pulled into a high, side bun—yet another vampire.

Panicking at the sudden arrival of even more fanged threats, shadows carried her back to the building.  Illa’s excitement was on full display as the charming, proper teen unfastened her inner-fur-sewn, black overcoat, revealing an elegant black lace and red velvet dress.

“Scarlet!  She’s the cutest, most adorable thing I have ever seen!  Ahh!  She’s so mature for her age; do you see her dress and that exquisite belt?!  It all matches!  I just want to bite—Scarlet?”

She held out a hand to stop Illa from rushing over to sweep the composed girl off her feet and into a swinging embrace.  Pressure hit her chest like a vice as she studied the dangerous 13-year-old, her flaming cherry eyes alight with welcoming energy.  “She’s actually pretty strong.”

The howl of a wolf came from across town, and Scarlet gulped as she filtered out the building, keeping the teen in sight.  Ominously, she also spotted a thick fog rolling in from the sea.  Is the attack already starting?!

The girl kept her coat over her shoulders,  her expensive thorn-style black diamond necklace hanging as she crossed her feet and spread her dress out to offer a formal curtsy.  Her body was alight with so much crimson that Scarlet felt dizzy looking into her body; parts of it were practically entirely formed out of blood.

“Greetings, Lady Scarlet Johnson.  I am Lady Cássia Kiss, an emissary of Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed, and she has tasked me to await your arrival in Miami to offer you a formal invitation to her masquerade.”

The vampire rose to slip her hand into the inner pocket of her coat to withdraw a business card, the lettering written in blood.

A quake ran through Scarlet’s bones at the classy teen’s smooth introduction.  “First, what is happening outside?  How did you find me?”

Cássia maintained her grace while holding the card against her front, showing her small fangs and a smile.  “Count Dracula has decided to launch an attack on this Sunny State in order to show the world that there is nowhere they can hide from the darkness.  We will be leaving before his forces arrive.  If you wish to join the Countess’ party, then we must leave before Lady Aurora Bain departs with the guests.”

“Aurora-who?”  Scarlet asked, feeling the pressure rising as a time limit crashed against her chest.

Illa piped up from behind her.  “Oh, that’s the Scarlet Hand Fairy that Terry talked about!  The fog is probably her doing—well, or her Fairy followers—maybe both…  Hmm.  Do you think the Countess would mind if we stole this little cutie?”

The world started to crumble around her with the expectant 13-year-old’s smile, while Illa was still drooling over the girl with longing eyes, wanting to smother her in hugs.

This… is a total mess!  Rachel, what am I supposed to do?!

“I-I need to get clothes if we’re going to a party!”

Her throat constricted as Cássia giggled, her uncanny, shimmering ruby eyes fixated on her and practically ignoring Illa’s attempts to snatch her attention.

“The Countess anticipated her guests might not have the proper attire, so she had her servants prepare the materials required to fashion you an appropriate wardrobe once inside her domain…  You may bring guards and friends if you so choose.”

The girl began using one hand to expertly fasten the top buttons of her coat with an expectant charm.  “I am sure they are listening as we speak and will meet us at the docks.  Shall we leave?  The Hunters and Vampire Lords are already gathering on the vessel.”

“Can we?!  I so want to go, Scarlet—please take me!”  Illa pleaded, grabbing her arm and giving her big blue puppy-dog eyes.  “It sounds like so much fun!”

“I… guess I do need to get my dad’s body back, and it’s on the boat.  Umm.  I might need to fight Lady Selene…  Is that okay with the Countess?”

Blood snaked out from beneath Cássia’s coat to present her with the invitation, a toothy grin on her face and some of her poise dropping to show the young teenage girl underneath.

“Absolutely!  So long as one makes their intentions known to the other party, conflict is most certainly encouraged.  My Mistress’ Legend Quest demands a game of cutthroat adversaries and rivals struggling to overcome plots and subterfuge for power…”

She took the card, hoping Rachel was making plans because she’d really stepped in the deep end on this one.  “Then… I accept.”

“Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  And custom clothes!”  Illa squealed.  “You must get a new dress with us, Cássia!  Oh, you should join Scarlet’s team; she’s the best!”

Scarlet forced a laugh.  “Let’s… not get ahead of ourselves, Illa.”

Cássia’s mesmerizing crimson eyes flickered with delight as the 13-year-old bowed her head slightly.  “Each faction has been granted a servant of the Countess to make sure your every desire is met.  And, as instructed, should you have accepted the invitation, I am to be at your beck and call, Lady Scarlet.  A week of vampiric fun at the Court of Blood.  I hope to serve you well…  Right this way, My Lady.”

Scarlet felt a clawed hand grip her heart as the pressure mounted, and she followed the Countess of Blood’s servant into the misty night, where a fancy black car waited for them.

Rachel…  Help!

 

* — * — *

 

Entering a fairly decent townhouse used for temporary military housing behind Mateo, Rachel followed him up the stairs to the second level.  Her ears tilted to continue following Scarlet’s vampire introduction at some random diner.  Things were taking a turn that she hadn’t expected, and the subtle emotional changes in Scarlet made her a tad unsure if the girl was ready for this.

Nia and a few of Mateo’s men followed them up to the front room, where they began setting up their communication equipment.  Rachel opened the sliding glass door to step out onto the covered balcony, glaring at the rainy night.  Crossing her arms, she left it open for Mateo and Nia to join her.

“Dammit,” she mumbled, tapping her side and listening intently to the vampire girl and man that engaged Scarlet.

Her less curvy and ear-endowed twin leaned against the wall, studying the downpour and city park view.  “She’s floundering.  Aren’t we a bit too far away to do anything to help her?”

“I said I’d trust her judgment.”  Rachel unfolded her arms to sweep back her loose hair over her shoulders, groaning as her phone began to vibrate in the purse she’d brought.

Mateo lit a cigarette while stepping onto the patio and shifted the rifle strap around his body.  Dragging on it once, he stuck the lighter back into a pouch before turning his cautious brown eyes to her.  “Your mom again?  I don’t think you’ll be able to dodge her much longer; they’ve been sitting at the grave site for an hour now.”

“I know,” she sighed, taking it out to rub her thumb over the glass; her mother’s smiling face was on the screen.  “I think it’s safe to say we’re not having the funeral at this point…  And Scarlet isn’t being careful to hide her nature as a vampire; the people at the diner she’s at are getting anxious.”

She closed her eyes and took a deep, relaxing breath; not being inside the situation to curb things in Scarlet’s favor was giving her a shocking amount of anxiety.  It was probably her control freak nature rearing its ugly head.  Still, she had to give Scarlet room to grow, or she would become totally dependent on her.

Naturally, Mateo was already following them, and she couldn’t hide what they were doing from Barbara since he reported to her.  Luckily, she’d garnered enough trust from the saint that she’d kept her distance and let Mateo control things so far.  It wouldn’t have done them any good to try to hide this OP from the military anyway.  The drones that had been flying around the graveyard had instantly spotted Scarlet climbing into an old truck, which would have raised questions regardless.

Scarlet got the police called on her; Illa was going to be trouble.  Those eating had already been mumbling to one another, worried that the pair were vampires before Scarlet even arrived.  This was a carefully laid scenario to spark a specific response from Scarlet.

The girl was too perfect at manipulating Scarlet’s empathy and fragile emotional state, building an attachment between them; if Scarlet had gone in without her warning her to be skeptical of those getting near her, the girl’s defenses would have melted like butter.

Answering the phone, she held it up to her mouth, ears twitching at what was happening in the diner.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Hey!  Uh… is this too much for Scarlet?  Should we go somewhere to eat first or help her calm down?  I told her I’d try to make some blood dishes for her.  I’m excited to try and figure out some recipes that she can enjoy!”

Rubbing between her eyes, Rachel looked to her right at Nia, who was using her ears to scan in a broader range to perceive threats in their vicinity.  She was focused on Scarlet, allowing them to cover all angles.  “We found out that the body in the box isn’t Scarlet’s dad and are on the hunt for his real corpse.  You can get the details from the Green Berets.”

Her mom was quiet for a few seconds, pulling the tapping rain against the roof into focus before she puffed out a tired sigh.  “So… you’ve let us believe Scarlet was going through a panic attack and needed support for over an hour in the rain?  I guess it is like you…”

Ouch.  Rachel gulped, shivering a little at her mom’s tone.  She’s mad.

Her ears lifted straight up as Scarlet teleported the girl away from her guardian and slammed her against a wall, becoming aggressive.

No, Scarlet, you’re coming on too strong; you’re giving her all the ammunition to strike back at your weak point!  What if Terry goes on a rampage because you’ve separated them?!  She’s not thinking!

“Mom, I’ll call you back.  Barb will have the—”

“Don’t bother!  Just make sure Scarlet is okay,” she heatedly interrupted.  “I expect you’re in some kind of operation or whatever, so I’ll take Alexa, Zoe, and Felix back to our place; it’s two hours away, but it will probably be safe because of that.”

“Eh-hehe.  Thanks, Mom, and can you tell Jeanne that I’d appreciate it if she went with you.”

“Haaa.  Yes, we’d love to have her.  Now focus on Scarlet!”

It’s a bit bigger than that now, Rachel thought, hanging up and playing with her phone as Mateo puffed out a long stream of smoke.  Scarlet, you’re walking a really fine line.

“Trouble?”

Rachel hugged herself again, trying to keep her thumping heart from beating out of control.  “My first guess is someone was able to get their hands on Scarlet’s psychological profile from when we had our evaluation in the hospital, or the vampire with Scarlet now is just that good at understanding her target’s emotional triggers.”

Mateo snapped his fingers at the men in the room, who began relaying the information to SOCOM.

“She’s holding out from what I’ve heard,” Nia commented, continuing the line of thought.  “Dracula’s concubine being in the area, though…  Do you think she is the one who turned Illa and all of this is a ploy by the Scarlet Hand?  Also, are you hearing those dead spots near where all the ships are to our east?  Suspicious.  Do you think Illa could be sincere?  She sounds sincere to me, at least from this distance.”

Shaking her head, Rachel half-turned to look at the soldiers inside, where multiple laptops were open, and they communicated to Barbara’s personally selected team.  “Were there any vampires in Miami Beach during the Relica incident?”

“Pulling up the sheet now, Ma’am,” one of the men stated.  “Give me a moment…”

Mateo took a drag of his cigarette and sighed.  “I haven’t seen you this worked up since you took those toad attacks for us.  How bad is it looking for Scarlet?  We have teams ready to move across Miami if needed.”

Rachel shook her head.  “Scarlet is doing… well enough.  The National Guard and Police are scrambling to get ahead of what they see as a potential second Seattle Incident, which is fair, considering the casualties and how strong Scarlet came on in the diner…

“Dracula’s concubine’s name is Lady Selene San Felice.  The girl manipulating Scarlet claims to be a Noble Vampire, who was turned by a Progenitor, like Scarlet…  Shit, she’s starting to push Scarlet’s moral code and boundaries, looking for weak points to attack.  Mmgm.  And yes, Nia, I heard the blank spots at the docks; it’s worth checking out.”

Nia nodded.  “I hear a few other groups discussing vampires and hunting them, as well.  I can mark it on a map,” she said, going inside to study a sheet of the city that the soldiers unfolded.

Frustration gnawing on her tail, Rachel shoved her phone back into her purse; it was looking more and more like a far bigger thing than what they’d initially thought.  What grapevine did Illa get her information from?  Who was she with?  Why target Scarlet at this very moment?

“She’s letting things slide with this vampire because she’s playing nice and acting like a vulnerable teenage girl made into a monster.  She says she wants to help Scarlet get her dad’s corpse back…  I just wish Scarlet would ask stronger questions, but Illa knows exactly how to shut Scarlet down and make her feel like the villain.  She’s toying with Scarlet’s desire to be seen as a normal girl, trapped in the body of a monster while sneaking close to fluster her.”

Nia returned after marking the locations on the map, tapping her shoulder.  “Trust her a little more, Cap.  Scarlet may not be you, but she’s making her choices; she wants to be like you, not you.”

Snorting and shooting a glare at her smug, wise lieutenant, Rachel shook her head.  “Don’t think you’re some sort of sage; you got that from an anime or something you watched with Alexa and Selvaria, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.  Hehe.  Am I wrong, though?”  she asked with a wink.  “You’re flustered right now, yourself, Cap.  Chill and communicate.  I swear, you’re like an overprotective big sister, seeing her sister off to her first day in school.”

Rachel rolled her eyes and took out her phone.  “I need to put a restriction on dramas and anime for you.”

“You couldn’t handle me; I dare you,” Nia snickered, retaking her position on the wall.  “My younger self would drive you up the wall if you didn’t distract me with fun things or let others spoil me.”

“Not wrong…  Not wrong…  Hmm.”

One of the soldiers piped up from inside.  “Ma’am, I just scanned the list of changed people in Miami Beach, and there were a few vampires listed—no, never mind, they weren’t a part of those changed during The Oscillation—they were turned.  All of them were discovered after the incident and quickly put down by units clearing the zone.”

Mateo grimaced, hard eyes shifting to his man.  “Apparently, there are different ranks; you’re not suggesting they killed sentient vampires that weren’t hostile?  Highlight the more detailed report.”

“Manic… unresponsive to warnings—similar to those found during the Seattle Incident that retained little to no intelligence—mostly teenage girls or children, and they’d been bitten on their breasts.  All were terminated.”

“Shit,” one of the soldiers snarled, scratching his scalp, “children and teenage girls turned into Thralls.  Hell, that would be rough…  Bastards.”

Rachel returned her gaze to the downpour as Nia continued to track multiple parties that had the subject of vampires on their tongues.  With every action Illa took, Rachel grew more suspicious and anxious.  Illa pushed lightly to feed on a guard, and once Scarlet flatly rejected it, the girl went for the High Vampire, which forced Scarlet into a position to accept it, pulling her further down the slope as the next best alternative.

At the same time, Rachel wasn’t entirely against what Illa was doing.  It was stretching Scarlet in ways that needed to be done if she was going to be an effective part of Omen.  Perhaps she could use the vampire to help Scarlet overcome her traumas; it couldn’t be done from the sidelines for long, though.

Her hesitation vanished the moment a new player entered Scarlet’s circle, her gut-punching details making Rachel want to kick something.  The girls were about to ride to the docks and hitch a ride with a bunch of dangerous Legends and Myths to a vampire masquerade.

One of the Green Berets snapped his fingers to get their attention.  “Information just came through SOCOM from the White House.  General Dallas says one of Fable’s agents, codename RED, went AWOL from her post in Montana and may be heading to Miami.”

Rachel’s cold eyes shifted to Mateo, now sitting and looking like he was about to go on his fourth tour in active combat from what she’d been sharing.

“Send word to Captain Barbara; we’re looking at an active mission.”  Activated a number she really shouldn’t be dialing since Barbara was the commanding officer, Rachel motioned for Nia to go on ahead; she was about to get yelled at.  “I’m calling the general…”

The bunny got a two-fingered salute from Mateo before giving her a smirk and jumping over the edge of the rail, becoming a blur through the downpour.  “I’ll fill Scarlet in.”

“Good luck,” Mateo groaned, rolling around his neck before entering the room to get on the radio with his superior.  “The damn Countess of Blood is having a party and has already contacted Scarlet.  Son of a bitch.  Ready for combat, boys!”  he snarled, flicking his cigarette butt into a clean tray.  “We’re staying behind to handle the assault on the city.”

“Hooah!”

Rachel felt the strings of destiny strongly pushing them in this direction.  Tom’s voice held more vigor than when she’d last talked to him; the man’s deep voice held a sharper tone than what she’d become accustomed to.

“Make it quick.”

“I’m guessing you’ve got the report at this point…  You’ve listened to the message Scarlet’s dad left for her—the Scarlet Hand, a Scottish fairy spreading fog for the impending vampire attack, multiple top-tier vampire legends and myths gathering for a Legend Quest, and an assault on Miami to kick it off.  Good thing you have forces stationed and ready.”

Tom slid right past her lighthearted tone.  “Be straight with me, Rachel.  Are you manipulating yourself into this kind of position because of the Scarlet Hand’s part in killing your cousin or because you feel Montana is a lost cause?  It’s like you’re doing everything in your power not to go.  I can’t ignore this, and you know it, but I can’t ignore Montana either.  Now, two groups that I was relying on are on the opposite side of the country!”

Closing her eyes and leaning against the balcony guard, Rachel held her arm against her stomach.  “I’m not trying to run from Montana; I want to go and check it out for myself.  That being said, I strongly feel this will help us against whatever is behind that Crystal, even if we’re a few days late to the party.  Your info suggested reinforcements are an option on the flight over, and we will be there, and we will win.

“As for this Countess business, I don’t know what will happen inside the masquerade, but I do know that crashing this Legend Quest and getting the corpse of Scarlet’s dad back is pivotal for the future.  Plus, it’s always good for the Scarlet Hand to take another L.  Ugh.  Now that is taken care of…  Sadly, I’ll probably miss the Congress speech; Erica will have to do it for me as a representative of Omen.”

She waited with bated breath, hearing the stress in Tom’s grinding teeth.  After all, Montana was a very public and ominous event that had all the citizens of the United States glued to their TVs while this wasn’t anywhere near the public eye.  It didn’t help that her public image had been blowing up in the media recently.

Videos of her in DC and leaked info in Miami that the President had chosen to go public on had sparked a lot of buzz.  Reporters and journalists were all looking for info on her; luckily, her true identity or family hadn’t been discovered due to her being cautious of her surroundings in DC, where she could be recorded, but it also introduced a problem for Tom.  The ‘Heroine of Miami Beach’ was expected to be at the Crystal, and she wouldn’t be there on the go.

Sure, this Countess of Blood’s party was a big deal, along with the imminent attack on Miami, but the latter could be resolved tonight.  She could even be named in it, which would further Omen’s reputation.  However, realistically, the timing was off; they knew the Crystal would open tomorrow, and a lot could happen on an operation like this with the unknowns revolving around Legend Quests.

If they just thwarted another attack in Miami, then it was a win, but also a headache if the public started asking questions as to why the leaders of it weren’t handled, striking more dread and giving Dracula what he wanted.  If taken care of in private and she wasn’t in Montana when things kicked off, then it could hurt her reputation and risk blowback on Tom and the President if things went south.

The real problem was an operation that involved a Legend Quest could take minutes on the outside, as hers had been when time had been sped up, or weeks for all they knew.  And, to be honest, it was a big opportunity to gain some needed EXP for the Montana Crystal if they played their cards right.

The band around her chest snapped as Tom growled, “Coordinate with Captain Barbara.  Try to make it back in one piece, not hanging on to life by a sliver like last time, Rachel.  You were the one that told me that even Izanami—a literal fallen Creation Goddess—fears what is coming from that gateway.”

“I think my mom might kill me if I come back like that again,” she laughed in return.

“Sure…”  Tom’s voice lowered.  “From what you’ve laid out and what I’ve seen from the video Scarlet’s father left for her, I’m seeing a dangerous secret that you’ve kept.  We’ll talk about this Twilight later, who I assume has some hand in this event for Scarlet’s benefit.”

She felt a hint of dread at that conversation with the President, but hopefully, this operation would build Scarlet up enough to be open about it.  “Got it.  Anything else?”

The general paused while receiving a report from an aide.

“Sir, White is here to see you regarding Red’s disappearance.”

“Tell her I’ll be in my office in a moment…  Rachel, Fable’s CEO is here to discuss two of her agents…  Now, it’s not only Red but Black that has left her post, which White says isn’t surprising since they operate in pairs.”

“Great!”  Rachel sarcastically chimed, flipping around to lean against the cold rail and listen to Scarlet trying to find a place where they could legally buy clothes that were outside the police net; that would be solved soon enough.  “I’ve wanted to meet these Fable agents for a while now.  Any details you can give me?”

“Hmm.”  He signed a few papers before getting up to change rooms across the Pentagon.  “I can forward over some things, but first, I want you to know explicitly where we are…”

“I’m listening,” Rachel said, stomach fluttering a little and wanting to get on the move already as he paused to listen to another report that turned out to be quite relevant.

“…As you no doubt just heard, we’ve gained the support of The Crow Native Americans of Montana, and they have their own Myths and Legends that will be added to our roster.  Other factions look like they will be joining, as well, and Mexico is offering some support, which is a good sign from their government.  We’ve also learned more about this Type of Crystal.”

“Uh-huh.  I’m following,” Rachel mumbled, shifting to see the Green Berets getting ready to make this their staging ground and coordinate with other teams around Miami.  “So, you’re saying you should be able to handle the initial recon at least while we handle this vampire business?  What’s the new info?”

“Haaa.  We can never be too prepared,” he grumbled.  “This is looking like it will be a battle royal type of conflict at a neutral site between multiple worlds.  Surprisingly, Russia was the one who gave the rest of the world this information with the video and proof to back it up…  It was hard on them, and it looks like the Anastasia Faction is gaining popularity from it.  Still, I don’t like what Mei told you about this Power of Conquest that scared off a lot of the gods.”

“Understood,” she said with a forced chuckle, hearing Nia jumping over houses to reach the vehicle Scarlet was in.  “You want my misfortune senses there to spot any big threats before they grow out of proportion and give us a gut feel of where to put our focus on.  I hear you loud and clear, General.”

“Good.”  Tom groaned and scratched his neck.  “We should be able to have the field scoped and ready for when you arrive, if we can manage to swing you as reinforcements.  You better be sure about this, Rachel, because if it doesn’t pay off, we might as well announce to the world that we can’t defend ourselves.

“As for what White told me about her agents…  Red has a deep grudge against Dracula, so she may be emotionally compromised.  She suspects the woman is looking for revenge after Black uncovered Selene’s whereabouts in Florida with a vampire attack that you confirmed.

“I’ll send over their files…  They’re dangerous—both of them.  Red was the one who eliminated the Seattle Vampire, and they’ve had an extensive assassination and spy history in Fable against US adversaries across the globe.”

“Got it.  Thanks, General.”

Hanging up, she swapped to Barbara’s phone to give further instructions as Scarlet and Illa were guided into Cássia’s car.  There was a lot to organize, and her blood was beginning to pump for action with the forces Nia was tracking; it was time to jump back into the field.

“Hey, Barb!  I just got confirmation from General Dallas: we have a new mission objective.”

Hold on, Scarlet, the cavalry is coming.

 

* — * — *

 

Barbara groaned after hearing the extra details Rachel gave her; apparently, it was vampire season.  She waved off Jeanne as the blonde cheerily took the civilians to Molly’s house with a two-vehicle escort.  This had been such a shitshow, and now there was another attack coming to Miami; the city couldn’t catch a break.

Fiona, Maria, and Selvaria were discussing the ride to Miami in the helicopter she’d called while Rachel’s spooky orange blob bounced between their heads.  She had to chuckle at the large stream of water that the Leviathan was letting go down the hill to lighten the load she was on the vehicle, shrinking in size and age.

One of the Green Berets jogged over to her, snagging her attention as his boots sprayed mud everywhere in the downpour.  “Captain, transport ETA in five!”

“Good.  Where’s Anthony, and do you have any more info on that blonde girl that showed up?  Ugh.  I’m starting to think people are leaving me out of the loop on purpose; this was supposed to be a secret operation with a selective list…  Damn civilians, making my job difficult.  She’s probably some Miami friend or something.”

The large man chortled before handing her a tablet with her information.  “Definitely not a girlfriend with how tied down he is to Amelia.”

“For real!  The woman’s got her claws in him,” she snickered, recalling all the video calls she’d seen them do over the past few weeks.  “She’ll box for her man, too!  I’m telling you.”

“No doubt; she’s got a mouth on her when she’s mad—I’ve heard.  You know, it’s ironic that we get all these vampires in the Sunshine State.”

“No joke…  Wait, citizen records from the UK…  Ireland?”  She glanced around, not spotting the two.  “Ciara Lynch, 18-years-old, single, and… without a US passport.  Huh.  Where are they?”

He pointed at her own Humvee, making her frown.  “Alright, help everyone pack up; we’re off to earn our fang hunting license.  Don’t forget the garlic bombs!”

“Haha!  Lt. Cameron’s requesting more stun grenades.”

“Classic!  Heightened senses, harder the hit; I like it!”

Leaving the man to do his duty and holding her umbrella close, Barbara slowed to a walk while rounding her vehicle; she caught sight of the blonde and muscular, fire-haired Legend.  She expected he’d want to be by his fiancée’s side if there was going to be an attack.  It was on brand.  Still, she had to ask a few questions about Ciara; for one, how she got into the US without a passport.

However, her somewhat confrontational mood and the joke on the tip of her tongue were washed away as she caught the pair under the man’s two-person umbrella, and Ciara pulled Anthony down to lock lips in a long kiss.

Stunned, Barbara’s mind blanked as the young woman broke contact, showing teary red cheeks and hatred in her green irises.  She could only just barely hear the girl’s words past the falling rain against the steel vehicle between them.

“There’s nothing you can do, Anthony.  You have to make the choice; you cannot run from this problem.  Bury your love and take responsibility.”

Anthony pulled her in a little to rest his forehead against her damp hair.  “I know…  I’m sorry, Ciara.  I’m so sorry…”

“I don’t need your apology,” she snapped with venom that put Barbara on her heels, feeling whiplashed.  “I’ll be waiting…  Don’t abandon me.”

In the next instant, Ciara Lynch hazed into a mist, leaving Anthony to wipe away the tears falling down his cheeks.

“What… the hell, man!”

Anthony turned around with a long, shuddering sigh, rubbing the back of his hand, where a tattoo of a black dove was imprinted, and he acted as if nothing had happened; the military paint covering his dangerous beauty mark under his eye was partially smeared.

“Hey, Barb… we moving out?”

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