Snippet #2165707

Kora had spent the majority of the last week dividing time between spending time with her husband and daughter, and sleeping off the effects of her experience. She had felt pretty wiped out, and also knew that Grant would probably lock her in her room if she didn't take it easy. Fortunately she found she had no reasons to go off on one, not in a dramatic fashion anyway. She'd called up Rose as soon as she'd felt up to it. Hilda and Thea were alright, and Rose herself was trying to bond with her newly discovered daughter. Considering, things weren't going too badly.

Kora still looked a bit beaten up, with bandages on her wrists and across her midriff, though her werewolf healing had taken care of most of the smaller cuts and bruises completely. It was just as well that it was so efficient.

Helena, for all that had happened, seemed to be perfectly healthy and happy. She'd had that all thoroughly checked out, and everything was fine. They were not certain how she would deal with changing, or whether she had another ability aside from berserkrgang, but at that point, it didn't seem like a problem. She was a happy, healthy baby girl, and Grant was smitten with her.

Kora cast a glance over in Arucan's direction, regarding his question.
" Soon, hopefully. I don't imagine Hel will be particularly disappointed when she grows up. I don't think our kind really do flowers anyway. More animal sacrifice and swords. I'm starting as a I mean to go on. You're going to be a walking nuke like your mommy aren't you?" she asked Helena, who giggled.

She leaned her head on Grant's shoulder, smiling.
"I like that idea. Getting covered in blood is pretty much second nature by now anyway. After the time I've had, I don't want to waste anymore time messing about. Let's go for it. I love you Grant."

--------

Everyone was happy...well...nearly everyone. Lyda Fox sat up in her room. She'd placed the bible, slightly water damaged, the roughly repaired wall cross, and her pendant in a box, closed the top and placed them in her desk draw. Shisou was right, she shouldn't cast them aside....but she wasn't sure how she felt about them anymore.

She wasn't sure how she felt about some of the people she knew anymore either. The last week she hadn't seen a lot of most people. Midnight had been by several times. Stacy had been there; while she had said very little Lyda had appreciated that she had been a presence, and showed that she cared. Shisou had been around much of the time. Lyda couldn't express how much she appreciated his presence, particularly considering her newfound responsibilities, which she couldn't really call herself prepared for. The werewolf had never expected to be caring for two kids.

Dinah, the three year old was fast asleep, pulled up close to Lyda with her blond head resting on her lap, and one arm wrapped around a stuffed toy. Cyrus, the older of the two was sat over by the window, watching the snow. The kids were distraught, confused, and trying to adapt to this abrupt and rather painful turn their life had taken. Lyda herself knew that there wasn't a lot that she could say or do that could make it hurt less....she felt the hurt keenly herself....but she also knew that she could honor the memory of her family no better than by raising and caring for these two. If there was no God, if there was no heaven, then the only way you could truly live forever was in the impact that you had on others. Her parents, her brothers...they had made her who she was...and to abandon that was to kill them a second time.

She glanced over at Shisou.
"Thanks for all this. I don't know if you'll ever get a sense of how much impact what you said had on me....but I just want you to know that you're a very good man."

-------

One person was apparently missing from the building.

There was a small note, with slightly untidy handwriting, pinned to the door of Reith's room.

'Shisou,

May not be around for a couple of days, have some stuff to take care of.

See you soon,
Rei'


It was at the same time that a figure, dressed in a baggy hooded top, wearing gloves and a scarf pulled up over her nose and mouth, casually approached the building Nia and Rex Arian had been hiding out in for the past few days, while waiting for the heat to die down.

Nia had finally perfected using her new arm. She had to wear big bulky clothes in public--bulkier than she usually wore--to cover it up, but she didn't seem to mind it all that much. The hand twitched a bit, then closed around a fork.

Nia smiled, managing to twist the fork around using her fingers, so she could use it. She dropped it, then grabbed it again, this time, from the right angle.

It was with little effort that the invader scaled the wall and reached the window. She had dispensed of her gloves, and her fingers expanded to resemble the pads of a gecko, allowing her to easily clamber up and swing herself into the room.

Nia lifted her head at the noise, looking around at the trespasser. "Why, hello dear," Nia said. She got to her feet, setting the fork down calmly.

Reath reached up and pulled the hood down, fanning her silver hair out and turning towards Nia.
"You didn't really think I wouldn't show up, did you?"

"Oh, no, I figured you would. Soon as I knew you were alive,"

"So the next question is, what're you planning to do about it?"

"It depends. What are you planning to do?"

"Aw, telling you would ruin the surprise." she replied, with an unnerving grin. There was more of Rex and Cray in Reith than she would care to admit.

"I see," Nia said. She seemed unusually subdued. The woman tried to surprise Reith, lunging forwards. The good news about now having a metal arm was that it intensely amplified her abilities, so if that arm touched the girl, she had her. If the other did, then Nia just had to hope that her energy manipulation got to Reith in time.

It was a desperate move, but Nia was kinda desperate. The life she had tried to build for herself was gone. Her human job, her kids, her arm. Even her vampire job was in trouble. Even with all her intellect, she had no idea what to do from here. It showed.

Reith glanced in the direction of the woman,almost disappointed. A dark, sinuous tendril burst from her shoulders, winding round and seizing hold of Nia's collar, lifting her cleanly off the ground.

"See, as I see it, I am kinda due a bit of revenge. You people used me as your pawn, you then tried to murder me, and I'm technically the father of a hybrid baby, something that's pretty fucked up..even for me." she stated.

Nia looked over Reith for a moment. She didn't seem afraid. "I'm sorry Reith," she said. With that, she attempted to grab the tendril and send a large electric burst through it. "But I'm not dying here. Even if I deserve it."
The tendril spasmed and lurched backwards. The fleshcrafter got the shock a few moments later and stumbled back, grimacing.
With that, the other vampire ran past Reith, springing out the window.

The biological manipulator gave a hiss of irritation and dashed after her.

The chase itself was almost embarrassingly short.
By the end of the alleyway Reith had closed the gap. She effortlessly pulled Nia up off her feet again.
"This is boring." she stated venomously, tendrils rearing back like angry snakes around her.

Nia struggled to catch her breath. "Reith I had nothing to do with your death," Nia said.

Reith swung them both back up to the window ledge, holding the woman aloft.
"You're still a fucking cancer. Give me one good reason not to rip you in half. One incentive. Go on. I'll wait"

Nia looked down. "I-I never thought it'd end like this. I was just so relieved, y'know? When I met Rex. I wasn't... alone." Nia looked up. "Reith dear... I hope this makes you happy. Gives you peace. You've had it rough." she grabbed the tendril again, running another shock through it, fully expecting to be dropped.

"Hm...nope."
The young vamp swung Nia round and swung her into the ledge, hard.
"Happy is simply not going to happen, not in the classical sense anyway. That isn't what I'm after. I'm not proud of it, I'm after a bit of nasty, violent gratification....but the thing is...I'm not stupid. Rex picked you for a reason. I reckon you can be useful.
I'm giving you a one time opportunity to save your sorry ass."

"Okay," Nia said, her hair falling in front of her face. "What?"

"Make me powerful." she stated, smiling.
"I'm good, I'm very good...but I want to be great."