The end in sight.

[Dane]

It was among the least of things he expected, fighting the bulk of fur and muscle was relatively simple, easy, they were slow all that was required was to avoid being hit. In time his attacks would wear them down. But something within the brawl moved towards him, it was humanoid, but no vampire save for Dane should have moved with such speed. The creature appeared in front of him, it bore a striking resemblance to the late vampire King, Dane found himself hesitating for just a moment as the creature extended a hand and shoved him back. The vampire managed to stay on his two feet as he slid back hard against the wall. It hit like a lycan, like Alena. The moment of realization came quickly, it smelt like Lucia, this was her sibling. Mentally he cursed himself. One of his intentions was to look into their existence. This was a problem. Staying away from that thing was not the issue, but defeating it now among this mayhem without the slightest preparation? It was not a winning fight. They’d kill him… and take her. A hot rage began to form in his chest. After everything he could not lose Alena now. “She’s mine.” He growled, pulling his arm away as the hybrid reached for his gun. Dane kicked back at Nero, before snapping his head in the direction of the basement.

Lucia’s fist struck him hard in the chest. The girl was stronger than he remembered, though that was not his concern. The door leading toward the cell was wide open, she was gone, wasn’t she. His eyes flared red as he dropped the dagger from his hand, snatching Lucia’s wrist, holding tight he turned and slammed the girl hard against a wall. This was perhaps the most foolish thing she had done, engaging him close. This was his means out. If they’d come for Alena, they’d come for Lucia as well, it must have been. He quickly wrapped his arm around the girl’s torso, and pulled her back against his chest, turning to face the hybrid, holding his gun to the girl’s back. From behind Lucia he smiled at Nero. “My love, Lucia, I’m sorry things had to end this way.” He said, quietly whispering into her ear. “I want you to understand.” He slid the barrel of his gun behind her shoulder blade, keeping Lucia between him and the hybrid. “You were never nothing more to me than a means to the end.” His hand groped her rough. “And flesh, but even then I outgrew your need.” He pulled the trigger, a bullet tore clean through Lucia’s shoulder and to the hybrid. Dane let go of the girl, allowing her to fall to her knees as his lowered his gun. “Take her, now.” He ordered to the lycan and hybrid as he readied to pull the trigger once more.

Catherine’s intent was to let them go, as much as she had planned to follow Marcus’ wishes she wasn’t given much choice. Lucia had separated from her mother, Pablo followed like a little duckling, walking straight into a fray. In his current state he was bound to have become a casualty in the crossfire, Lucia, unfortunately she had been in the place to assist the girl. At least she had seemed more physically capable, her only hope was that Dane failed to get her hands-on Lucia. At least Catherine had managed to save one of them. She had rendered the young lycan unconscious before he did not anything unwise and carried him for safety and to further secure. The vampire held the lycan tight within her arms. He was all she needed for now. His warmth was overwhelming, his blood exquisite. If the last they’d seen of him was walking into the fray, they’d likely thought he’d met his end. Perhaps if Lucia miraculously survived, she would search for her pet, and if she was fortunate so would Addy. Love could make one do strange things. Once against she squeezed the beast tight, sighing softly. She hadn’t lost everything, the others would follow suit. Her tongue scoured the bite wound on his neck, cleaning away the dried flakes of blood. Another bite right now was tempting, but she’d drain him quite dry not too long ago. There was of course more remnants of blood. The wounds he’d suffered at Lucia’s hands. She shivered at the energy that ran through her veins as she ran her tongue across his chest. The sounds of battle shook her free from her moment of indulgence. They would have so much time together, she simply needed to assure he would be here. While there was silver to bound the beast, he wanted him physically able by the end of the night. She reached for his foot, giving it a sharp twist, straining his ankle. He let out a grunt as he was placed on the ground. Now, she needed to defend her home, and if she were lucky acquire another of the beast.

[Adele Holst]

Checking the hallway quickly, Adele stalked quietly toward the sound of battle, her heart racing. Her golden eyes flitted about quickly, scanning well ahead of her position to areas where she might be ambushed.

Hugging the wall, she turned a corner cautiously, glancing behind her a last time to make sure she wasn't being followed. This new hallway seemed to open up a few meters down, to what might be the main entrance of the building. For a moment, Adele thought she caught movement from down that hallway, coming toward her, and she stepped quickly back, around the corner again. Had she actually seen anything? Was it simply her nerves getting the better of her? She hadn't noticed how hard she was gripping the gun until she looked down to try and silently calm her breathing. No, she'd definitely seen something, she thought, nodding to herself.

Looking around the corner again, the young woman thought she caught a glimpse of fabric disappearing behind a doorway. Tails of a dress, maybe? But that direction was away from the sound of the fight... Something cold hit her stomach as her thoughts began to unravel what she'd seen. No, it was more than cloth. It was a person, but that person wasn't alone; they were carrying someone else. Was that...? Had that been Catherine...? Did she have Pablo?

Without further hesitation, Adele found herself lunging forward into a careful run toward the doorway she'd believed the vampire had gone through. There was no part of her that was looking forward to another encounter with Catherine, but if that had been Pablo in the vampire's arms, she couldn't just leave him. "Pablo." Trying to reach out to her friend as she neared the doorway, Adele slowed down. Within the room, she heard a soft crack and a groan. Was that him? It sounded close enough to her.

Turning the corner quickly, Adele held the desert eagle in front of her, gripping it was both hands, one finger resting alongside the trigger, ready to squeeze. The vampire was closer than she'd imagined; perhaps she'd been about to leave....

Glaring up at the woman, Adele rose the gun to aim at the vampire's sternum. She couldn't see behind Catherine; but she could smell him. Pablo. He was in here. "Get out of my way." She growled, taking a step closer to the vampire. Her heart felt like it would beat through her chest with how hard it was pounding. Adele brought her forefinger over the trigger, but prepared to shift up into her wolf form. "I'm a better shot than my brother."

[Lucia Drusa Severa]

Ignoring Pablo's pleas, Lucia charged forth. The sounds of fighting all around were not completely lost upon the hybrid, but her sole focus was Dane. He seemed to look at her as her first fist made contact, and something about that solid hit felt good.

"Dane!" Lucia screamed in protest as the vampire grabbed her and slammed her into the wall. The impact hurt. Yet somehow the fact that it'd been Dane's hand that attacked her stung more. Still, the girl was left momentarily dazed.

As the vampire wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her in, Lucia tried pulling free, kicking wildly until she felt the cold barrel of a gun against her back. Sobbing quietly as Dane spoke, she tried lifting an arm back to touch him. "No..." His embrace had felt so perfect not hours ago; his voice speaking intimately in her ear, exciting.

Now, she wanted to be free of it all. She tried pushing his arm away as he groped her, "Dane---!" Yet everything seemed to stop as her ears filled with fire at the sound of Dane's gunshot. Her scream was cut short, and a hateful blaze filled her chest. She felt so hot; moreso than she ever had with Pablo. And it fucking hurt.

Looking down, red seemed to splatter across her chest. There was a hole in her dress... No. There was a hole in her. Yes. There was a hole in her chest; maybe she could just fall inside herself... The girl's vision faded, and then it felt like she was falling. She could hear voices in the background, but couldn't make out the words being spoken. And then everything became silent and darkness was all that remained.

[Reece]

Growling low as Dane landed a swift kick along his spine, Reece attempted to catch himself on his front paws. There was little time to jump back in to engage the vampire, as he found himself trying to lunge out of the line of fire of the vampires huddled along the staircase and near the edges of the lobby. Nearby, he could hear the sounds of a couple packmates yelping as a few bullets found their mark.

As he was getting to his feet, he turned to see the vampire get slammed back into a nearby wall; Alena's son had joined the fray inside. Some small amount of relief filled the elder lycan, and he reached out mentally for Damien to split off to retrieve their queen.

Charging toward Dane and Nero, Reece was about to rush in at the earliest opening, when another figure quickly entered the fight. He heard her screaming before she appeared in front of the vampire; Alena's daughter, Lucia. Even the girl, by far the youngest in present company, was fast; remarkably so. There was no way he'd be able to keep up with the three of them.

Scanning toward the back of the foyer, Reece snapped back to attention when he heard nearby gunfire and Lucia cry out. He turned back in time to see the girl slump to her knees before falling completely to the ground. Immediately his hackles rose, and he moved forward as the vampire spoke, staring down at Dane hatefully. While his gaze never left the vampire, Reece fell to a knee to grab the girl and pull her over to him. She seemed so small and fragile in his massive arms, and he couldn't truly say if the child still lived, but if they were leaving, she would come with; in body if not also in spirit.

Standing again to his full height, Reece took a small step backward, watching Dane, wary of his gun hand. Nero seemed to fill the space between them as the lycan moved closer to the wall; slowly closer to the entrance.

[Pablo]

Catherine stopped dead in her tracks as Adele appeared in the hallway, but not out of apprehension or fear, but rather surprise. It seemed the night was turning her way, out of all things to happen, her most precious prize. She’d expected Lucia, and Adele to come for him, eventually, but so quickly? The foolish things love made one do. She stood taller, straight as her eyes lowered down to the gun. A smile creased her lips. “It appears you have me at your mercy.” She said stepping aside her back to the wall. The vampire had to restrain from licking her lips. How was the lycan her, between her bite and the silver wound, it was impossible the girl had healed so quickly. Something warm began to grow within her chest. The thought of the lycan slumped beside Pablo, at her mercy. How could Adele forget so quickly? Catherine had been distracted when her brother had shot her.

The moment Adele stepped by her, Catherine made her move. One hand reaching for the other gun, the other chopping down on her wounded shoulder. They made contact at once, Adele flinching at the strength of the blow, the gun falling easily from her hands. Catherine reached for the girl, grabbing her by the waist as she wrapped a leg around hers. There was resistance, momentarily. The lycan pushed against Catherine, before pulling one way, her struggle was tantalizing, she held the girl loosely, leaving him room to fight. As much as it pleased the vampire at any moment Adele could don her lycan form. “Enough.” She said, in a commanding voice, twisting their bodies to face Pablo, pulling Addy back in closely, she lowered the gun in his direction. Adele’s struggle almost ceased completely. “I still haven’t hurt him, for what you did, your resistance. We can begin now, together, if you’d like.” She spoke intimately to Adele. The way the lycan settled in the vampire’s arms was answer enough. Pablo was a weakness, one Catherine wouldn’t surrender so easily. If only Adele knew. “Now Addy.” She ran a hand up to the girl’s throat, gripping tight, Catherine’s lips by the girl’s neck, taking in her scent. “Where did we leave off?” She turned the gun, against Adele’s side.


“Catherine.” Marcus’ voice called from the hall. Gripping Adele tight, the vampire turned to face the hall, a pleasant smile on her lips. “I see you’ve made a friend.” He gazed down at Adele before stepping forward. “Addy.” The girl who’d become the target of his lover’s affection. Poor soul. Marcus rested his hands on the lycan’s shoulders, before reaching out to caress her cheek. “You’re as lovely as Catherine claimed.” That seemed to please his lover, she held out Adele as if presenting her to him. “Catherine, Lucia… she’s been shot.”

[Alena Wulf]

The mother of lycanthropy only managed to get a few steps off to the side before stopping, resting on one knee. Bracing herself with one hand in the floor, Alena spared a glance toward the cellar door to watch as Lucia and Pablo slipped out, off to the other side.

Her attention turned toward the heat of the battle in the center of the lobby in time to see a group of vampires by a set of stairs disperse as a large object flew toward them. Near the middle of the foyer, among a slew of werewolves, she could pick out Reece's massive form, engaging Dane directly. It'd been far too long since she'd seen Reece; yet Alena found her gaze turning to Dane. Watching him fight, the vampire king seemed different, somehow, than he'd been during their exchange in London. Almost subdued here, despite the small army of vampires fighting behind him and his obvious speed and strength advantage over the lycans here for her. He'd certainly been more talkative during their duel. She would have thought that Dane might have shown more arrogance now, given his superiority over his enemies and the belief that his prisoner hung secured under multiple silver chains, and had been thoroughly drained of her blood. The werewolf queen licked her lips, a small smile at one corner of her mouth.

From the corner of her eye, Alena caught fast movement heading toward Dane and Reece, coming from the entrance of the warehouse. Her smile grew wider as she watched her son push Dane back hard into a wall. Had the leech shown some hesitation in his actions upon spying Nero? She thought that might have been the case, but her view was obstructed momentarily as a large, black werewolf with golden eyes hurried toward her, offering a clawed hand to help her up.

Gazing up at Damien with her ice blue eyes, Alena clung to his paw tight with one hand as she got to her feet, gripping the key to her collar in the other. Placing a hand affectionately on the beast's chest, the lycan mother smiled to the pup. Yet her attention quickly returned to the fight.

"No..." Alena watched as her daughter came into the lobby, running straight toward Dane. Trying to step forward, she wanted to jump in; she found herself bringing the key up to the collar around her neck to unlock it. But Damien held an arm out to block her path and hold the queen of lycanthropy back. She was in no condition to rush in and help, a part of her knew that. But as Dane grabbed her daughter, positioning the girl between him and Nero with a smile, Alena attempted to run forward again.

Damien scooped her easily into his arms, holding her secure against his chest. Gripping tight to a chunk of his fur, Alena looked over his shoulder. It almost seemed like she would try to claw her way out of the boy's arms, but instead she held desperately onto him. There was nothing she could do as Dane shot the young hybrid and she fell to the ground. Damn it all; where was Pablo? Or Marcus for that matter?

Reaching out to Reece and Damien to gather everyone they could and leave, Alena set her sights hatefully on Dane. "Nero." Her voice cut clearly into both Dane's and her son's minds. -Wrap this up.-

Patting Damien's shoulder, she watched as Reece picked Lucia up and began his retreat, before glaring again at Dane. "What do you think Hell is like?" Keeping her gaze on the leech as Damien began carrying her away, Alena could feel her teeth ache.

[Adele Holst]

Gritting her teeth as Catherine smiled, Adele kept the gun trained on the woman as she stepped aside. This didn't feel right; it seemed like the vampire was complying too easily. That smile was unnerving. But as she moved away, revealing her packmate, the young lycan turned her gaze away from Catherine. She lowered the gun, stepping toward her friend, "Pablo..." Her voice was soft, weak. He lay, unmoving, on the floor; his body sickly pale and covered in sharp welts. -Odin, what happened?- He'd been conscious and in contact with her only minutes earlier.

Moving over to her best friend, Adele dropped her guard. Not that it would have mattered with Catherine's speed and strength. Whimpering as the vampire landed a bladed hand upon one of the silver wounds she'd left her with the previous night, Adele felt her knees give way, and she dropped the gun in an attempt to hold her shoulder. "Nien...!" Perrin's heir protested quietly as she felt the woman's cold arm snake around her waist, pulling her closer. She attempted to jump away, pushing hard off the ground and reaching out with one arm, but the attempt was useless. Catherine's grip felt deceptively loose; but there was no way Adele was going to be able to squirm free in this form.

Just as she'd resigned herself to shifting up, Catherine twisted her around, pointing the gun at Pablo's unmoving form. Attempting one last jerk of the vampiress' arm to get away, Adele whimpered quietly, casting her golden gaze away when she realized her packmate lay unclothed. -Fuck.- But she'd been so close to getting him out of here...

Catherine's voice in her ear sent a cold shiver up the werewolf's spine, and she tried to pull lightly away simply to grant herself some distance from the woman's mouth. By the looks of her friend, he had been hurt pretty bad; Catherine was lying. But Adele didn't doubt that the vampire could, and would, hurt Pablo further. She looked down at her feet, letting her blonde hair fall over her shoulders.

Cringing as the vampire's hand ran up her body to her throat, Adele shook her head adamantly. She brought her hands up in an attempt to pry away the woman's grip around her neck, but found herself shivering again as the gun was pressed to her abdomen and Catherine leaned in closer. Feeling the vampire's lips against her neck made her stomach crawl; it wasn't unfamiliar, but it was still unpleasant. She turned her face away from the woman.

The sound of another person's voice was almost welcome, except that the tone conveyed and friendliness and familiarity toward Catherine, which suggested this newcomer was also a vampire. Adele had little choice otherwise as the woman spun them around to face this new person. She looked up at him hard. When he spoke her name, as if he knew her, the young lycan glared up at him. Wincing as this vampire placed his hands on her shoulders, Adele, once more, tried to turn away as he caressed her cheek, calling her lovely. This didn't feel right at all. Yet she wasn't prepared for Catherine to hold her out to this new vampire, and the young lycaness stumbled slightly as she was pushed closer to Marcus.

The next words out of this man's mouth, however, were curious. Adele looked up at him, clenching her fists, "Good. I hope the shot was fatal."

[Pablo]

Catherine sighed softly, satisfied with her lover’s approval of Adele’s appearance. Maybe he’d final come around, and despite what they’d lost tonight would be special. She stepped forward, against Adele once again. Ready to whisper into the lycan’s ear when Marcus spoke once more. Catherine’s hands shifted to Adele’s throat, choking her. “You’ll regret that.” She said between clenched teeth. Lucia didn’t deserve this, after all the pain she’d been through, poor girl. Letting the hybrid go had been a mistake, but perhaps now Lucia would see she was better off with Catherine. If she still lived. “Marcus, where is she?” Something deep within her chest stung. The prospect of losing her forever, when had she come to care so much for that sill girl.

Marcus kept his hand resting on Adele’s cheek. “In the main hall, and alive last I’d seen, but you must hurry.” He said, watching as Catherine nodding. She held out the gun, taking it as the vampire shoved Adele against him. “Keep her.” She said, he wrapped an arm around the lycan. “I understand.” She bit her lip, watching reluctantly before sprinting by the two. Marcus shook his head. “Unbelievable.” He said, lazily lowering the gun towards Pablo’s direction. She’d run off just like that? Not even bothering to question why he hadn’t helped Lucia himself. More telling, she’d leave Adele, her current fixation. It seemed that Alena was in fact correct, what a bother. He gazed down at Adele. Her warmth was in fact pleasing, but that awful scent. “Addy. Try anything, and know that he dies.” He said, smiling pleasantly. The look in her eyes was enough to know what Catherine had said was true, good. Sliding a hand between them he shoved her forward to the ground beside her friend. He crossed his arms. “He’s a weakness, caring so much for somebody. Leave you easy to control.” Marcus said his gaze falling to the two lycan. “Although that makes the two of us similar. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my lover.” He said smiling towards Adele. “Even if she doesn’t know what’s best for her. So take him and go. And be quick. Lucia..” The shot had been clean, it was certainly painful, but shouldn’t have been lethal. “Although I share your sentiment I wouldn’t hold your breath. She had assistance she might gone by now.” He sighed. “A fair bit of warning. Your pack mother claims Lucia’s bite can enthrall her victims, and she’s made a meal of both our lovers, yours most of all. I didn’t wish to believe it, but if Catherine would leave you.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Perrin’s little pup, then it must be true. Now hurry.” He said waving her along with a gun. “Shift around the corner and I won’t shoot.”

[Nero]

Lifting an eyebrow ever so slightly as Dane growled that Alena was his, Nero ducked under the vampire's kick. He doubted his mother shared this vampire's sentiment; but it was often difficult to truly say.

Nero was about to step forward to keep Dane cornered along the wall. Yet his ears perked at the sound of quick, incoming footsteps, lightly headed their way. The hybrid stepped back in time to watch a girl come charging in, straight for Dane. She moved with a swiftness, yet seemed to lack tact and experience; this must be Lucia.

The vampire was quick to act, as Nero suspected he'd be; and the hybrid looked on as his sister was slammed into the wall and pulled in close, creating a barrier between him and Dane. Tears streamed down Lucia's face as she tried pulling out of the vampire's grip, and Nero clenched his jaw; she was so young. Somehow he hadn't realized that his mother's youngest daughter was still very much a child.

Relaxing his muscles visibly for Dane to see, the hybrid kept his smoldering red gaze on the vampire as he whispered into Lucia's ear. Even among the noise of battle around them, Nero could make out bits and pieces of what the vampire was saying. Lucia, in her sorrow and disbelief, hadn't even seemed to notice her brother. Yes, she was still so very young; and yet, to have fallen for Dane's ruse... How desperate had she been for affection, or even simply attention? He knew his mother hadn't been well since Raven's death; but this negligence of their daughter came as a bit of a surprise.

Keeping Dane's gaze as his gunshot rang out and Lucia dropped to the ground, Nero took half a step back for Reece to come closer and retrieve the girl. As the lycan pulled Lucia into his arms, backing away, Nero stepped forward again, occupying the space in front of Dane.

Again, his ears perked. Although the voice calling his name wasn't exactly audible, the clarity and authority of his mother's voice sounded like she could have been directly behind him. That was his queue, he supposed. However, the timing of Alena's emergence seemed a little too convenient; Dane appeared resolved to let them go. Was it simply intelligence in self-preservation? Had the vampire realized that continuing to duel with Nero would bring about unfavorable outcomes? Or had the hybrid's own presence put too much uncertainty on the table for Dane to deal with immediately?

The hybrid grit his teeth, staring the vampire down as he listened for Reece to get further away. He remained, standing in Dane's way, staring a hole through the vampire, until he heard the majority of the werewolves had left the warehouse.

[Adele Holst]

Reaching up in an attempt to pry Catherine's fingers away from her throat, Adele tried granting herself some reprieve. Over her own panic, she could hear Damien's voice in her head, telling her that he had Alena and it was time to go.

When the vampire released her vicegrip around her throat, the young woman tried inhaling deep, only to end up coughing; tears lining her eyes with how hard her body coughed. She sent back a simple "Ok," to Damien. But it didn't look like she was going to have an opportunity to leave anytime soon; and even if there was an opening to go, she wasn't going to leave Pablo here, alone.

Almost as soon as she'd regained composure, Adele found herself getting pushed into this new vampire. She brought her hands up in a weak attempt to push against his stomach, away from him; but shivered as he wrapped a cold arm around her, instead. Attempting to turn away in Marcus' grip, the lycan looked on, slightly bewildered, as Catherine ran passed them. Yet her features hardened as the vampire holding her addressed her again, making sure she understood the arrangement. "Ja, I get it." She spoke through clenched teeth, scowling at the man's seemingly pleasant demeanor.

The force Marcus shoved her with sent Adele stumbling back, before landing on her rear close to Pablo. Tensing, she kept her eyes on the vampire, wary of an attack; but as he crossed his arms, the young woman scooted closer to her packmate, nudging his shoulder in an attempt to rouse him from unconsciousness. When the vampire began speaking once more, the blonde stared up at him, unamused. But her brows furrowed as he continued speaking. Was he messing with her? She would have assumed that to be the case any other time, but there was something... Almost personal about what the vampire was saying.

Adele gave Pablo another good nudge, but when that did nothing, she began quickly unraveling her scarf. Pulling him up into a sitting position beside her, the young woman tied his wrists together loosely with her scarf before throwing her packmate's arms over her shoulders, wincing slightly as his arms landed on healing wounds. Casting a glance back at the vampire when he mentioned Lucia, the blonde studied his features, trying to gauge how much of what he spoke was truth.

Pulling Pablo closer to her back, Adele situated herself on her knees as Marcus offered his warning. "My...?" Confusion crossed her face momentarily until she realized he was saying Pablo was her lover. Her cheeks turned red and she averted her eyes from the vampire. -He doesn't think of me like that...- Yet as the leech continued, the young lycan looked up again. She wanted to ask why it would matter that she was Perrin's pup; Catherine had mentioned the same thing during their encounter in Stockholm; but if Marcus was actually giving her a chance to leave, she didn't want to linger any longer than necessary.

Reaching back for her friend's legs, she wrapped them around her waist to carry him piggyback out of here. She held onto him tight, getting to her feet and slowly walking toward Marcus. Stepping around him, she didn't turn her back to the leech until she was in the hallway. There was no way she was going to shift in here though; her stark pelt would put an immediate target on their backs. "Pablo." She spoke into her friend's mind, concern in her voice as she hurried down the corridor, looking for a way out.