0 comments/ 4789 views/ 2 favorites Nia: There Be Weres and Demons By: emap If you haven't voted on the previous parts yet, go do so. I swear ya'll are so lazy. :p * I close my eyes when the jet heads down the runway, groaning at the little lurch of taking off. In the air I open my eyes and look around, I'd like to see Sam and Samuel, especially want to see Ben, but it's just me and a mostly packed airline. My hand settles on the bulge I'm getting rubbing it gently. My eyes close again and I can see Ben taking delight in the little bulge of our child I have. Pulling a magazine out of my carry on, I settle back and start reading. The subject is offensive to me, Walter Green and his no vampires allowed movement are picking up a little steam. The reason I am flying to Dallas in fact, incognito of course, I've gotten so many complements on my pink wig. It's almost sickening how many women, younger and older than I am who have complemented me on being brave enough to do pink hair and pregnant. Not that I have any idea why one needs to be brave to have pink hair and be pregnant. I'm still wearing my wedding ring and fallen to the old excuse of flying, doing a presentation. The man sitting next to me attracts my attention singing along to his headphones. I poke him and put a finger to my lips he smiles and sticks his tongue out at me. I look skyward and hit him on the arm, he returns the favor and we degenerate into slapping each other on the arm. "I hope you two are related." I look up at the stewardess smiling and looking tired. "If we were related I would have cleaned his clock already." I grin up at her, she snorts then laughs. "You may want to anyway, ask him why he's going to Dallas. I'll bring food by in about an hour, you are getting two plates. Is there anything you would like to drink?" "I'd love a beer, but I got another six months before I can. I'd like a coke, cold in the can if possible." I get a smile. "Longer if you breast feed, ask your doctor on that when you go home. One cold can coming up, what would you like sir?" I sigh, damn I forgot about that. "Scotch on the rocks with a twist of lime please." His voice is rather nice, filled with a southern twang. While our stewardess walks away he leans over to watch. His suit jacket is a very nice pressed silk. I hit him on the shoulder until he gets back in his seat and I can breathe a little easier. "Why are you going to Dallas?" He looks at me his smile fading I think he noticed the feeding scars on my neck. "I'm going to speak at the no vampires allowed conference." I open my mouth to say something mean then shut it collect my thoughts and open my mouth again. "What's wrong with vampires? Besides the fangs and needing blood they are just like everyone else." I get a smile from him. Our stewardess comes back with our drinks and leaves again. I hit him on the shoulder to keep him from leaning on me to watch. I admit it is a very nice butt in the skirt I just value breathing room more than watching her walk away. "I'm going to be the counter argument for Walter Green. I'm a sociology professor in San Francisco and I've been studying vampires as much as I can. Hard to stay awake for my classes and be out all night you understand." I giggle and smile at him. "That would be hard, isn't your college going to start offering vampire friendly classes next year?" I get a big smile from him. "There is even talk of getting vampire professors. No chance of getting the one that was at the Salem Witch Trials, I spoke to him already. He's much to interested in his mushroom business, won't admit it but I think it is the only thing keeping him alive." I sigh and nod I've met him, Caleb is a very nice man. He just seems so tired and listless until you talk about mushrooms. "I hope your getting paid I don't think your speech is going to get anything but derision." "I am getting paid yes. I have faith that my speech will at least put a kernel of doubt into the followers." "Somehow I doubt that, I've met a few of the believers. They are very fanatical in their belief that vampires are wrong. I've noticed a few of the grocery stores have put up no vampires allowed signs. I shop during the day anyway but it's just funny that they think they can keep a vampire from coming in with their fangs hidden." In truth I will go at night a lot to take Constance and Consuela. Constance knows everything about how to cut up a chicken or hunk of beef. Consuela because she's the one that cooks anyway, I just go because it's something to do. Constance has us running around looking for the no vampire signs and shopping in that store. I tease her about having a bad sense of humor I rather enjoy putting the managements nose in a bind at least. "I've heard that Nia visits the stores with those signs. I'm not sure why the grocery stores are putting up those signs. Vampires don't eat food at all they don't have a reason to go in a grocery store." "Some do cook they have a pie lady, she is really good at pies. Mouth watering is something of an understatement especially her lemon meringue. Some are licensed chefs, well were before they became a vampire. They are getting together and trying to open a restaurant." I gave them a million to do it they are trying to find a place to open it at with a basement so they can sleep under it. "Yes I've heard about that, I will definitely eat there when they finally open. Did you hear about the drug company that wants to hire vampires to work in their labs because they can stand in a room filled with deadly biotoxins?" "Yeah I've heard about that, on one hand it makes sense, they can't carry in disease or walk out with one so long as they shower. On the other hand, so far I haven't met a vampire that knows how to work in a drug lab. I don't think it will work for a few years unless the people they have already get turned into vampires." I don't mention the fact that the company contacted me about hiring vampires for it. I spoke with Constance and Greene about it. Constance told me flat out there aren't any vampires that do that. Greene told me the same thing, trolls are the scientists. "Probably not even then, vampires are the wrong sorts of people for lab work. All the ones I've met are farmers, one mailman from the forties and two milkmen if you believe that. They all seem to be hands on people, not scientists." That gets me to think, suppose the vampires aren't scientists they just do the lab and follow orders. Could work if can convince a vampire and the company to try it. Our stewardess comes back with our food and a new can of coke for me, this one is very cold and I smile at her. My two meals are sandwiches with chips, and a pickle cut up into four slices, two on each plate. My first sandwich is a pastrami and roast beef on rye, very good flavor. The second sandwich is chicken breast on sourdough the professor doesn't get a sandwich. "Would you like half of one of my sandwiches and some chips? I'm not swelling up like a cow yet." He smiles at me and nods. "If you would not mind, the university wouldn't pay for my flight to Dallas and I didn't want to spend the extra for a meal. The chicken if you please, I'm allergic to rye." I tear the chicken sandwich roughly in half and gave it to him. We don't talk while we eat, partly I think because I enjoy my pastrami and roast beef on rye a little too much. Judging by the napkin over his face after he finishes his allergy is pretty strong. Not often you see someone cover their face from a smell. He's looking a little green when I finish my first sandwich and he pulls the napkin away. I've barely finished the remains of the second and start thinking about the bathroom when the pilot comes over the speakers announcing we are going to land. I groan when the fasten seatbelts sign comes on, I do want to go. Taking solace in it's not a need to go yet and wondering how I'll survive the last three months of pregnancy I collect everything and hand it to the stewardess. When we start descending it's my turn to turn green. I must have squeaked my dismay a stewardess takes my arm and gets me to look at her. She talks to me the whole way down, her smiling face filling my vision. Feeling silly when I get up to disembark I squeak again when I find Candice. She's helping people get off the plane doing the silly bye now enjoy your trip the stewardesses hate to do and the passengers never listen to. She stops to give me a big hug then drags me a little away from the line trying to get off faster then the people in front of them. "I thought you retired." I sigh and nod. "I did, I'm doing this one as a sort of last hurrah. I'm not happy with how things are going in certain areas and going to rectify my way." "I think I know what you're talking about, I'd say good luck but hell you don't need it. Staying long enough for a nice little visit maybe dinner?" I smile back at her. "I'm married and have a girlfriend, but hell if you want to catch up I'm so there." She smiles at me and gives me a hug. "Of course I have a girlfriend myself, and you're pregnant. Been to long since we had a flight together, I'm staying at the Belmont just off the airport. Call me when you finish, room two thirteen doesn't matter what time though I'll probably be hungry for dinner when you're done. I'll wait until eight to eat so we can eat together and talk of what's going on with us." "Good plan, I gotta go, bathroom is calling and I really gotta get my equipment and gone." With a wave I leave Candice to see the last of the passengers off the plane. Saying a small prayer of thanks I sit down on a toilet, the bathroom is empty. Wishing I had someone to help with my equipment I collect the heavy suitcase and the bulky equipment case housing my Barrett. I can't help but smile big at the attendant that comes by with one of the golf carts and a luggage trailer. Thankful for my frequent flyer program we head to the car rental station pick up the paperwork for that and he takes me all the way out to my car. Unable to believe my car, they gave me a blood red Crown Victoria I almost go back inside to ask. Instead we load my car, I give the attendant a kiss on the cheek and I'm driving away. I laugh when I find I'm staying in the same hotel as Candice, I laugh more when I have the next room over from her. Feeling like I'm just starting out as an assassin again I unpack my equipment. I check the Barrett over assembling it then tearing it down again, load the clip with bullets and close up the case. I move over to my suitcase and start pulling out my guns. I don't think I'll need these I just always take everything with me just in case. My Colt slung high in a shoulder holster, my Desert Eagle on my hip toward the back I get my mini Uzi's in place hanging behind me glad for the padding on them. Four clips for each gun going into my long coat I put it on. Glad that it's actually cold so I don't stand out like I did for my last presentation I grab up my Barrett case. Wishing it had wheels I lug it to the elevator panting a little when I finally get on said elevator. I get help from a bellhop in the lobby as I head to the front desk. "Hi again, I want to leave a message for Candice in room two one three." The clerk smiles at me and gets out a pen and a notepad. "Of course, Candice has not checked in yet when she does she will get the note. What would you like to say?" "Just tell her that her pregnant friend is next door and will see her soon as possible." The bellhop lugs my case out to my car, he smiles big at me after I tip him. I never was very good at keeping smaller bills so had to give him a twenty. I end up driving around a while listening to the classical station. I stop for a coffee do some window shopping, and seriously contemplate picking up some lingerie until I realize what time it is. I drive fast to my location and park the next street over. Paying three hours worth of time in the meter I look around liking the shops on the street. No one pays me any attention as I half drag half carry the case into the alley. A spot of luck finds a smiling man coming out the door to the building I want, I turn down his offer of help. The elevator is filled with the almost music they all seem to favor. I get out of the fake dark wood elevator with a grimace they butchered an old Madonna song. I'm not a terribly big fan of hers anyway but she at least can sound somewhat good. Lugging the case up one flight of stairs to the roof is almost worse than getting it to the building in the first place. Not to say it is a bad design, the case itself is metal, the scanning machines can't see through it. Opening up the way it's designed you see equipment, cameras, tape measures, laser range finders, all that good stuff. If you flip it over you get the Barrett partly broken down to fit and the ammo for it. On the roof I look around, it's covered in the almost gravel of a regular tar roof. There are air conditioning and heating machines way up here filling up a good portion of the roof toward the alley. I look up to see the sky is starting to darken with the coming of night. I take a deep breath pick up the case and head for the wall where I will do my shooting. With quick sure hands the Barrett is assembled and loaded. Propped up on the wall with the support feet down I aim down it. I have to adjust the zoom a bit to get everything in focus. The people are small, large enough for a three mile shot though small. I look around getting almost a full view of the entire front of the conference center. Here and there are security guards in suits, I would think secret service except these are not that good. I can see three of them to the short side of the center with no gap from the back, two on the other side and four in the middle trying to keep people from crowding a line to the door. The crowd pressing toward the street alerts me to the arrival of the limo. I pick it out and wait for the proper shot. Feet moving down to the limo from higher announce the guard that will open the door. I take a scant moment to look at him, he's about six foot with blonde hair cut a little long on top and almost shaved on the sides. When he bends down to open the door I fire. I don't shoot where he is I shoot where the man getting out will be. At this range the bullets take a couple seconds to get there. I don't look to make sure I hit my target, I move to the next firing on the engine of the limo to prevent a speedy exit. If there is something to be said for using the giant bullets there it is. The machine gun rounds of the Barrett are strong enough to destroy a soft target like a car's engine. Trusting the second bullet will destroy the limo's moving again ability I aim on the rear of the car where the seats are and fire. I put three into the body of the limo before looking at the carnage caused by my first bullet. There really isn't much to see, the first bullet destroyed part of the body of two men. I don't see the remains I just see pieces of meat and bone with blood sprayed everywhere. Not seeing a need to continue to fire I break down the Barrett and get it back in the case. Adrenalin pumping I haul up the closed and sealed case then head down the stairs. The elevator is slower than I'd like, only a few seconds to get all the way down. When you're running without running anything longer than half a second is too long. I breathe a sigh of relief when I make the back door to the alley. An odd sound has me turn from walking toward the side alley to my car. My eyes go wide in shock a tiger is running toward me with wolves following behind. I take a moment to see the tiger is definitely a tiger, orange and white with black stripes. I get an errant thought that the tiger is the same size as Twitch before a wolf jumps at me. Somehow managing to get my case up in front of me I am knocked down from the impact. A wolf jumps on the case on top pinning and growling down at me. I shriek when one grabs my ankle and tries to drag me back from the tiger I can hear growling behind me. Knowing my ankle is punctured and bleeding and really not wanting to find out what I am being dragged for I kick the wolf in the head with my free foot. Two nice things happen after that, the wolf I kicked let's go of my ankle with a yelp and the one on me has trouble staying there. With a little shove the one on me and my case go to the side. Grabbing up my Colt I point it at the wolf that bit me and fire. Its head bursts apart a little spraying me with blood I turn to the one that was on me and put two into its side. I am distracted from the two remaining past my feet by the tiger coming up to me. I turn and point my Colt at it making it back away then stands a little taller and roars nodding its head toward my feet. I look and shriek again, pure unadulterated terror rolling through me, the two wolves were joined by one very big wolf. It has to be at least six feet tall at the shoulder we are so incredibly talking horse size. I roll on my side and pull out one Uzi. This new horse wolf moves fast, I am getting the Uzi aimed on him when he jumps on me crashing me back down to my back. The Uzi is free enough to aim up at least, though I freeze when it looks down at me and growls. Feeling my ribs starting to crack under the pressure I put the Uzi pointing at its belly and open fire. I'm screaming as the Uzi rips into the giant thing above me with full auto fire. Blood and insides spill down on me as the bullets trace a path up the giant thing over me. Its lower body emptied the chest cracked and broken the wolf staggers away. Moving fast as I can scared it or the other wolves will come for me, I pull out a new clip for the Uzi and change clips. The smaller wolves make no move toward me the big one on the other hand tries to come toward me. I turn on my side unsure how well my ankle or ribs would work in a stand I aim at the head and fire. I watch the head explode spraying me and the area with blood, bone, and brain matter. The body acts like a chicken with its head cut off it staggers around before falling and twitching. I empty the rest of the clip into the body. Two wolves eye me and the tiger I get a third clip out trying to change it when I hear police sirens. The wolves look around then turn and run, the tiger comes up to me and licks my cheek. Feeling my control slipping I tell the tiger to move me to the street, somehow trusting it is a person. I feel the fangs sink into my shoulder as if from a very long way away before I am dragged. I can't keep my eyes open for long, either I'm in shock or more than my ribs were hurting under the pressure. Fear for the life growing in me allows me to manage to stay awake long enough to see a police officer. He comes down lower when I wave to him, I think I say something about internal bleeding and pregnant before my eyes close. My eyes open again staring up at a white roof hearing someone talking then seeing a worried face. I try and blink when there is a light shining in my eyes each in turn. This light is way too bright I can't see anything but white then my eyes close again. This time when my eyes open again they stay open. My groan at the lights gets a face with a nurse hat on it looking down at me. She puts the ugly giant glasses you see old people wearing over their glasses on my face. I'm just getting used to seeing again when the bed raises under me and I find myself looking at the wall and my feet under the blanket. I open my mouth to ask where I am then stop when she puts a finger to my lips then holds out a cup with a stray in it. "Where am I?" My voice sounds hoarse but can't get more water she took it away. "Dallas General Hospital, you have some friends waiting to see you." She points to my right I look to see Sam and Samuel standing there next to the bed. Nia: There Be Weres and Demons "Hi guys." I get out with a weak smile my mouth is so dry I turn back to the nurse. "Give me the damn cup I can't taste my tongue." "I really shouldn't you have a drip taking care of your liquid needs." I lean over and grab her uniform with my right and pull her close. "Either give me the damn cup or find out why no assassin will go after me." She gulps and gives me the cup then heads out of the room. "Nia you really should be nicer." I look over at Sam she's looking a little worried. "Sam I was supposed to see Candice again last night after. I get the feeling I missed my old friend stewardess." Samuel chuckles and shakes his head. "Candice was here last night and the day before, seems she is taking time off to talk to you when you woke up." I stop taking a sip through the straw and stare at them both. "How long was I out?" Sam and Samuel share a glance at each other Sam looks back at me first. "Four days well five if you count your first day here. The local police want to ask you for tips on how to find the sniper that took out Walter Green. We need you for help on a problem of rather major problem size. Constance has taken over in your absence but damn we need you." I stare at Sam mouth hanging open then start to giggle. "I think I should plead the fifth on the sniper. What's the problem?" Samuel leans closer with a smile. "There seems to be at least one were animal slaughtering people. We also can't figure out how your ribs were cracked." I sigh and put the cup down, it's empty anyway. "I can't believe nobody found it, I'm lying here because I think four wolves were chasing a tiger. I got right in the middle of it exiting a building into the alley. I protected from the first wolf with my case and ended up on my back under a wolf. Another wolf bit into my ankle and was trying to drag me backwards. I kicked that one got the other off me and shot both. The tiger came up getting my attention, it backed up and roared making me look past my feet, there was a wolf the size of a fucking horse. It jumped on me before I could get my Uzi aimed on him. Cut it almost in half lengthwise then shot the head apart. Two wolves ran away and the tiger grabbed me by the shoulder and dragged me where the police found me." "There were only two bodies found, both human with no clothes. There was way more blood than two bodies could leave. Your tiger was not to be found, no one saw you get dragged to the sidewalk, you were just found by a cop. Explains the bite marks in your ankle and shoulder though." Sam looks between Samuel and I puzzled before leaning closer. "There is one thing I don't understand. You always knew a were was a were, yet you talk like you thought it was four wolves a tiger and whatever that big thing was." I sigh and tap Sam on the forehead. "I can't watch them change shape, if they appear as an animal I don't know the difference unless I think about seeing them. I'm not even sure I would see them as people going about on hands and feet if I did. I have a question, well a couple related questions, did I have internal bleeding and am I pregnant still?" "No and yes you are still a mother to be. Your arm will be a little stiff the tiger bite perforated the muscles of your arm. Your ribs were cracked but not broken, broken. As I recall you are perfectly able to be up and about with only pain. Your ankle is just going to be sore and the doctor said you can't walk long distances in one go." I sigh and pull Sam to me for a hug, both of us giggle when my stomach grumbles. The door opening gets all of us to look, what has to be a doctor comes in with Falco. Falco is in his why can't he wear anything else black suit with a white shirt. The doctor is in surgery scrubs with the hair band on his head, the white coat hanging open revealing a rather nice body. "There you go Sam cute doctor to marry." I say poking Sam. Sam looks at me her mouth hanging open in shock and then turns pink. Samuel groans then hits me on the arm and does the same to Sam. The smiling doctor comes over to look at me, using a penlight and a few other things. I have to sit up for him making my back and chest ache, then I realize I have a catheter. "You have recovered quite well from the shock of whatever happened to you. I'm sure your friends here have told you already but just in case I'm going to go over everything. Your ankle is fine it will hurt and you should not put much pressure on it. Only walk around as much as you have to, same with your shoulder the muscle is only perforated so try and not shoot left handed or reach up high. Your ribs are only fractured, try and not bend over a lot and don't pick up anything heavier than a magazine or newspaper for the next month. You are a happily married woman so I'm going to add in don't do missionary, ride him or doggy style otherwise you risk worsening the broken ribs." I sigh and nod at the doctor not really liking where this discussion went. "I'm hungry and I want to go back to my hotel or well someplace else and order a pizza. I'd also really like to not have a catheter." Sam giggles into her hand, the doctor smiles and nods at me. "I will go and get the paperwork started on releasing you. I'll also find a nurse to remove the catheter. Now if you feel dizzy for no reason, sit down and get an ambulance. We can find no signs of head trauma but in your case it is a possibility. If you feel sick lie down and get an ambulance, it is possible there are bone fragments loose in your chest. We have looked but the smallest ones can kill and do not show up. Now that I've scared you, don't worry it's just a doctor's way of protecting his own ass from lawsuits, I will get the nurse and started on your paperwork. Be back in no more than half an hour." We watch the doctor leave Falco stays and comes over to stand next to the bed. I lean back give him a look then motion him closer. "Out with it." Falco sighs, looks at Sam and Samuel then moves closer. "Things seem to be escalating, at first it was just random animal attacks type thing. It was thought to be just wolves surprising a home owner and being well wolves. Now, that's not the thinking, three people are dead since you ended up in here. Your attack looks more like a tug of war over you the rest, well two were in apartments, not on the first floor. Unless wolves are rabid and can work an elevator or open emergency doors without the alarm werewolves are attacking people. We've checked they are not listed as were or mages." A nurse comes in and stands back waiting for us to finish talking. "One question then we let the nurse get rid of this catheter. Was there a really big wolf bite marks? My ribs are cracked because one the size of a horse stood on me the body was not found so well I don't want to think on that part." "It's well impossible to tell, they aren't just killing them. We've sent the remains to Washington to be examined there, the people here don't have the equipment we do. Should hear back in a day or two, I've got crime scene pictures you can look over and the one from last night is still mostly intact." I nod and motion the nurse over. I stare up at the ceiling while she works the darn thing loose. Catheters are basically the doctor's punishment on you for getting sick or hurt. They really suck going in I think, never had one put in when I'm awake. Coming out it's almost like you're trying to pass a small kidney stone. Doesn't hurt but you feel full in a spot you really don't want to feel full at. The nurse leaves with a smile and a look of condolences, perhaps they make nurses put in and take out catheters on each other. "Samuel do weres always live like a person, house job so on or can they go out and be a wolf in a pack?" Samuel sighs and looks down before looking at me. "Yes and yes, most of us will just be a person and use their animal form as an escape from an ex or. Some go a little mad and live out the rest of their life as an animal. Those would not do what we are experiencing. I've spoken to the locals, they don't know who is doing this they want them found just as much." "So much for that thought, alright so we're looking for persons. I need to eat, and I think I need to sleep, I'm tired something of a gnawing on the back of my eyes. Take me to a bed out of here let me sleep and eat maybe in that order and then we can take a look." When the doctor comes back Sam makes it a point to ask if I'm supposed to be tired. He explains it to her while I get dressed then I have to sign a bunch of forms. I glance at the forms until the last one this one is marked with red and draws my eye. I look it over and look up at the doctor then hand it over to Samuel who curses a few times. "So I might be a were now?" The doctor sighs and nods. "Both of your bites show intelligence, the animals in your case a wolf and tiger did not try and feed. Both for all intents and purposes were trying to get you out of the area. You are the first person we have given that form to since it was written up. The stories talk about having to survive an attack, not true all it takes is a bleeding bite." "What about my child?" The bottom of me falls out at the idea, not that my child is going to be a were but that he or she may be in danger. "We do not know, the trolls do not have records of a pregnant woman being bitten by a were anything. If you are a were just try to not go wolf or tiger, your child would not handle that well." To say I took the news well would be a lie Samuel and Sam have to help me walk out of the hospital. I am surprised and glad there are no reporters waiting for us. I think I asked for my guns in the car, I do not recall the answer. I was to busy holding to my child worried whether they are healthy or not. Tears streaming down my face Sam pulls me to her in the back seat, eventually my eyes close. I wake again smelling pizza, and Ben. I sit up looking around I see the pizza on the TV in the room Ben is not around. He appears looking worried at my cry for him, I hold my arms out to him and he comes fast. I collapse into his arms and cry I'm overcome with the worry for the life inside of me. I don't know if we will have a healthy child or if what has happened to me will hurt our child. Even knowing it was not my fault doesn't help. I feel helpless and small and I hate feeling like that. I've only ever felt like that once before, perhaps it is why I became an assassin. Perhaps feeling small and helpless in the police station is why I turned to a life of crime. I shake my head to clear that thought from my head and look up at Ben to say I'm sorry. I open my mouth and Constance walks in looking a little worried. "I'm sorry to interrupt we have the werewolves trapped in an apartment, twentieth floor, they can't jump and police in the hallway. Snoopy and Ben-Ben already left we need you Nia." Ben pulls back to look at me then we both look at Constance. "I don't have any of my guns." It feels like an excuse, perhaps it is. Constance and Ben smile at me then head for the closet my heart sinks a little when they pull out my suitcase and open it. I don't want to go anywhere, I want to sit here and wallow in self pity. Instead, I get up and go look, all of my guns are there. I have a replacement gun my auto shotgun is new this one has a barrel clip. I sigh and pull out the emergency outfit getting a surprised look from Constance and Ben. Neither says anything while I pull on the armored pants. Really nothing more than leather pants with metal plates sown into them along with layers of Kevlar. The shirt is hard to put on, the wrap on my chest and my hurt muscles make it hard to put my arms up enough. Ben helps me put the Kevlar vest on then stands with Constance and watches as I get my pistols and mini Uzi's attached to the vest. After getting my new shotgun hanging from my shoulder I pull out the plated long coat under the guns. "Nia I really must ask, why do you have a Kevlar vest, armored pants, and long coat in your gun suitcase?" Constance looks confused and a little worried. "Because I got lucky very early on, walked into a really bad spot, I lived they did not. I didn't want to be shot three times again and these are really good when I'm doing a number of targets and can't use explosives." Ben and Constance trade a shocked look before Ben comes over and gives me a kiss. "Nia how did you get help with three gunshots wounds?" I smile up at Ben. "I finished them off then lied down and played victim. It's really amazing how even a policeman will listen to a petite little woman with three bullet holes. Why do you think I asked the president for a full pardon? I've been at five of my targets when the police showed up saying I'm the assassin would have put me up for a trial on five different murders by the feds." Constance giggles and comes over to take my arm. "Come on we need to go before the cops get antsy and just go in." I grab up the pizza box on the way out. I sit in the back seat with Sam to eat the pizza, we didn't bring a soda. I'm groaning about that while I eat the slice. I don't even get to finish my first slice when we reach the apartment building. There are reporters yelling at us across the street, I ignore them, Constance sighs and goes that way. There is a cop standing at the elevator he looks at us and moves away a little. While we wait for the elevator to arrive I steal a glance at him. This cop is no more than drinking age, likely less his uniform looks new and clean. He has brown hair peaking out from his hat with striking blue eyes. When the elevator door opens and we step in I can see him relaxing. Apparently my reputation has preceded me or perhaps I look that pissed. I take a look at me in the reflective section of the elevator and curse. I don't look pissed I look like death warmed over I have black under my eyes. My eyes are bloody with my hair looking like I had a pillow fight and I lost. I turn on Ben and hit him on the arm then I turn and hit Sam who had started giggling. "You two could have mentioned I look this bad." "I think you look lovely." Ben says with a straight face, I sigh and stomp on his foot. "Ben dear I love you but tell me I need to brush my hair when I do, I am armed you know." Ben sighs and pulls Sam in front of him as the elevator door opens. I sigh and shake my head before going out into the hallway. It's easy to find the police no one else goes around with assault rifles and tactical armor in an apartment building. I walk that way seeing Falco and one of the cops in armor coming toward me, this one doesn't have a helmet on. They try and get in my way, I just scoot around them and keep going. "Nia wait they want to give you a sit rep." I sigh and shake my head. "I don't need one or want one." Somebody grabs my arm and makes me stop, I turn and look up at the cop, way up he's tall. "Then what are you going to do?" His voice is strained and nervous apparently my reputation has preceded me very thoroughly. "I'm going to go into that apartment and kill everything that moves. Don't follow me and stay out of the doorway I'm fast and don't think before shooting." He lets go of my arm. I turn and head for the door pulling up the shotgun as I go three cops in the hallway around the door get up and go past me. I turn to the door and shoot the doorknob. I don't just shoot the doorknob a good sized section of the door disappears. I kick the door open and have an urge to yell honey I'm home I start to giggle as I shoot a wolf that appears at the end of the hall. I shoot him twice I know it's a him his wang is hanging under him as his head and part of one side of him explode in a cloud of blood. I continue to giggle as I move into the apartment. I can't help but think of the niceness of this apartment. It is more of a house than apartment the hallway is long with a door to my left that I am at. I carefully open it to find a bathroom with a large bathtub shower, the curtain is pulled back to reveal nothing inside. I take a moment to think the dark emerald green toilet and tub are nice with the ivory wall. A door on the left has me stop again this one unlike the bathroom is a swinging door. I push it wide and follow it in to find another wolf on the dining room table. I look at this wolf as I turn to it everything seeming to move slowly. It seems to take forever for me to turn in to the aim on the wolf, all white and soft grey. The wolf seems scared it stares at me a scant moment before moving. Each step on the wooden table clicking and scratching as it nears the edge for a leap. I get my aim on the wolf, my first shot halting the leap before it starts with a large red hole on the chest. Before the wolf has stopped sliding backward I put another hole in the wolf launching it off the back of the table. It hits the wall with a crunch and slides down leaving a red streak. A second wolf appears through the swinging door farther in the room. This one is golden brown with a tuft of white on the chest. The wolf turns toward me and hunkers down growling baring teeth. I aim at the head and fire I turn back toward the first swinging door as the head explodes. I am splattered on my front and side with the blood and heavier materials of the head. Pulling out the second barrel clip for the shotgun I step through the swinging door knowing there is one more wolf and the big one. The fast steps of a good sized dog on the hallway carpet has me rolling away from the swinging door. The door is pushed out of the way by the charging wolf. I get a brief moment to see the door swinging fast out of the hallway. I see the wolf is a black and brown wolf spotted to blend into the forest. Really a beautiful animal with golden eyes coming at me mouth open in a snarl. I stay low put the shotgun up and start shooting, the first round hits the wolf on the shoulder staggering it to the wall with a plume of blood. My second shot hits the wolf in the face the head explodes putting even more blood and other bits on me. The clip in the shotgun hits the ground as I hear heavier steps coming down the hallway. The swinging door has swung back it was hit hard by the wolf and is again in the hallway. I fall on my butt when the massive wolf barrels through the door. I have a scant moment to realize it is smaller now, before it was perhaps six feet tall, now it is about four feet or so, hard to tell with it running low down. Larger than most dogs let alone a wolf it comes for me mouth wide fangs glistening. With the clip inserted and the shotgun loaded I raise it up and shoot the head. The head explodes in a rather satisfying spray of blood and bone yet the animal keeps coming. Without time for anything else I put my feet up into the thing and get shoved along the carpet. Thankful for the jacket I'm wearing I start pumping shells into the chest of the thing. I'm getting sprayed with blood with every shot, the hole in the chest opening wider and wider. I can see the internal organs, there's what is left of the heart, little more than a hanging bit of muscle now. The lungs on either side are shredded a little showing a bit of pink despite the blood everywhere. The smell permeating the air tells me I either destroyed the intestines or there was a bowel movement. I look around when I realize the thing isn't still shoving me before it, I am half into the building hallway. The tactical officers are staring at me mouths wide, Constance and Ben are standing there trying not to laugh. Waving to the cops to go in I roll out of the apartment and try to stand up. Everything goes a little wrong then, I stagger to the far wall with spots in my vision. I look up at Constance and Ben worry on their faces as they run for me. Ben catches me when I lose my balance completely. I look up at him with a smile as I apologize, I don't know for what but I do. I remember being carried to the elevator I think I complained about the music or rather lack of. The last thing I remember is asking for my purse, I don't remember why. Nia: There Be Weres and Demons This time my eyes open in a very nice large room. The bed is big with silk sheets and comforter. I must have said something since Ben appears over me with a smile. He helps me sit up getting a squeak out of me Greene and another troll are standing there looking at my topless body. I pull the sheet over me then fidget, I gotta go. I find a robe on the door in the bathroom to wear when I return to the bedroom. Constance has come into the bedroom with Sam and Samuel, before the conversation can start I ask for food. We go into a different room with a large dining table. Ben shuts my mouth and sits me on the table while Constance handles room service. "Nia are you feeling up to some news?" Greene asks leaning forward to see me better. I squeak and put both hands to my belly feeling at our child in me. Ben smiles and comes closer to hold on to me and nods to Greene. "I'm Andy I will be handling the news for this. I'm our were expert and we have good news for you, you are still pregnant and your child is still in perfectly good health do not worry." The other troll, Andy apparently says on the other side of the table. "Again do not worry your child is at this time human. You are not going to give birth to a vampire if that was a fear. However, the news for you is perhaps not quite as good. You are now a were, tiger and wolf both, we did not know it was possible. You see there has not been a person to live through a were attack in thousands of years. Samuel can help you learn how to change and how to not, I suggest working on not changing right away, your child would not change with you and it would not agree with your child." I hold up my hand and break down this is really not something I needed to know right now. I cling to Ben and just cry into his shoulder until Constance and Ben straighten me on the chair and move me up to the table. I have three plates of food in front of me, a chicken salad, hamburger and French fries, and a lovely steak with lobster tail. I stare at this lobster tail it's huge almost a foot long, I look from it to Ben and back a few times then start preparing my lobster. "Nia after you finish eating all of that I have crime scene photo's we would like you to look at." Look up at Falco and hold my hand out for them. "Hand them over, I used a sawed off shotgun for my first two years, trust me I'm not squeamish." Falco looks at Ben he shrugs so over the pictures come. I look through the pictures while I eat my steak and lobster. I'm halfway through my hamburger when I start cursing and arranging the pictures. Falco, Ben and Constance come stand behind me looking at the pictures. "Here look at this one, this is the first scene." I point at the picture I mean. Everybody leans closer to look at the picture Constance and Ben make sounds of disgust. I look at them both are at least still looking so I guess it's good to have vampires. The picture itself is rather on the disgusting side, I am a little squeamish I just learned long ago to think of it as being a kitchen accident. There are two bodies, one a male obviously they did not eat his wang. The rest of the body looks to be torn apart with pieces missing. The missing pieces are not normal animal kill pieces, the stomach and intestines are still there, the tongue is gone and the heart. The second body seems to have been female it is hard to tell with the body split up the middle and apparently chewed on. There is a piece of torso with a small breast on it. Falco leans closer looking from the picture to me a few times until I sigh. "Falco think about it, the second body there is ripped in half and chewed on to hide who and what they were. The other body has no tongue and heart. I am guessing but I think the target was the man, why else take the tongue and heart. The second body likely was either there or came home during." "That's the current theory. What about this one?" He pulls a different picture over. This picture there is just one body, it is ripped apart. In this case ripped is not the correct term. The first picture there are teeth marks where an animal bit in and pulled. This body the skin is hanging off in strips the arms and legs pulled off at breaks not brute force. The belly ripped open leaving a gaping hole and apparently no heart. "This is a tiger or lion, look at the size of the strips hanging. Look at how the body isn't so much torn apart as fell apart. In this case the killer was alone perhaps the heart was removed later." Falco moves the picture to the side and put the third down on the first. "Is there anything wrong with this one?" I leaned closer to look it over there are three bodies, two are torn apart. Unlike the first two these are brutal the head is torn off in two the torso is ripped into several pieces. The arms and legs are denuded in sections, all of them ripped at the ligaments. The third body though is the kicker it is like the other two in pieces. This body is not rough edges, everything is clean and precise. It looks like someone took a blade of some sort or a machine. "Look at the bodies Falco you can't think the animals that did these two are sane, looks more like hungry. This third body though, that's not ripped up, that's not clawed, that's a blade or a machine, I am betting blade." "We don't know, Linus and Charlie agree with you then they say that only a minotaur could put enough force behind a blade to do this and the pieces are not the same." "I remember the tunnel and I agree with them the pieces scream not cut up that cleanly. Except there is one way, held spread eagle on a table or the floor. These two say they were food, this third guy says it was torture or a ceremony of some sort. Think about it, the big wolves are not normal, suppose there is a spell that makes them big or well something I don't know magic beyond the basics they told us in New York." Greene clears his throat making us look over at him. "I've managed to talk some witches and mages into joining the FCI we have a witch coming to join your team." "Great, in the meantime I guess we should look at the last one." I pull it over and put it down. This is the worst one, there are two bodies practically ripped apart. Their hearts are lying there with bits of blood vessels hanging off, some longer than other. The worst part is both bodies bear claw marks like the tiger had come back to join in. "This one is puzzling, if you look at the neck there and the chest here both were killed with claws. The hearts were yanked out, a normal person can't do that and the wolves' mouths aren't big enough to not damage the heart more than it is. They were yanked by the big one, the puzzling part there was no tiger, there are only two bodies and the ones I shot, I didn't shoot a man. How did the cops trap them in the apartment?" "Emergency call, guy talking quietly told the operator what was happening." I look up at Falco a little surprised. "Did he stay there when the cops showed up? I'm pretty sure that was the tiger. He was killing them or cleaning up more likely when the wolves showed up. He called the cops and snuck out." "He did stay there and talked to the cops, name and address no priors and the address checks out as being a residence. He said he had been there to see a friend when he saw four guys and a really big wolf." "Go find him in the morning and bring him here, I want to talk to him. Find out everything you can about him, get with Greene our little green men are good at finding out things. I think I'm going to go curl up in bed with my husband. Make sure I have a witch and the witness to talk to over breakfast." I don't wait for anyone to say anything I just grab Ben's hand and move for the bedroom. Once the door shuts I am in his arms, our lips are locked. I am pressing us closer together relishing the taste and feel of my husband. I can't help but moan into the kiss Ben is cupping my ass and pressing us together. My legs are wrapped around him moving my hips to grind his hard cock trapped under his pants into me. With a shriek I bounce on the bed as Ben dashes to the coffin sitting there. Confused I go look out the window to see the sky lighting up with the sun just about to rise. Cursing to myself I slip out of the robe then slip in to the bed before diving under the covers when the door opens. Peaking from under the comforter I sigh and sit up seeing Sam coming to the bed. "I didn't know it was that late until Constance mentioned it before diving in her coffin. Since I'm your girlfriend I got elected to come cuddle with you." I can't help but smile at Sam as she gets undressed. "Well I'll try and not be a bother." Sam giggles as she climbs under the covers with me and scoots closer. I get pulled to her for a kiss I melt into her when it's not a goodnight kiss. Our lips mash together with passion as our tongues fight for dominance. My toes are curling a little when Sam pulls back and looks up at me. With a mischievous grin she starts to roll onto her side. I groan and slide my hand down her body to work my fingers between her legs into her wonderfully warm and wet pussy. Sam falls on her back looking up at me smiling as I work my fingers into her. I rise up a little when her hand moves to return the favor then sigh with her finger sliding inside of me. Two of my fingers buried inside of Sam and only one of hers in me I lean down and kiss her. When she moans into the kiss I work a third finger in, she's so close I can feel her clenching at my fingers her hips moving. Sam pulls away from the kiss to announce her orgasm with a moan and violently shaking hips. Pulling Sam's hand from me a little reluctantly she was doing wonderful things I move between her legs. Her arms wrap around me as we move against each other. Feeling so good I kiss down her chin to her neck and kiss at her little scars from being fed on. I moan as Sam does the same to me, the little marks strangely sensitive. We keep moving against each other chasing orgasm yet just enjoying the intimacy. We reach orgasm together, Sam moaning and groaning under me as she pulls me tight to her. It should hurt to have that much pressure on my ribs instead I just enjoy myself our spasming pussies rubbing against the other. It does hurt when I fall against Sam, the energy of my orgasm pulling it out of me. I roll off her onto my back, I started on my side it just did not feel that good. Sam comes after rolling her arm over the life growing inside of me and just stares at me. "So did you enjoy sex with your pregnant girlfriend?" I look over at Sam shocked making her giggle. "Damn Sam, am I the last one to know?" "No first, well second it's hard to not know there's life inside of you before anyone but a dragon. My period was supposed to start a couple days ago." I smile at her and pull her to me for a hug. "This is great I get to watch you swell up like a fucking balloon. I feel fat to be honest, I know I'm not that big but hell watching my belly get bigger is bugging me. I want to go on a diet and run more." Sam giggles and kisses me. "I think you look beautiful, I just hope I look as good and that my boobs don't get bigger." It's my turn to giggle getting me a suspicious look. "I'm thinking your going to be a wet nurse so I can have a fucking beer." "Oh hell no, it's your child you are breast feeding. I know you're at least part Irish but forget the damn beer, you're a mom to be no drinking until they are eating solids. We're all a little scared you're an alcoholic except for Ben, I swear it's just about any chance you get you want a drink." I sigh and giggle then ruffle Sam's hair. "I don't drink every day unless I'm getting on a plane every day. The rest of the time I make do with a soda or something. I keep wanting a drink now because I can't I'm in the start of my own prohibition." Sam giggles as we get comfortable sleep falling over us quickly. Sam getting up to answer the knocks on the door wakes me up. I sit up to see Falco standing there with his hand over his eyes. I crawl out of bed with a groan my chest is a little sore not to mention my breasts. Grabbing up two robes I hand one to Sam as I get into the other. "What time is it and you had better have a good damn excuse." Falco glances at me under his hand then lowers it seeing as we are both covered in robe. "It's a little after noon we have a witch and the witness here." I sigh and nod then look at Sam. "Sam if you could order us some food, and find out when I can take this wrap off. My breasts hurt and my chest hurts it's getting on the annoying side already." Sam giggles and edges past Falco. "They are sitting at the table if you would like to speak to them now." I sigh and follow Falco with a nod. As we get near the table a woman stands up and comes over. I look her up and down, she's pretty with a large nose her lips are succulent and kissable with brown eyes. Her blond hair cascades over her shoulders with just a little bit of a curl. She holds a hand out to me that I take with a smile that gets bigger when she blushes. "I'm your new resident witch Anne Smothers." I giggle and look at Falco, he's grinning. "Well I guess we got a Lucy now." Anne giggles and moves back to a chair. The witness looks up at me with his brown hair falling into his blue eyes. I notice he looks scared his eyes looking from me to Falco. I pull Falco to the side away from our witness. "Tell me about our witness, he looks scared and I would guess under twenty." Falco touches his nose with a smile. "He is Edward Stevens, age nineteen lives here in Dallas. He works in a burger joint and is trying to be a musician. Greene and Samuel looked into him, he is not a known weretiger, his story doesn't quite add up since a talk to the neighbors came up with nobody knows him. Either he was to be a one night stand or he was trying to rob one of the apartments." I sigh and go sit down at the table looking at Edward, he shifts in his seat. "Edward, tell me what you saw that made you call the police." He looks at me then down at his hands. "I had just come out of my friend's apartment heading for the elevator when I noticed four guys and a really big dog heading for a different door. I watched them knock on the door then shove it open, one turned into a dog while I was watching. When all four were in and the door shut I went and looked at which apartment and called the police. I heard screams while I was on the phone." "Why would your friend claim to not know you?" He looks up and turns a little pale. "Because she's having an affair with me and doesn't want her husband to know." Sam comes in and sits down next to me. "Falco get him on his way we got no use for him." We all watch Falco take Edward out of the room. "Anne have you seen the crime scene photo's?" "Yes and I'm a little scared. There are only two spells that call for hearts of people. The safer one is to make golems, usually that involves grave robbing. Not to many people will do a golem they are not easy and take a lot of control. The other spell is nasty for lack of a better term for what it does, it summons a demon." Sam and I look at each other and groan. "I get the feeling that is bad, how many hearts do they need to summon a demon?" "Just one per demon, it does not matter how old the heart is it just needs to be preserved. There are two reasons for stockpiling hearts, they plan on getting a lot at once or keep summoning them for an extended period. I call them demons because there isn't a better term for them, they are the basis for demons in the myths. Unlike the myths demons are not evil, they are not good either they are emotionless. They also do what you ask them to do and can take any form you wish. Succubus and incubus are supposed to be based on them, no one knows for sure the demons never know or care." We pause there when our food arrives, I get a lovely cheeseburger with all the fixings and seasoned fries. "Well then, that leaves us with two questions. First one I'll ask is can a werewolf be a witch or whatever?" "It's possible, would explain why the attacks are done with werewolves." "That can be good news, if so I suppose I killed our demon summoner. The other question is, are demons stronger with a heart from a live or rather freshly dead person?" Anne looks at me and groans then nods. "Yes they are, partly why people don't just summon demons, the freshness of the heart that summoned the demon determines how strong it is. Would be why the tiger is going to the attacks and killing people first." "Sam what did the doctor say about the damn wrap?" "He said you can take it off, you only need it when your out and about and a sports bra would work just as well. Mentioned it's in the paperwork he handed us, yell at Falco I don't know where it is." Anne watches as I stand up and take my robe off. A giggling Sam stands up with me to help me get the wrap off. Anne turns about four shades of red as my breasts are revealed. Sitting down I put the robe around me again and get back to eating my cheeseburger. "Nia I think our Lucy likes you." Sam says leaning over into me, I look at her then Anne. "Sam are you trying to not be my girlfriend?" Sam giggles and shakes her head. "Heck no I like women more than men, besides Samuel he's gorgeous. I'm thinking if we get another lesbian I can have more of my preferred sex. Consuela only has eyes for Constance." "Anne do you like women?" Anne looks at us and turns about twelve shades of red before nodding. "I don't really like men in that way I'm in between girlfriends so well your breasts got me thinking of sex and I know you're married and have a girlfriend." "Well Sam likes you, she's into women more than men. I'm as you said married and love my husband, wouldn't mind if he wasn't a vampire so I can have more sex with him. Not that I would give up Sam of course. If your willing Sam wants more sex with women and during the day isn't always a good time for sex." "I'd like to get to know you two before falling into bed if that is alright." Sam groans, I look at her then hit her upside the head. "That is perfectly understandable, I have a question before I send you two off to buy me some sports bras Sam knows my size. If we did not get the person behind the killing can you find them?" Anne sighs and nods. "It is not easy, if we can find the demon the person summons I can follow the path back to the summoner. Does not have to be the entire demon if we find an attack I should have enough to find the caster." "Well then go get me some sports bras and get more of those vitamins Sam you need them to." With an excited Sam and a slightly nervous Anne out the door I lie on the couch and turn on the TV. I flip channels before coming to the local news and stop they are talking about Walter Green and his assassination. I can't help but giggle at the assertion his sniper was a lot closer than I was. Falco comes in and sits down to watch with me. I get a look when I keep giggling about the expert saying the building they picked is the best one for the shooting. "Nia, you're supposed to not be doing assassinations anymore. Not to say this guy didn't deserve to get killed, but shit if it gets out your still an active assassin we're screwed." I shush Falco and turn up the TV. "Perfection is in town starting on the day of the assassination at least. Are you saying she did not do this?" The reporter says looking at the camera then him. "That is exactly what I am saying, the Barrett rifles are only tested to two miles and that is iffy on accuracy. This is the only building within that range that could be used. Besides, she is retired and pregnant there was no rifle found with her, there is no way she could have done it." I just laugh at this assertion, Falco looks at me funny.