Hours before…

  Aziza was fast asleep in her new bed and the winter effect started to affect her after a month since learning about it. She groaned as she shifted and raising her head in a sleepy state she felt something was off, Lay wasn’t sleeping beside her.

  “Morning sleepy head.” Lay’s voice softly whispered and felt Lay kiss her forehead. Aziza could smell Lay’s shampoo and feel the moist air. “Come on, it’s time to wake up.”

  “Hnmmm…”Aziza hummed before yawning and rubbing her eyes. “Okay…” Aziza slumped out of the bed and headed to the bathroom.

  After her shower Aziza was ying on the couch with her head resting on Lay’s p and Lay gently petting Aziza’s head. “You’ve become really lethargic tely, Az, are you alright?” Lay asked with a bit of worry in her voice.

  “I’m fine, the winter has just been…making me in a low energy mood.” Aziza murmured and enjoyed Lay’s scent and having her head petting.

  “So I’m guessing you don’t want to join me in shopping?” Lay asked and Aziza groaned.

  “Do you have to go shopping?” Aziza asked and Lay giggled as kept petting Aziza. “Why not just order it online?”

  “Because st time they got their order all wrong.” Lay sighed and Aziza rolled onto her back, “I’ll try not to make any extra pit stops, promise.”

  “I be-” Aziza was cut off as Lay leaned forward to grab her cell phone on a coffee table and Aziza was being smothered by Lay’s chest.

  “Oops, sorry, Az,” Lay said as sat up straight and Aziza was blushing bright red with a smile.

  “No harm done…maybe we should have a bit fun before you head out?” Aziza flirted and Lay pinched Aziza’s nose gently.

  “No but I should get done and over,” Lay said and Aziza sighs before sitting up to allow Lay to get up. Lay gave Aziza a small kiss on the lips and smiled, “I’ll be back as fast I can.”

  Aziza froze in pce the moment she saw Lay’s purse, keys and cell phone in that alleyway and she heard loud pounding in her ear, her own heart. It was so loud she didn’t even hear Chris running up to them or Diamond and him talking.

  The pounding became louder and her blood turned cold when she heard word come out of Chris’ mouth, ‘Dead’. Aziza clutched her chest as it started to hurt, hurt so much she bent over and fell to her knees. The pain was shooting all over her body and only one thing was on her mind, ‘Find Lay’.

  Diamond finally noticed Aziza was kneeling and the sound of growing bones, “Aziza!” Diamond called out and went to kneel beside her. Diamond saw Aziza growing fur and her nails turning into cws. “AZIZA, LISTEN TO ME, YOU NEED TO CA-”

  Diamond was cut off when Aziza sucker punched Diamond with a back hand and sent her flying into the side of a dumpster. Diamond was dazed from the hit for a minute and she adjusted her jaw back into pce.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve been sucker punched.” Diamond said as stood back up and saw Aziza had completely transformed into a full werejackal form. “Chris, get ready to chase.”

  Aziza let out some huffs before bolting and Diamond bolted right after her without second thought. Chris sighed before full send running after Diamond and Aziza, “I AM NOT USAIN BOLT!” Chris yelled as he ran.

  Following Aziza, she led them to another old sewer drainage tunnel and back into the tunnels. Diamond wasn’t checking if Chris was close behind and just solely focused on wild Aziza.

  Diamond felt the ground under her disappear and she started to fall, it was another trap. She realized a bomb had gone off under her to make her fall and she tucked and rolled into the tunnel below before hearing another bomb going off.

  Diamond looked back to see her exit was covered, “DIAMOND, ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!” Chris' voice rang out from above.

  “I’M FINE, KEEP FOLLOWING HER!” Diamond yelled back and looked around the rumble. “TO DANGEROUS TO BREAK UP BUT I’LL TRY FIND MY WAY UP!”

  “ALRIGHT, BE CAREFUL DOWN THERE.” Chris yelled out and Diamond could hear Chris running above. Diamond sighed as she looked around before going down the tunnel she found herself in.

  Aziza finally regained her focus and found herself over Lay, who was strapped up to a table. Aziza tried to say something but found only grunts and she saw her hands were covered in fur.

  Aziza didn’t fully understand, but she didn’t question it as she started to rip off the straps on Lay and Aziza went to touch Lay’s face once the straps were off. A sharp pain shot through Aziza’s shoulder bde, she grabbed at the pain to pull out a scalpel and she whipped her face around to see someone.

  “First the police, now some random beast,” A man’s voice snarled. “Leave me alone to work.” Aziza let a roar before charging at him and the guy rolled out of the way.

  Aziza had stumbled into a different room that was lit up better and she noticed she was in a rge abandoned subway station hallway with pilrs. The pilrs were square and looked like the one thing keeping this room open.

  The man came out of the room and Aziza could see he was a blood drinking vampire with his pointed ears. His short brown hair was messy, he had a five o’clock shadow and his eyes were bright red. He was wearing an old trench coat that made him look homeless but under it Aziza could see a set dress vest, dress pants, dress shirt and dress shoes.

  Aziza let out a growl as she reared up and went for a wide right swing with her cws. The vampire moved to dodge and swung a scalpel to cut open Aziza’s right arm. Aziza went to sm both her fists into the vampire and he rolled between her legs.

  Aziza yet out yelp of pain as she felt both of her achilles tendons deeply and made her fall down on her knees. Aziza felt the back of her neck grabbed before being tossed into a pilr. “Stuipd beast, think you can take I, Victor King, in a fight?” The vampire procimed as he walked to Aziza.

  Aziza was slumped up against the pilr and tried to move her legs but her tendons prevented her standing up. “I don-” Victor was cut off from several loud gunshots going off.

  Victor winced as the first two hit him in the arm and dodged the other three bullets. Chris had shot the bullets and was close to the entrance to sewers furthest from the two. Chris squeezed out two more shots before Victor threw his scalpel just as fast as the bullets.

  Chris wasn’t fast enough to dodge fully but he moved enough to get the scalpel to shoulder, “Shit,” Chris cursed under his breath before Victor was in front of him. Chris grit his teeth the moment Victor punched him in the stomach and sent Chris into the air before nding on his back.

  Chris gasped for a second before Victor stepped on Chris’ hand holding his gun still. “A pathetic livestock like you think you can stop my, Victor King, important work?” Victor asked with a devilish grin. “I will feed you to my experiment when she wakes.”

  “Important work, you just torture women for your own twisted will.” Chris snarled back and tried to punch Victor's leg but failed to move it off his hand.

  “Pathetic livestock, thinks he can harm me?” Victor asked and pressed harder on Chris’ hand. “Laughable, what is going through your small brain?”

  Chris winced and smirked, “Oh just waiting for the cavalry to get here.” Victor looked confused before being sent flying back into the back wall of the room. It was a blur to Chris but now Diamond had punched Victor and was now standing over Chris with her back to him.

  “Don’t pull that scalpel out,” Diamond said and her one cwed hand was covered in blood. She has her forearms transformed and she shifted into position to rush attack stance. “Ge-”

  A loud banshee scream filled the abandoned subway station and everyone froze in pce when the scream went out. Victor started to chuckle as he pulled himself from the wall and stumbled as he nded. Everyone looked at the entrance of the room where Lay was found and she was now standing at the entrance.

  Lay’s bck hair had turned pure white, her rich brown skin tone turned into dark shade, and her ears pointed. Diamond noticed Lay’s fingers were cwed and fingers had bck coloring to them. Her hair was in the way of her eyes for Diamond but Aziza could see they were glowing pink and her sclera were now bck.

  Aziza tried to get up but her tendons still didn’t heal and let out a whimper to try to call out Lay’s name. Victor started to ugh, “I DID IT, I AM GOD, NOW MY SL-”

  It was all blur in a second and everyone was shocked by what happened, Lay’s jaw had tched onto Victor’s throat. Diamond had shifted into a defensive stance in case Lay rushed Chris for his blood but her eyes were wide.

  The sound of gulping came from Lay as she drank Victor’s blood and finally Victor tried to let out scream. Lay’s jaws had a strong grip on his throat and only small squeaks came out before pulling out a knife.

  Lay let go and stumbled back as a knife plunged into her stomach. Her facial expression went from wild hunger to confusion and she pulled out the knife. When she pulled it out she realized she shouldn’t have done that when she did and pressed hand on the wound. “What.” She whispered as she didn’t feel a wound.

  Victor had stumbled back and completely confused from being fed on before locking eyes with Lay, “You bitch.” He gargled through blood as pulled out a trigger.

  “RUN!” Diamond yelled out seeing the trigger before it was being pressed. Aziza bolted to Lay to cover her and Diamond went to cover Chris.

  The bombs were set off causing rubble to fall on all of them and dust filling the room. Once the dust settled down Aziza was able to push rubble that nded on them and felt Lay gripping her fur. Aziza let out a whimper as Lay looked up to her snout, “Az?” Lay asked as cupped Aziza’s muzzle carefully.

  Diamond burst out from the rubble with a loud snarled, “I’m going skin that bastard alive.” Diamond growled and Chris groaned as he stood up from the hole Diamond came out of.

  “Sound off, is everyone still alive?” Chris called out as he stood up on the rubble.

  “Over here,” Lay called out while Aziza whimpered. Diamond walked over to the two and saw Aziza had some old rebar in Aziza’s back.

  “Stay still, I’ll get those for you.” Diamond said as she walked behind Aziza and Lay gently pet Aziza’s muzzle. With some quick motions pulled out the rebar and tossed them to the side.

  Chris walked over with putting his gun away, “Miss. Licwood, we have to have a talk,” Chris said and gnced around. “Diamond, can we get out here now.”

  Diamond gnced around to see no sign of Victor and sighed, “Sure, our mad scientist escaped.” Diamond said. “You’re going to the hospital, Quinn.”

  Diamond, Aziza, and Lay were in the morgue after everyone had a shower and Lay was sitting on one of the tables with Nix examining her. Lay had shifted back to normal human form, even with rounded ears but her deep brown eyes were now deep red.

  “So what's the verdict, Doc?” Diamond asked as she leaned on the other table and had her arms crossed. Aziza was sitting beside Lay, resting her head on Lay’s shoulder, and the two were holding hands.

  “If I didn’t know Miss. Licwood was human a few hours ago, I would say she’s a healthy young vampire.” Nix said and paused. “Though I would question who her parents were.”

  “What do you mean by that?” Aziza asked and lightly squeezed Lay’s hand. “Does it have to do with why she fed on Victor’s blood?”

  “Yes, her sub-race is one that was thought to be extinct for centuries, it’s called a Krsnik,” Nix expined and Lay looked a little confused.

  “Crusnik, isn’t that something from the anime ‘Trinity Blood’.” Lay asked and Nix blinked in confusion for a second.

  “No, Krsnik is from a Svic god than ter a type Svic vampire hunter from myths.” Nix expined as rubbed her temple. “But it’s the name that was picked for a sub-race vampire that feeds on other vampires.”

  “Svic again,” Diamond grumbled. “Victor didn’t sound svic, if anything he sounded like an American putting on a british accent.”

  “Oh I’ve met those kinds of vampires,” Nix said and looked at Lay. “You seem very calm about all this, did Aziza tell you about everything before being kidnapped?”

  “No, but I do wake up before Az and well…sometimes she would have cute dog ears and tail.” Lay said with blush and Aziza turned bright red before burying her face into Lay’s shoulder. “I didn’t say anything as I figured she would tell me when she’s ready.”

  “Do you think the Moonlight Coven would take her in?” Diamond asked and Nix looked to Diamond before looking back at Lay.

  “Yes, they would want to keep a close eye on her.” Nix said and smirked, “Also vampires are always looking out for pediatricians that can treat their children.”

  “Got to keep her away from covens like Red Mist,” Diamond said and stood up straight. “They would use her like a weapon…and I have a feeling I just figured out what Victor was trying to do.”

  Nix looked to Diamond and it hit her too, “He was trying to make a weapon to use against other vampires…maybe even a small army.” Nix said and started to rub her temple more.

  “He was so arrogant to think that once he transformed a person they would be his sve.” Diamond groaned and rubbed her temple. “He believed the thrall legend…that’s why he thought the tables turned when Lay was transformed.”

  “And why did he call me a bitch before blowing up the pce.” Lay said and Aziza nuzzled Lay, which Lay returned the nuzzle.

  “I think everyone has been through enough today.” Nix said as she walked to her desk, “I’ll drop you off at the apartment while I head to hospital.”

  “Supper is on me,” Diamond said as Aziza and Lay stood up. “Because some did their full transformation. I bet they are very hungry.”

  Aziza and Lay enter the apartment after having a rge dinner at Diamond’s apartment. Lay found she didn’t eat much and was a little unsettled from both Diamond and Aziza’s feeding frenzy.

  “So have I not been feeding enough?” Lay asked with a worried tone and Aziza blushed slightly.

  “No, that was just due to my transformation into full form causing that rge appetite.” Aziza said to comfort Lay. “Also Diamond is a rge type, a por bear, so she normally eats a lot.”

  Lay giggled and paused in looking at Aziza, causing her heart to skip a little. Lay bit her lower lip and gently took Aziza’s hand, “Az~” Lay cooed and was blushing deeply as she looked into Aziza’s eyes. Aziza looked back into Lay’s eyes and her heart skipped a beat as well.

  When Aziza and Lay left, Diamond was cleaning up the take out wrappers and putting away some dishes in the dishwasher. ‘Peace at st..’ Diamond thought.

  There was a loud thump sound causing Diamond to become alert. “OH AZ~” Lay’s muffled voice moaned out and Diamond’s eye twitched.

  ‘I need to remind them that walls are thin.’ Diamond said as she walked to the bedroom and turned on the isotion spell the moment she entered it.

  Chris was fixing up his tie as hospital staff patched him up and the scalpel missed anything important. It was an easy patch and he was wanting to go home to have a long hot shower. “Nix, is not going to be unhappy with me.” Chris sighed.

  “Damn right, I’m going be unhappy with you.” Nix said and she was standing in the doorway to his room. She had her coat under her arm and she walked over to him to grab his tie. “It’s not because you got injured though.”

  Chris winced as Nix pulled on his tie to be eye level with her, “Is it because I didn’t call back up?” Chris asked and he could feel her eyes narrow under her bangs.

  “That is another reason but you didn’t aim for his head.” Nix said and moved her other hand to adjust his tie a bit. “It would just stunned him better than hoping to hit the heart.”

  “Right, but we are trained to aim for the body, not the head.” Chris said and Nix let go of his tie. “Because unlike vampires, th-”

  Nix cut him off with a kiss on the lips, “I know, werebeasts can get brain damage if shot in the brain.” Nix whispered and fixed Chris’ colr. Her fingers stopped when she touched his golden moonflower pins and sighed. “Come on, Scruffy, you’re coming home with me.”

  “As you wish, mon Cheri,” Chris said as gave her a small kiss on the lips.

  Belle was walking up some stairs that were attached to the back of Nightshade Inc. and she pressed the doorbell. She shifted her footing as she waited and adjusted the folder in her hand.

  Belle heard the peephole open and close fast before the door unlocked and opened up. Ophelia was standing there only in her housecoat, “Pleasure or work?” she asked as she moved out of the way to allow Belle in.

  “Unfortunately, work right now,” Belle said as she entered and handed the folder to her. Belle slipped off her heels as Ophelia closed and locked the door.

  “Maybe it will lead to pleasure,” Ophelia teased and the two head up the second floor ft. Ophelia sat down on the couch to start reading the folder of files and Belle went to the kitchen to pour some whisky on the rocks for them.

  “It was an eventful day today.” Belle said as she handed Ophelia a gss and sat down across from Ophelia on the loveseat. “Does this ‘Victor King’ sound familiar to you?”

  “No and this drawing doesn’t look familiar either.” Ophelia said as she tapped the mug sketch up. “An American putting on a British accent, one of those guys.”

  “Little Az said he wore fancy dress clothes under his hobo trench coat.” Belle said as she gently swirled her drink. “While Diamond thinks he was trying to make a small army of vampire eaters.”

  “You don’t think so.” Ophelia said as flipped a page to see a picture of the booklet and a letter. “Is this the reason?”

  “While Diamond did figure it was Svic, but she only read three pages and that letter folded in the back.” Belle said as she sipped her whiskey. “It’s also in Svic and our transtor says it’s nonsense, gibberish.”

  “A coded message in Svic…you think he was hired to do this?” Ophelia asked and Belle nodded. “Why would they do that, did they want a weapon…”

  “A weapon…or trying to get some new blood,” Belle said and Ophelia’s eyes flickered up to Belle. “You and I know vampires are slowly walking towards extinction while the other two races are thriving.”

  Ophelia was quiet for a second before sighing, “Doesn’t help we do more in fighting than other races for petty reasons.” Ophelia said and finally took a sip from her drink. “Anyways, how is Lay handling her changes?”

  “Strong and with Aziza’s support she is doing fine so far.” Belle said as Ophelia closed the folder. “Diamond suggested she join the Moonlight Coven for safety.”

  “She’s right and I’ll get it done, Anderson and Nix will back me.” Ophelia said and put the folder on the coffee table. “Anything else?”

  “Nothing for now but I will keep you in the loop if anything else new comes up.” Belle said as she took off her tie and undid a few of her shirt buttons.

  “Okay, so work is done…” Ophelia said as she shifted her house coat off her shoulders. Belle put her gss down before she got up and leaned down to Ophelia, “Now for pleasure, my winter fairy~”

  “Indeed it is, my pirate queen~” Belle whispered as she kissed Ophelia gently.