Where've Ya Been? {Shadows/Open}

[†The Blood Countess†]

Fog had rolled in this evening, blotting out the full moon that hung in the night sky and causing the stars to lose their brilliant luster. The occasional car drove by with their lights on, going at a slow pace for fear of crashing into another vehicle in front. People not in transportation walked down the damp street, talking about how odd this sudden weather change was but enjoying it just the same. Winter was starting to set in and fog will be a more common sight to the people in this small town. The hours drifted by, gradually the streets emptied, humans were in their homes fast asleep. Yet one creature will not find rest, not tonight, for these hours were when she was active.

The sound of boots clopping against the damp cement echoed through the narrow alleys, alerting anything that had breath of her presence. Why be silent when there was no one here to challenge the “Blood Countess”? But it’s clear that a dramatic change had come over the female who had been missing for the past seven months. One day she was there, waiting for Shadows and Vicious…then gone. There was not a trace of her disappearance and there was no need to seek her out. Why? She was disposable. It would be easy to replace a half blood vampiress. Shadows might have searched but probably gave up eventually. Vicious? Well. He wasn’t the sort of male who’d go searching.

The female’s bangs had grown considerably, hiding a grand portion of her face from any who would see her wandering idly through the thick fog. Once or twice, she’d snap her head to the side to move them away. Long flowing hair was cut to her waist, rather than past her rear. Those were the changes easily seen but one can see what has happened. Those eyes. What could suddenly cause them to look so void of any emotions?

Her walk stopped and her head turned towards a rusted fence; behind it there was a graveyard. Whole body turned towards the ominous place and the Countess entered, becoming consumed by the fog. Now she had to heavily rely on her sense of smell and hearing to make sure all was well.

Pale fingers reached out, lazily trailing over eroded tombstones, as if though contemplating on a past love. Hand rested atop one tombstone, lingering, seeming to long for whoever was buried six feet under. Then she moved on, leaving it behind her. A few movements later and she was seated atop a flat tombstone, her katana resting against her left shoulder. Blank crimson eyes stared ahead into the fog…as if though expecting something to happen…

[shadows]

Shadows growled as a sudden blip appeared on the radar. "Sir, we've got her...she's in lycan territory.' Shadows howled as his katan ripped from it's sheath. 'WHERE?" 'The man fumbled over his words. "The cemetery she's" But Shadows was already gone. Not once had the search been dropped, not once had it changed in its consistency in all truth it had become more and more desperate untill the borders of Shadows control had shrunk. All man powern was into finding his love, and now she was back. Yet as Shadows bolted through the air an ominous blue moon settled over the earth. Shadows couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

Slamming onto the ground he was deep in lycan territoy and 2 miles from Amoura. Lycans were thick in the area, they'd been tracking his movement. As the diamond tipped blade glittered in the ait he was a blurr. Howls and snarls echoed as Shadows fought slowly through. Gunfire exploded as damn near an army battled the werewolves. Hundreds fell to the what was now an all out war and hundreds more came to replace those who had fallen. Shadows was wounded many times but not greivously yet he still struggled. The streets ran red with blood of both vampire and were wolf. And as the gunfire slowed as the numbers dwindled untill only a few remained Shadows saw the gates of the graveyard come into his sight.

Walking slowly his blade dripped with thje blood of those who would stop him, as it always had and always would untill it was his blood spilled. The numbers lossed in this assault were so high that it would take years to replace. Bright red eyes scanned the area untill they stopped. Shadows smiled as a sigh blew from his lungs. Running he was almost there, almost to his love, the only thing that had made him truly happy in centurie.....something was off. Dropping his sword to the ground he skidded to a hault a few feet away. '......Amoura......my love......I've come for you."

[†The Blood Countess†]

Gunshots, cries and metal screeching broke the silence that settled on the foggy lands. Isn’t it strange that the lycanthorpes didn’t dare attack the female yet went for someone more powerful than her? Wouldn’t they want to take out anything that dared to trespass? Perhaps she was bait. Did it matter? No.

Hands clenched her katana tighter, proud head bowed, silver hair sweeping forth to conceal her face. Let the bloodshed ensue. This did not involve her nor was her presence necessary. But then…it all ceased and a familiar scent reached her. Slowly the female straightened her posture and her head, as if though dreading the actions!

” '......Amoura......my love......I've come for you."

So it was him…had Amoura been herself, she would have jumped for joy, tears streaming down her face and run to embrace her love. But that was the old Amoura. The old Amoura…was dead.

”My name’s not Amoura. It’s Elizabeth Bathory.” she spoke. How dull her voice sounded! Head turned towards Shadows, her empty eyes locking with his gaze. ”You’re covered in blood. Here.” The vampires tossed a large handkerchief at the male, ”You can keep it.” Then she was silent, looking ahead once more.

[shadows]

Shadows eyes widened as a sudden explosion of wind blew the cloth across the grave yard. Silence stretched through the thick night air as the weather suddenly became worse and worse. Shadows eyes that were Crimson upon his arrival dimmed slowly untill they were as dark as the center of a black hole. The aura around him became a living thing, moving and thriving off of what was now a living breathing vortex of pain. Shadows blinked once...twice....three times.

Suddenly he shook his head hard. Eyes going back red. A smile spreading across his face. She was playing with him. leave it to Amoura to play a game at a time like this. Shadows smiled, his chest a raging torrent of what seemed like magma, his head pounding, and his eyes unfocusing slightely as a film formed over them. Shaking his head again he spoke with a rough voice, on occaision it broke. 'A.....Elizabeth....what's going on? Don't you remember me? I....I've searched for so long......I've fought so hard.....f...for you.... Now you're back...I've found you....I love you...please....please come to me." Shadows spoke the last part through shattering words, his hand outstretching and shaking violently. What the fuck was wrong with him?

[†The Blood Countess†]

The vampiress remained silent, still gazing off into the fog. Once more she turned her head to acknowledge Shadows. For what seemed like an eternity, she stared into his eyes. His said something, so many things and yet hers…said nothing at all. It was like staring into the eyes of a sad, porcelain doll. No life. Nothing. ”What I remember…” she slid her entire body towards his direction, now folding her legs, ”…was all a fantasy. A net of lies spun to keep me from the truth.”

The Countess stood up, refastening her blade to her belt and looked at Shadows again, ”Love is a wasted emotion, Shadows. Vicious was right from the start…it never should have happened. I should have said no from the start and yet I did not. Why? Because I was foolish…” she looked to the side, brushing her hair behind her ear. It was then a hint of what might have happened was revealed. A still healing wound, a hideous cut, ran from her temple down to the base of her collarbone, ”It was a fool’s dream, Shadows. Nothing more.”

Dull tones, once smooth, full of life and grace echoed forth towards Shadows. How can she say such things to someone she loved?

[shadows]

Shadows outstretched hand was suddenly a blurr. He was not conciously moving it, water glistened in his eyes and a few droplets slid from them and down his face. He was crying. Shadows, who had never once, even in human life shed a tear after infancy wept now, though he didn't know it. As Amoura's words floated across the distance to him Shadows entire body stopped. Hand falling to his side his eyes going even blacker then they were before. Breathing slowly sped as with each exhale a strange pant escaped. The sounds were that heard of a dieing animal, not of him. But then, when things such as this occur, it's proven vampire are more animal then human.

Blackness, blackness and pain. A whirlwind of agony...that's all there was....only pain. "Vicious was right." The words slammed through his skull. So he was, and now....he would die...they all would....when. Suddenly A piercing mental screach and shatter echoed throughout the vampire minds. All who knew Shadows and had a connection would feel the shattering of his heart...or was it his mind?

Shadows body suddenly tensed. Slamming into a crouch 7 inch fangs shot from his mouth as power thrummed. Muscles buldged as the blood gulch exploded from hiding. The weather suddenly went insane. As first the clouds grew black, rain hammered over the area, suddenly the temperature dropped and snow began to fall. As it got colder the snow turned to hail and still Shadows stayed crouched. The hail stopped and tornados shredded the area around them not one but seven.

Shadows suddenly stood and leaned back. Claws shooting from his finger tips. Shadows back snapped as his spine curved. This was a true feral vampire. Shadows looked like a cross between a wold, a cat, a bat, and a human. Only one other had ever been what Shadows had just become, and they were never seen again. perhaps the same would happen? Suddenly all the tornadoes came together and moved towards them. Shadows back arched as he bowed backwards and screamed. He screamed again and again and again. The sound was sickening on the ears and painful in the chest suddenly the wind became too loud, too violent and Shadows was consumed by the tornado and then all went silent.

The land was deeply scared by the sudden violent weather. The screaching had all the survivors of Shadows force crawling across the ground, momentarily deaf and dumb. Shadows was gone, noone could find him. He was no where and everywhere. He was everything...and now nothing. Where had he gone? Not even he knew.