Warning - Graphic Content]

So it began...

The heavy footsteps echoed in the hall of the grand building. Leaning on the wall she waited. Long obsidian hair gracefully bound up in a hair clip so that the stark white ends fanned out. She was dressed to kill, so to speak. A sultry crimson trimmed black bodice clenched to her upper body and shaping her feminine assets quite nicely but still leaving much to be desired. The way it came down to a point at her torso left an alluring trail to the skirt that accompanied the bodice. Thigh-length and made from very smooth black suede that clung to her body much like the bodice. The leather cinched tightly along one side with a thin gold-linked chain and fastened at the waist with a onyx button. The skirt featured a side-slit that revealed her smooth thigh and the start of legs that never seemed to quit. With the ankle wrapped, black stilettos to finish off the set it was lucky the man even made it as close as he did. But he knew better to touch or even oogle her.

The man approaching her was in his mid-30s. Long dark hair and smooth, handsome features with gray eyes. Dressed in a nice suit that was trimmed to his own structure. He wasn't half bad on the eyes himself.

"Where is he?" The man's voice was thick and rich with accent. As if he was trying to seduce her to him but to no avail. A shiver coursed down his spine as her blood colored gaze turned to him.

"Ah, Mister McCorrmick. Right on time." She spoke in a tone of sweet honey. Like a snake she slithered away from her place against the wall and to his side. Every movement he was drinking in until the very moment her hand settled against his arm. She started to guide him down the hall, his steps accompanied by her heels. "You know we don't like to be kept waiting."

"I had business." Was his counter to her sweet sounding scold.

"Oh I am sure you did." She quipped without missing a beat.

Finally the hall came to an end, the single door at the end waited for them. Pulling from her and in gentleman gesture, he opened the door for her. In return she ticked a finger left and right to him then gestured him on in. Hesitantly he didn't argue and entered first. Several steps were taken into the lavishly furnished room. Plush red carpet and wall draping, a large desk that was made of expensive wood, a leather couch and two chairs.

And yet empty.

The door closed behind him and the sound of the lock echoed throughout the room. Confused he started to turn but never made it that far. A gasp released from his thin lips as something came into impact with the back of his knees, sending him collapsing onto his knees. Before he knew it there was something metallic and thin wrapped around his neck. Thick fingers struggled to ease the strain of the metal string around his neck but her body pressed against his to make sure he didn't move. Indeed she had the string in one hand while the other held a knife which was pressed to his chest, palm flat as she made sure that he remained a certain position. He could feel her warm breath against his neck and she purred into his ear sweetly.

"It's just business you know. Like all those you've sent me to kill. Looks like it's come to bite you in the ass my friend." Crimson lips placed a sweet kiss to his earlobe as he gurgled out his respond. Where metal and flesh met, blood started to pour swiftly.

"Bi-tc-hhhhh." He croaked out.

She of course frowned to the insult. "And here I was being gentle." Sighing disappointingly and shifting so that her foot met his back she started to press him away. He tried to scream as the string began to eat through his flesh. One mighty yank and his head snapped, sliding off the rest of his body as the string cleared way through meat, bone, and flesh. With being so close she found herself splashed in his crimson vital and it bothered her little, even as his head rolled on the floor nearby.

Another disappointed sigh as the string was released to his body and the knife tucked away. "And he was so handsome too." Oh la de da type tone as she walked to the desk and pressed the buzzer on the phone. "Mandy. Send the maid to the office please. There is quite a mess on the floor."

"Yes Ms. De'Raven."

Releasing the buzzer she turned and slipped to sit on the edge of the desk.

One down..two to go.

"How is our little test subject?" Two fingers pushed up the wire frame of his glasses. The peppered hair man watched the tube filled with life giving liquid and a young woman's body suspended with wires connected to vital parts of her body.

"She collapsed out twice after treatment." The young woman tapping on the nearby computer continued to tick tick away. "Just as we predicted her condition is stable but her 'disease' is attempting to fight the treatment."

The older man seemed fascinated and amused by this. "She is quite a fighter isn't she, Melissa?"

"Yes, sir."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"She's crashing again." Within the liquid coffin the dark haired woman thrashed around in pain. Melissa quickly stood and grabbed a air pressure needle. Quickly she stabbed it into a feeding tube and in a matter of minutes the massive beeping began to slow and the dark haired one began to settle.

"How far apart are the crashes?" The man seemed to find more amusement in the fact the figure was in such massive pain.

"Six hours, sir."

"Good. Try to stretch it to a steady eight."

"Yes, sir." Melissa replied as she went back to her system. Glancing up she peered at the man who seemed to be staring lustily at the figure behind the glass. His pet project.

Several hours he stood there until finally Melissa stood from her duties and collected her purse. "Have a good evening, Mr. Crisis."

"Yes. Yes. Have a good night, Miss Signorelli." He listened for her heels as she started out of the sanitized room. She barely made it out the door when he heard a horrifying choking sound. Turning around he saw a crazed looking young man stalking in. "What are you doing here?"

"She sent me to kill you." The young man answered as the sword was thrust through the older man's gut, sword tip breaking the glass behind him to spill the liquid. Sword drawn out the body slid down but the young man was more fascinated by the slowly lowering body in the tube. Last of the liquid kissed her toes, body held suspended by needles and tubes connected to her body. The rest of the glass was smashed away and her body was yanked from the needles and tubes. Blood spilled across her flesh, mingling with water.

Garnet eyes flashed open and stared at the blue eyes that peered at her. She growled and he instantly released her, shying away from her as she tore from him and grabbed up the old, bleeding figure who was slowly dying away. His grey eyes stared at his pet project and he grinned as she leaned forward, tongue caressing his lips to capture the blood that spilled from them. Another growl and soon her lips were at his neck, fangs digging deep into his veins. Shrieking out he grasped her and both slowly sank to the floor. It was only when he was seconds from his death that he was released and thrown to the ground. His pet project watched as the last light left his eyes.

It took several seconds for the alarms that had been blaring to fill her ears and the young man who released her was grabbing at her arm. Long, bare legs moving and feet sliding along the blood filled floor as she worked to stand. Once standing the two began to run through the halls. Guards and any in the way were killed either by sword or by brutal neck snapping.

Every body within the facility was killed as the two made their way through.

Her time in Rhy'Din had been balanced at best. Some good. Some bad. Her second or third day she happened across a sulking man who's hair was unkempt and wild. He was tattered and dirty entering a fine tailors shop which peaked her curiosity. So she followed and witnessed him purchasing a new suit, all except for the jacket which his original still seemed in one piece in compare to the rest of his old set.

Not knowing what came over her she made a small tease to the man on his way out about needing to find a comb for his hair. It was this single act that started a friendship.

And it was that friendship she held close.

And it was this friendship that had her were she was today.

Steps carried her down the road a good two hours away from the city and at the crossroads she took to the left fork. Dressed in her simple clothes but she was packing enough to take out an army. Or one other biological weapon.

Lazy steps as she came to the appointed place to find a lanky young man crouched down on a tall rock. His hair spilled down his shoulders like black ink that clouded over his visual path. Head craning to one side he peered at her with his bright blue, glowing gaze.

"See my message got to you." he spoke with a cheshire grin.

She didn't respond. Just a blank, unwavering stare. She had gotten his message alright. Using Kaz's blood in the apartment to write a message. Threatening that if she didn't meet up with him he would hurt the others closest to her. She wouldn't allow that and he knew it.

"My heart. My love. My heaven. She requires your head. And your head she will have."

"You are an idiot for falling for that slut. I mean seriously, Caligo. Do you not notice the men that are always clinging to her where ever she goes" It does not bug you just a little when she starts making out with them in front of you?"

"They are nothing but her toys. She uses them to get what she wants." he shrugged her off.

For once her eyes rolled, "And you are different. Yeah right. She used you to bring down the Black Hand. She used you to destroy the Dynasty. And you let her! And what?s worst. You allowed her lies to poison your judgment about me. Has our years together proved nothing?"

He yawned at her. The act made her blood boil. He wasn't listening. Either that or simply didn't care. "Well it's late. Shall we begin" I would like to get home to her arms before night."

She didn't move. So he moved for her. Springing off the boulder he already had his guns out and sent bullets flying. The first one impact close and before she knew it was she thrown back several feet. An explosion round" He's been copying her special ammo! It was a weaker version of her own but no matter how weak she was still tossed along the ground. She made no time to moan in pain. Jerking to her feet she went into motion. Movement between the two quick, shot for shot taken.

She was aware when one of her bullets hit home because he howled out in pain. Wicked grin thinned out her lips. "How you like my new product, Caligo' Painful as fuck ain't it?" She laughed and slipped into the cloud of dirt and smoke they had worked up. She could hear him cursing like a mad sailor as the paralyzing fluid was released from it's chamber after impact. Not only causing the wound itself to sting like hellfire but releasing the concoction that would slow him down if not stop him completely. Was hard to tell when it came to his system.

"Can't believe you resorted to cheating!"

His voice gave her a target. From the wisp cloud she sprung forward, guns abandoned and swords in hand. First swing was to his right bicep and it struck nice and deep. The second swing was barely fended off by his gun which was no more use after that hit. Stumbling back he snarled at her. Then he grinned oh so slowly. That was a grin that caused her to worry.

From behind a gun fired causing her body to jerk forward when it hit her shoulder. Two more shots. One hit the back of her left knee and the other barely missed her kidney. She fell forward to her knees, coughing and holding a hand to her mouth. Blood. She tasted it on her tongue. Nothing vital was hit but still hurt like hell and was going to slow her down.

Shadow stretched over her and she felt the cold barrel of Caligo's gun shove against her forehead, forcing her to look up at him. Those eyes. Those blue eyes that she woke up to filled with curiosity now stared at her with hatred. "Time's up ol' girl. Knew you didn't have it in you to kill me."

He was right. She had been holding back. In the background she could hear the sickeningly sweet voice of Lace, "Oh hurry it up, honey bunny. I'm bored and want to go home."

She could hear his finger squeeze the trigger and her eyes closed.

"Time to die Myst." he smirked as he pressed the barrel tight to her head.

"You never knew when to shut up and act!" Bolting upright her body stepped forward to his, wrist grabbed and drawn up. Surprised by the boldness he was already firing. The gun went off and in it's new course hit the waiting woman. The impact was powerful enough to send her daintiness off her feet.

"NO! LAC-GEK!" He seemed to completely forget the woman who was back-to-chest with him. And it cost him a knife to the gut. Tearing the gun away from him and shoving him away she turned to watch his body sink to the ground, arms hugging his mid-section. "Why the hell..couldn't you just..die.."

Tossing the gun to the side and her sword was picked up. "I made a promise..." She moved forward and raised the sword.

He laughed. "You can't kill me. You know you can't." He stopped and looked at the silhouette of her form, the sun making him squint. "A promise?"

"Yeah. A promise. To a friend."

"Oh that red head fella that is always hanging around with you. Surprised you haven't offed him yet. Let me live, Myst. I'll do it for you."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and in one stabbing jerk she plunged the sword tip into his throat so he could no longer speak. "You will never touch him. He's not like you. He is an actual friend. Someone who would never stab my back because of a pretty faced whore." Anger filled her when he threatened to take the only thing keeping her sane away. He knew he struck a cord he should of left alone. Her garnet eyes were wild in that anger.

"See you in hell.." he spat at her, his blood specking across her face. Sword dislodged with a yank the next sound was sickening to those who were not use to it. Blade meeting flesh, meat, and bone. His head was severed off completely with every fiber of strength she had left.

Heavy breaths echoed the silent air as she watched his body collapse before her, spilling out the vital in a massive pool. There was nothing. No sorrow. No anger. Turning she started to walk to where Lace's body had collapsed. Still alive and writhing in pain she was found. Staring down at the milky flesh blond there was nothing.

"You tried to take everything from me..." Myst's voice was hollow as she spoke down to the blond beauty.

"P-Please don't. If you kill me others will come after you! My boys will exact revenge!"

Nothing was said as she started to walk away. Several yards was made, leaving the wounded blond where she was. Thinking it over Lace's body relaxed. She moved and started to crawl to where Caligo's fallen body was. Not to mourn but to find his phone to call for help.

She never saw it coming. From far off a shot was fired and landed a hit in the dead body causing it to jerk. Thinking his body alive Lace jumped back with a gasp. A gasp that was swallowed up as things around began to implode. Air vacuumed out was suddenly released in a deafening boom as the implosion became an explosion. The fire ring that followed the boom took swallowed roughly the area size of a football field.

She was already out of range and slowly making her way home.

It was done. He was dead. She could live the rest of the days without the fear of him killing those close to her. At least the days she had left before the serum was gone. But even those days will be considered a blessing.