Night With the Vampires

Posted on Fri Nov 19th, 2021 @ 2:06am by Commander Kyle Reece & Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Lieutenant Victor Barclay de Tolly & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Holodeck 3
Timeline: Halloween
12525 words - 25.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Vanessa entered the holodeck with a smile and spoke. "Computer... Load holonovel Evening of the Damned." The holodeck activated.

Countess Vanessa Alcean an Vantar stirred from her sleep in her coffin and the lid opened. She rose elegantly and smiled. "Mmm.. So hungry... I feel like breakfast... There have to be some humans around here for a quick bite."

Vanessa's mansion was situated in New England and she opened the drapes to be basked by moonlight. She smiled as she looked at the full moon. "So much better than the sun."

In the distance the sound of a werewolf howl pierced the night.

In her chamber the newest child of the night Alicia’s character Alice, had awoke from her slumber, she hadn’t taken her first victim yet she was still ‘fresh’ to the vampiric life, in-fact she’d only been taken as a victim in the past few days. She lay staring around the room wondering just where she was, and who had brought her here.

Vise one of the countess newer children approached her with all the grace of their kind. " The wolves sound wild tonight."

"Good evening, my daughters." The sound of a powerful man's voice came from the doorway behind the two young vampires. David entered the room, striding with the confidence of age and experience. He was only of the oldest vampires on record still surviving. When he had reached five hundred years, he was granted the title of Lord Vampire and placed on the Council of Elders.

"They are wild tonight. They have some fresh blood in their packs," he said as he moved to the window and gazed out into the beautifully clear night. "The humans thought they had destroyed both of our kind centuries ago. However, they have no idea what the concept of patience truly means. Soon, the wolves will resume their stations as our daylight guardians, and our mutually beneficial coexistence can resume." He turned back to gaze at his two newest children.

"And how are my lovelies feeling tonight? Hungry, I imagine, yes?"

Vise licked her fanged teeth as a grin spread over her face. "Of course my lord."

David reached up and gently caressed Vise's right cheek with his left hand. "Good, very good." He turned to Alice, raising his right hand to her left cheek. "And you, my dear?"

Alice flinched at the touch of her vampire master. “I...no...I won’t!”

In a flash of supernatural speed and strength, David changed from the elegent, charming gentleman that he was, to a snarling, demon-faced monster, which he also was. Grasping Alicia by her throat, David lifted her up and slammed her back against the wall that was a few feet behind her. "Ungrateful child!" His voice had even changed. Now, it was deep, heavy, and extremely dangerous. A vicious growl rumbled deep in his massive chest.

"I grant you a gift and this is how you repay me...by disrespect?! Give me one reason why I don't kill you right now."

"I am famished." Vanessa stated . "I want to go find humans."

David heard the Countess, and calmed some. She was one of his oldest turns. She was also masterful at making the young learn their place. Where he was brute force, she was a whispering wind, that slit your throat if you disobeyed. "Ahhh, my dear Countess. Thank you again for hosting my visit. I arrived this morning with this sweet," he released Alice, letting her fall to the floor. "Ungrateful child." He turned towards Vanessa and morphed back into his regal former image. "Would you please...? I will guarantee your usual payment within the hour."

Vanessa smiled. "Stop playing with your toys and do send your minions out for something to eat...

Alice crawled to her master to beg forgiveness. “I’m sorry master! Please forgive me!”

David looked down at Alice, disapproval in his eyes.

Vanessa walked over to Alicia and pulled her up. "Get up!" Vanessa noted. "You are a Vampire. You do not grovel."

Alice rose to her feet pushing Vanessa back with a snarl bearing her pointed teeth with an annoyed hiss.

Vise rolled her eyes at her sister's behaviour. Who could be mad enough to refuse the masters gifts?

Vanessa hissed and walked up. Grabbing Alice. "Listen, little girl. You are clinging too much to what you once were. I'm going to take you under my wing. You will be the apprentice for Countess Vanessa Alcean an Vantar. And I will make you into a proper Vampiress Lady, somehow."

David moved over and grabbed a large handful of Alice's hair, pulling her head back as he glared down into her eyes. "If you continue to disrespect both myself and the Countess, I will end you without a second thought." He then flung her away and moved to stand before Vise. "As for you, my dear, you are not strong enough yet to hint humans." He moved his right hand to his left wrist. jis right index fingernsil growing sharp. He sliced his wrist, blood starting to drip out through the break in his skin.

Offering his wrist to Vise, he spoke softly. "Feed of me, my dear, and grow stronger in the feeding. But, know this, once you do. Our bond will be permanent."

Alice stood defiantly watching, perhaps she was trying to cling to her human side if she didn’t feed she wouldn’t become what they wanted her to be.

Vise carefully took her master's outstretched hand and carefully sank her teeth into the open wound. It took every inch of her willpower to not try and drain every last drop of the delicious blood.

David sighed in bliss, feeling Vise feed from him. "Yeessss," he whispered. "Drink, my dear. Grow strong!" He looked over at Alice. "Come, my child, this is your birthright. Feed, and take your place by my side."

Alice stood trying not to give in to the blood fever she could feel in her veins, she was hungry and the sight of blood wasn’t helping. Her thirst won out as she walked willingly to her master, as she knelt before him her vampiric teeth sank into his skin as she started to drink, slowly at first before taking it more strongly feeling her master’s strength course through her as she did so.

David stood there, enjoying the feel of his two newest brides feeding from his own life's blood. Finally, he he stopped them both and staggered back into the large, high back armchair, drained of energy. "Very good, my lovelies, " he said weakly. His face suddenly changed to one of anger. "Countess, I smell a human approaching. A hunter. Please deal with it. I need to rest and regain my strength."

Alice stood and looked towards the Countess, her master’s blood was now coursing through her body making her strong, and with her first ever meal she had become what she was intended to be. “Give me a chance to prove myself Countess.”

Vanessa smiled. "It's time to use deception, Dear Alicia. Go out into the woods. Pretend to be some kind of lost damsel in distress, and when they drop their guards... Feed.. Alice. Feed."

Alice smiled as she licked the last of her master’s blood from her fangs. “Yes mistress.” With that she headed out to do as her mistress had commanded.

" What do you wish of me my mistress." Vise said as she licked the last of the blood from her fangs.

Vanessa grabbed Vise by the head and threw her out the window with superhuman force. "Speak when you're spoken to whelp. I am speaking to my apprentice Alicia... You are a whelp, and will remain so until you prove your worth."

Vise flew through the window shattering the priceless glasswork as she did so before she bounced down two roofs, putting a hole in both of them before landing hard on the spikes surrounding the manner. Letting out a curse she slowly pulled herself off cursing the £$£$% of a countess and her new pet. She'd pay for that.

As her vampiric flesh began to knit closed she headed for the forest to plot.

------------

Commander Vaii suddenly entered dressed as a Vampire Hunter and looked around a road leading to the mansion. She smiled as she loaded her crossbow and checked her staves. "Alright you blood suckers. Time to see if you can tangle with the Commander."

Lia now entered dressed in her Princess attire, the leather bodice and mini skirt held tight against her body by her sword belt. Her sword hung ready and she adjusted her twin tail hair, she blended into the darkness and moved slowly forward to see what she could find.

------------

Miraj was late. The elegent cursive script of Vanessa an Vantar's hand written invitation had indicated 7pm for the start of the game, but she was running late. An evening of delights, spine-chilling and supernatural it had offered. Join me in New England, October 31st, 1784 had made her positively squeal, being so close to the period she knew well. Which was why she was late, having spent time standing around in her stays trying to decide whether her cabin boy costume would be too piratey for what looked like a land game. In the end she had decided it was, but by the time she'd found all of her skirts and bodices for her female outfit, she was late.

So she wasn't that surprised, once she'd put the invitation code into the computer, to find the holodeck opening onto a small hill above a lonely villiage lit by a full moon that seemed just slightly too large. She couldn't see anyone, looked like they'd started without her. The village was dark, and seemed devoid of life. "Hello?" She called out, looking down at the small thatched dwellings clustered around the crossroads. "Its Miraj? Sorry I'm late."

Nothing stirred in the villiage. Away in the distance, a wolf howled an answer. Miraj turned towards it and saw the mansion on the hill on the other side of the villiage, lights flickering. Maybe the party was up there. Nothing for it but to start walking.

Out in the woods, a large being began to silently stalk the new arrival. It moved among the dense growth as silently as the wind, hunger urging it forward. Hunger for human flesh.

Miraj reached the edge of the villiage, and it seemed to be just as deserted up close as it had from the hill. Surely there'd be someone here, even if it was just to direct players. The shadows of the houses seemed thick and dark, and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Spine-chilling was suddenly a more literal description than she'd been expecting. She stopped and looked around, trying to see into the sahdows of the houses ahead, and the woods behind.

From several dozen meters away, the creature stared hungrily at the young woman. Tonight was his first tranformation and he needed to feed. Red eyes gazed between the branches at his prey.

She was imagining things. Miraj couldnt see anyone despite the sensation of being watched. She should just get on to the manor, as that seemed to be only sign of life. Turning away from the words she walked off, heading past the grave yard and its many many graves. The young pilot stopped again. She didnt know much earth history outside of the age of sail, but she was sure new england was actually new place at this moment. Too new for that many graves, surely?

Against her better judgement, curiosity boiling over, she stepped into the churchyard and looked at the closest grave. Sarah Good, 1762-1784. A woman no older than herself, recently dead. She looked at the next, likewise not that old grave. Elizabeth Parris, 1760 - 1783. Miraj catalogued the graves she cold see, all young people, all dead in the last year. "okay, getting creepy," she said to herself. "lets find people."

Walking around the edge of the graveyard was the long tall hat of a hessian grenadier. A soldiers marching song whistling from the old man's lips with a Girandoni air rifle slung over his back. A faint light shone from his unit badge where Snow sensor module lay as the small robot project the hologram below him.

Miraj, absorbed in the gravestones, jumped, letting out a little shriek of surprise. For a moment she said nothing, just waited for her heart to stop pounding at seeing the figure approach. Getting her breathing back under control, she was aout to call out. It was only then she realised that the figure was glowing. Her initial relief died in her throat, and she quickly hid behind a gravestone, hoping the newcomer wouldn't see her.

The figure paused and searched its whistling. " Hella?" it said in a thick German accent. " Who's there? No need to be afraid of old Hans."

Miraj debated answering the glowing figure. Then realised that a) if it was a ghost, it would find her anyway, and b) this person seemed to be the first person, of any sort she'd met and she'd probably get further faster if she trusted. So she stood up. "Hello," she nervously smoothed down her red satin skirt. "I'm Miraj."

" Hella." The figure said in it's strange german speech as it took of it's hat briefly revealing the small robot beneath it before it was replaced. "Otto Snow Schauerte former soldier of his great general George Washington's army. What brings you out on this dark night."

Jessica aimed her mechanical crossbow at the german and fired a hail of bolts at the hessian's heart. She had already used a type of spyglass with mirrors to determine what they were.

The bolt flew straight through the ghostly figure's heart. Slowly it's head crept 180 degrees with a bone-chilling crack. " Who dares...." it spoke it's the voice turning a bone-chilling scream as it's head turned into a flaming skull. " I fought for this country and i am betrayed with treachery and murder."

Miraj had dived for cover when the bolts shot around the old soldier she'd been about to approach. risking a peek out to see the old solider, she was treated to the site of the face peeling back to reveal a burning skull. She gave a little scream, and took off away from whatever battle was about to commence, running off into the dark.

"Treachery and murder?" Jessica noted with her black outfit and her gear. "You are an unholy abomination that I will purge from this new nation."

" You can try." It yelled as it pulled it's own head from it's shoulders and chucked it straight at her.

Warrior Princess Lia had by now scouted out the area, *I think I might be wearing the wrong attire for this* she thought. But finding an arch she now replicated a crossbow and twelve bolts, six wooden ones and six silver. *Right, that should cover the inhabitants of this Rocky Horror show*, the thought made her smile. *No more goody two shoes*, her mind turned on how to eliminate the creatures of this domain.

Jess drew her tomahawk and chopped the pumpkin in half. "Oh was that your head?"

The two sides flew off to one side and exploded in a bright green explosion. The flaming pumpkin returned to the creature's head an evil grin on it's face.

Vise couldn't help but lightly laugh from her hiding spot. Judging by the explosions the hunters had gone and pissed off the local ghost. Who hilariously enough was harmless if left alone.


------

In the woods, the watchful eyes narrowed when they saw the young woman, in the red dress, start to run deeper into the cemetery. Snarling in hunger, the beast's fangs dripping with saliva, it set off after its prey, bursting from the amongst the trees in a blur of fur and muscle.

Running in Period shoes was not fun, Miraj decided as she pounded up the pathway towards the far edge of the churchyard and the path to the manor. She caught a glimpse of something behind her out of the corner of her eye, and looked back to see what was following.

At that moment, the clouds covered the bright, full moon, plunging the area into pitch darkness.

Miraj swore as the moonlight faded away. trying to remember where the tombstones were. She wasn't far from the road now. There were no lights in the villiage, only the soft glow from the manor house to offer a distant goal. Swearing enough to turn the air blue, she turned towards it and ran as best she could, chanting under her breath "too slow, too slow," She found the churchyard gate and shoved it open with a clang.

"Ensign..." a man's voice called out to her in the darkness. It sounded like it was off to her left, near a large mable tomb. The voice sounded pained.

Miraj hesitated. It must be one of the other guests, who else would know her rank, and he sounded hurt. "Who's there?"

"It's me, Commander Reece. Help..." he sounded like he collapsed after speaking.

The young woman relaxed, and picked her way carefully across the graves to the crypt. "Are you injured? Do I need to pull the emergency break?"

Kyle spoke as if he hadn't heard the question. "I arrived a short while ago, and was beset by a beast of some kind. I...I think it bit m-m-meeee...." he started to growl softly.

Suddenly, the clouds started to clear, allowing stray moonbeams to start shining through.

"Rrrrrun!!" Kyle shouted in her face as more moonlight started to bathe him. There were sounds of popping and stretching, as his form started to morph violently from the large man that he was, to a bipedal werewolf, standing nearly ten feet at the shoulder!

The small part of her brain that reminded Miraj it was just a game took a moment to step out as she watched the transformation, the stretching and popping of bone, the distension of limbs into shapes that should not be possible. She screamed and turned without hesitation, running full pelt back to the gate, not daring to look behind her.

Kyle finished his transformation from man to beast in a few seconds. He threw his head back and howled loudly as the full moon came completely out from behind the clouds. He then snapped his muzzle in the direction that Miraj had run, his heightened senses detecting her easily. Snarling hungrily, he leapt off after her. In seconds, he would be upon her.

Miraj ran, thinking desperately. She doubted she could outrun the man, let alone the beast with whatever cheats the holodeck gave him. She needed a weapon. There was one house left in the villiage before it gave way to the lonely road, a small cottage, its garden thick with tall flowers, the many drooping bell like flowers on each stem would have been a delicate blue in daylight, but looked dark under the moon. She crashed through the flowers to try the cottage door.

As the beast neared tge cottage, it caught a whiff of the dangerous blooms that surrounded the small home. He roared in anger as he watched Miraj trying desperately to get inside. Quickly looking left and right, he saw an option. In a blur, he turned and sped away, leaving the young woman alone on the doorstep of the cottage.

Miraj slumped against the door for a moment, breathing hard, confused at why the monster hadn't jumped her the moment she paused for the door. then she pulled herself together and dried the door, it gave a a fraction, and then stuck. The young hybrid put her shoulder to it and shoved once, twice. It gave on the second attempt and she nearly tripped across the threshold.

The little cottage had dried bundles of the blue flowers hanging from the ceiling, and a thin layer of dust across everything, having been abandoned for some time. The fire was a dead pile of ash, and only thin light from the dirty room let her see anything. but there was a lantarn on the table, and it only took a moment to strike a light. A cursory search revealed a short kitchen knife of blackened steel, and she slipped that into her pocket, and then she looked around for anything else useful. At the foot of the lone bed squatted a chest of dark wood. it wasn't locked, and opening it revealed a treasure trove. Flintlock pistols, and a musket, a powder horn and a bag of shot.

She tipped the shot out into her palm. The balls were not simple lead, they looked a lot lighter and reflected the light dully. Why would anyone make bullets out of silver? There was a bayonet in the bottom of the chest. It too seemed far shinier than simple steel should be. Silver again. Stupid. Silver was too soft to be any good. it was booty, not a weapon. But it was all she had. She started to load the guns.

A howl was heard close-by followed by an odd scraping sound. Then quiet.

Miraj stopped loading the musket at the howl and the scraping, then she finished jamming the ball down the barrel and pulled the ramrod back out. There were no holsters for the pistols, so one went into her pockets, whilst she took the other in hand. She swung the musket over her sholder, and picked up its plug bayonet in the other hand. Then she opened the door to the cottage and looked out.

She was all alone. The beast was nowhere in sight. Over head, several bats could be heard fluttering about.

Gripping the pistol firmly, Miraj headed back through the garden, looking for the monster, but couldn't see anything. Maybe it had gone in search of the fight at the other end of the graveyard. with one last cast around for trouble, she started running for the manor.

As she ran, something breezed past her and, suddenly, a large tree fell directly in her path.

"Shit!" Miraj squealed, she jumped back, but it wasn't enough to stop her being knocked to the ground by the branches.

As soon as the first tree had settled, a second one fell across the road, directly behind the woman in the red dress. Now, with the massive trunks and full branches, the only path of escape led deeper into the woods.

Miraj rolled to her feet and swore. She tried to climb one of the trunks, but it was impossible to get a decent motion in the skirts. "Should have been Roger." she muttered. looking into the forest. She wouldn't have to go in far, just enough to get round the root ball on one side, or scramble through the stream that the top branches now dipped into. Cold and wet and slow but good visibility, or into the trees, dark, dry, and quick.

She hurried down to the root end, silver bayonet and pistol held tightly

A large mass rushed past in a blur of fur, shoving her to her left, ripping the musket from her back. Then, as quickly as she was assaulted, the beast was gone again.

Miraj rubbed her shoulder, where the strap on the musket had been wrenched away, tearing the bodice on her gown so it hung open. The tree had left a deep divot where it had been ripped out by the roots, and she had to go around, running as fast as she dared in the dappled moonlight of the forests edge. This thing was fast. And in the almost complete darkness of the forest, she had no idea where it was.

A few more paces and something knocked into her again, this time slashing at her hand that held the pistol. The weapon disappeared in the darkness, as did the creature, again. Then, another tree fell in her path, forcing her to chose to stand and fight or head into the forest.

The pistol went off as it was knocked from her hand. The shot was loud in the silent night, and a cloud of roosting birds took to the sky in a panicked cacophony of squawking and beating wing. Her hand was tingling from the blow, and she could see fake holodeck blood running down her arm.

She wiped her palm on her skirt, looking around. the newly fallen tree had let more light through the canopy. She stood in a ring of moonlight, heart pounding, breathing hard. She kept the silver bayonet held out, hoping to get a lucky strike in the next time the beast sprang.

The beast leapt up on the nearest felled tree and stared at Miraj with an angry look of hunger in its eyes. Drool dripped from its fangs as it snarled at her. It dug its claws into the tree it was standing on.

"Blow me down." Miraj muttered. The beast was huge. well past two meters and built like the proverbial. If she tried to flee, she'd be run down, but there was no way she going to be able to take it in a fight. Not unless she got it in the heart first time. Where was a woodsman with an axe when you needed it. Grandma, what enormous limbs you have.

Miraj's brain stuttered. Yes. It was absolutely huge, and she... wasn't. She darted towards the fallen tree, and scrabbled in amongst the branches where it couldn't follow easily.

The beast reacted immediately, roaring and gnashing his huge teeth. He leapt to the tree that Miraj was trying to scurry underneath. Which huge swipes of his razor-sharp talons, he started to take the branches apart, constantly smelling and hearing where his prey was moving to. He also smelled the dangerous item in her hands still. He didn't know what it was, but he knew, instinctively, that it was dangerous to him. The smell reeked of it.

The branches pulled and tore at her, but Miraj pressed through. The thing had taken the bait, and was trying to pull through behind her. She broke through the crown, and out on to the road, and turned, bayonet raised, ready to strike when the beast reached through to grab her.

After a few feet the beast stopped his pursuit and vanished. However, while the woman stood there, she had no idea that she was being watched by another set of eyes.

A sudden crashing sound came from her right, as an even larger beast, this one almost ten feet tall, and extremely powerfully built, leapt from rhe woods and landed just out of her reach. Its jaw was open, saliva and blood dripping from its fangs.

Miraj froze. The one wolf man was bad, but this was worse. She gripped her bayonet. The best she could hope for now was giving it indigestion.

As the beast moved towards it's next meal, the first beast suddenly appeared, leaping into the mix, putting itself between tge woman and the larger beast. Growling and snarling, it tried to warm away his opponent away.

Miraj wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. She bolted up the road, heading for the manor house, hoping the two beasts would be too busy fighting to notice.

Vise who had been watching closely followed the woman towards the manor house waiting for a chance to pounch.

As soon as Miraj broke and ran, the bigger beast lurched after her, tripping her up. But before it could press its advantage, the original one launched itself at his torso, knocking it away. The beast then moved back into a protective stance over the woman, casting glances back at her, as if to see that she was okay.

Miraj hit the ground with a grunt, the silver bayonet skittering away. She shut her eyes, expecting a a sharp and sudden game-over, when it didn't come, she looked up, to see the shaggy legs above her. Okay, okay, okay. This was new. She pushed herself backwards on her hands and knees until the first wolf-beast was squarely between her and the really big one, then realised that she'd left the bayonet behind.

Now disarmed, she started to back away slowly, hoping the two beasts would take each other out before they noticed she was gone.

The larger beast roared at the smaller, but he didn't budge from his place of guarding the woman. His ears told him that she was crawling away. Why was she trying to get away from him? All he wanted to do was protect her. The foul smelling metal was dangerous to her too, wasn't it?

Seeing the tiny prey scurrying off, the larger beast roared again and charged, swatting the pup away. It reached the woman quickly and scooped her up by her ankles, holding her aloft, upside down.

For a moment, Miraj was running, then the ground rushed at her, and slammed into her head. Stars erupted across her vision, and as the stars faded away to darkness, she wondered what had happened to the safeties?

Holding it closer, the beast sniffed her, its mouth begining to drip with saliva. She didn't respond, just hung limply, eyelids fluttering. Then it licked a long swipe of its tongue from her forehead to throat, wiping up the dropletts of blood from where she had smacked her head into the ground.

Suddenly, the smaller beast leapt upon the bigger one's back, gouging deep ribbons in the flesh of the larger one with his fangs and razer-sharp claws.

Dropping the tiny prey, the wounded beast howled in pain and anger. It tried to swat it attacker away, but wasnt fast enough. It smelled the dangerous metal a beat too late.

The smaller beast, having collected the dropped silver bayonet, using a strip of cloth from the shredded out fit it was wearing, drove the item deep into the spine of its foe, right between the shoulder blades, killing it instantly. Seconds later the victor stood over the body of an old man, the bayonet sticking out of his back.

Breathing heavily, the beast turned to see the woman in red, unconscious on the ground. After carefully sniffing her, he gently scooped her up and carried her off into the forest.

=a short time later=

Miraj came back to full consciousness, sore and confused. What was it with this ship and the holodeck safeties. She looked around the earthen cave, which was dry and if not warm, then not chill either. Her dress was torn at the shoulder seam, and she repinned the bodice as best she could as she looked around, and she was halfway through trying to straighten one of the bent pins when she realised the thick shadow on the farside of the cave wasn't the warped shadow of a rock, but a hunched figure watching her.

There wasn't enough light to see more than an outline, and she couldn't tell much. The figure was crouched, so she couldn't guess at how big it was really, or even what species it was. "hello?"

There was a soft, non-threatening growl in reply, as the amorphic shape moved slowly towards her a few paces. It was the smaller of the two beasts! Unlike before, however, his teeth weren't bared and he seemed almost...enthralled by her. He kept tilting his head from one side to the other, his ears floppibg as he did so. He sniffed the air between them a few times and seened to be trying not to scare her.

Miraj got to her feet carefully, trying to decide if the wolf thing was another party guest or a creation of the holodeck. "Are you here to see Countess Vanessa? Or are you an NPC?" She asked.

The beast limped forward a little closer. It was clearly evident that he was injured. He whimpered like an injured dog as he presented his left flank to her, showing off the nasty gash he had there.

"Okay, NPC." Miraj looked at the wound. "I know nothing about first aid, but that looks like it needs to be sewn up. And I have nothing to sew with. Or wash it." She pulled up the now ragged hems of her satin gown to get at the linen petticoat underneath and folded it neatly into a dressing. She tore of a wide strip with practiced hands. "Hold that there." She pressed the cloth against the gash.

The beast growled at first, as the pain was stinging. Then, after he calmed down some, he actually turned his muzzle towards her and licked her face gently.

Miraj pulled away with a laugh. "eww, no, dog slober, no." She wiped her face off with the edge of her petticoat and then rearranged her skirts to something more decent. "Alright. We're going to get you some help. And find the rest of the party because old hobb knows I need a drink." She held out a hand. "Coming?"

The beast looked at the young woman, almost looking through her, to be more accurate, his stare was so intense. Then, he started to growl and whimper. The sounds of bones popping and ligaments snapping could be heard as he started to shrink down and revert back.

In seconds, the beast was gone. In its place, Captain Kyle Reece had returned, his skin was shiny, from the morphing process. Down on all fours, his broad, well muscled back was a sight to see, as were the old battlescars he had recieved during the last ten years of service.

Looking up, he tried to slow his breathing. That's when he saw Miraj there, staring at him, quite pink from forehead to decolletage. "Ensign," he said between breaths. "This is weird. Did I...Did I lick your face?" He slowly stood up, facing her fully, only to realize, when he felt a breeze, that he was completely naked. Quickly covering his manhood, as best he could, with jis hands, he blush, almost as red as her dress, and asked, "Okay, next question, have you seen my pants?"

She covered her eyes as soon as she realised, he was naked. "Captain Reece?" She resisted the urge to peek. "Uh no. no I don't. Shouldn't you know where they are?"

"If I did, I wouldn't have asked!" He looked around the cave for something, anything, to cover himself with. "Ah HA!" He exclaimed as he spied what looked like a pime of clothes. Moving over to the pile he dug in. It all smelled horrible, but, it was all part of the game, right? Realism and whatnot? Finally, he found a pair of shredded pants that, once on and pulled up, looked more like tattered capre pants on his long legs. He also found a stained, billowy white men's shirt, the string used to tie the front closed long since gone. Unfortunately, there were no shoes or boots present. "Well, at least I'm presentable now. Sorry about that, Ensign...Miraj, right?"

"Yes, sir." She wasn't going to comment if someone wanted to get naked in the holodeck. She knew people got up to all manner of shennanigans. She just hadn't expected them in mixed company, and she wasn't going to risk a write up for saying anything untowards.

-------

Meanwhile out in another area of the forest Alice settled into her damsel in distress ruse, wearing a very alluring dress that left nothing to the imagination. She had torn it in places to look as though she had stumbling through the forest, she’d even rolled in the dirt to make it look good. Now she wandered along acting lost and afraid in the dark.

A few moments later, a hunter approached from the distant forest, a cleaned buck tied to the rear of his horse. He stopped when he saw the poor young woman on the side of the road. While he was a good Christian man, he couldn't help but look at the bits of exposed flesh amid the tattered and filthy dress.

He quickly dismounted and pulled a blanket from one of his saddlebags. "My good woman," he asked as he knelt beside her, carefully wrapping her in the blanket. He then gently lifted her up, cradling her against him. Her head rested against his shoulder. "Don't worry, my dear, you'll be safe at my home. Then, when you are ready, you'll tell Gunther who did this to you. I swear they will pay for this sin!"

Alice could have had her fill of blood there and then, but something about this man intrigued her. With her master’s blood flowing through her veins she had time before she needed to feed so she simply played along. “Thank you” From the sounds of it she would have two to make a meal of.

Gunther shushed her quietly. Taking the reins of his hourse, the trio moved along the rough hewn road. Thankfully, his cabin was not far. So, he carried the young woman easily in his strong arms, while he walked his horse along beside them.

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the small cabin. As Gunther lived alone, it was completely dark inside. After hitching his horse to the banister on his small front porch, Gunther carefully carried the young woman inside. "You are ice cold, my dear! Don't worry, once I put you in my bed and give you a few fur blankets, ill start a fire and get some dinner going. I'm sure you need to eat. It'll help get your strength back up."

Good to his word, Gunther gently laid the woman down in his bed, added more layers of covers to her frozen form, and moved back to the other side of the room and started to get a fire going.

Alice watched curiously, she liked this man and if she played her hand properly she could make him hers for all time. She purposely made herself more appealing by playing the helpless stranded woman. She smiled sweetly as she watched him.

After a few moments, Gunther had a nice sized fire blazing in his hearth. Standing, he took a moment to enjoy the warmth, rubbing his hands together to free them of the cold outside. Finally, he turned to see the woman smiling at him. It made him catch his breath. Surely only an angel could smile like that. "My dear woman," he asked as he took a careful step forward. He didn't want to spook her or make her uncomfortable. "How are you feeling? Are you warming up? If...if you wish, I might have a few of my old sleep shirts that you could change into. I imagine that torn dress is very uncomfortable."

Alice nodded. “That’s very kind of you Sir, thank you.” She lowered the cover and tantalisingly removed her dress before bashfully recovering herself with the covers to await his shirt.

Blushing, he quickly averted his eyes. He had heard talk of how beautiful a woman was, under her clothing, but, he had never been lucky enough to see for himself. He was just a poor hunter. None of the women ever gave him a second look. They all went for the farmers and politicians. The only land he had, was the quarter acre his small home was built upon. Certainly, this beautiful woman would not be interested in him. After he fed her, she'd probably run out, after he fell asleep in his chair, and he'd never see her again.

"F-forgive me," he stammered, his six foot, seven inch tall, nearly three hundred pounds of pure muscle made him seem like a simple giant. And, in truth, it was a fair description. He had never gone to school, simply lived off the land with his father, after his mother had died of the plague. The two were never in one place long enough for Gunther to attend any book learning. His classroom, however, was the world. The forest was his home and he knew ever inch of it.

Moving to the single chest in the home, he pulled open the heavy lid and rummaged about, finally finding a new, never worn night shirt. He was saving it for when the one he currently used became too threadbare but, his guest, the angel, needed it more.

Stepping sideways over to the bed, he handed the clean linen garment over blindly, as he kept his eyes turned away, out of respect.

Alice noticed the shy glances as she took the shirt she put it on but left it unbuttoned. “Gunter, look at me” She moved to face him so he could get a good view. “You were kind enough to save me. Don’t be afraid to enjoy me.” She took his hand and guided it under the shirt, letting him freely explore.

Gunther slowly looked back at the beautiful angel in his bed. Hearing her say his name in his native Germanic, as oppsed to how the Americans added an h after the t, made him feel even more that she must be an angel sent from on high. Slowly, his fingers lightly touched her soft skin, which seemed to warm with the contact. It was...it was...he suddenly realized that he had no words to properly describe it. Wait, he did have one.

Miraculous.

"I...I've never...been with a woman before," he said, blushing again at the admission of his worthlessness.

Alice moved in closer kissing him gently. “Then let me be your first” Alice helped him out of his clothes, taking time to enjoy touching and kissing his skin. She helped him out of his trousers smiling as reached his briefs, which she lowered as well. “You are gifted Gunter, come...” She gently pulled him down onto the bed encouraging him to be with her. “Take me...don’t be afraid.”

Slowly, the big man climbed into bed atop the much smaller woman. He felt her hook her heels behind hisknees and pull him closer. Bracing his weight with his arms, which were planted at either side of her head, Gunther let nature take over and slowly started to slide his engorged manhood inside her most tender of areas. "I...I'm not hurting you, am I?" He asked as he continued to slide his entire length inside of her. It actually amazed him that she could, seeing as how small and delicate she seemed.

Alice shook her head. “No...you’re not hurting me” She ran her fingers over his skin, every moment they were making love was a moment more she wanted him for herself. She encouraged him in his love making, waiting for the climatic moment to sink her fangs into his neck and make him hers forever.

And, as this was his first time ever, that climax arrived quickly. Feeling a new pressure inside of his groin, Gunther grew very stiff and grunted loudly as he explodes for the only time in his life. His mind went blank as the new feeling of euphoria waahed over his entire body. His blood was pumping so fast, his jugulars were bulging on both sides of his thick neck.

Alice held onto Gunter, her own climax followed his and as it hit its peak her fangs dug deeply into his neck. She used her enhanced strength to keep hold of him as she drank, as his strength started to ebb she pulled him down onto the bed feeding until he was teetering on the edge of death. She leant back wiping her mouth as she looked at him. “I want you to be mine, this is but a beginning we will be together...forever!” With that she sank her fangs back into him taking the last of the blood from his body.

Gunther grunted in suprise when he felt the angel bite his neck. The pain was indescribable! Then he started to feel his strength quickly drain away. His angel seemed much stronger than she looked as well! It suddenly dawned on him that though she may be an angel, she did not come from God. She was an angel of Death!

Alice eventually released her grip, gently letting Gunter’s body lay on the bed. She cleaned herself up, also wiping his wounds clean before laying naked cuddled up with his body to await his rebirth as a new child of the night.

The change took about ten minutes. Slowly, his body changed from something made in his former deity's image, to one straight from the bowels of Hades. His breathing slowed more and more, as his heart slowed down, due to a lack of blood. Finally, it stopped and Gunther, the kind, naive hunter, was gone forever. In his place, was Gunter, the newest member of the unholy family of vampires.

A deep growl started to vibrate in his massive chest. While his eyes were still closed, he bared his teeth, showing new fangs, on both top and bottom jaws.

Suddenly, his eyes popped open and he exhaled. He slowly rook in his surroundings, seeing that he was completely nude. Then he saw her. Turning his face towards the beautiful woman, he growled a hungry sound. "Who are you?"

Alice sat looking at the strong vampire before her. “Don’t you remember me? You were making love to me a few minutes ago, before I created you.” She ran her fingers over his naked chest. “I was your first woman.”

Giving the woman a hungry sneer, his eyes moved over her perfect body. "Oh, I definilty remember all of that, my lovely. What I have yet to know, is your name." He lashed out with lighting speed and grabbed the woman's lower jaw, pulling her closer to him. "It's something I should know, don't you think, if we are going to spend eternity together?"

Alice smiled. “My name is Alice” her fingers dragged down his back, not hard enough to harm him just enough for her enjoyment. “I will bring you as much pleasure as you desire.”

Gunter smiled a predatory grin. "What I desire most of all right now, is food. I am starving!" His eyes flicked to see Alice's veins popping out under her flesh. Without warning, he latched on to her neck and started to feed.

Alice hadn't foreseen this, her defences kicked in as her teeth bared as she tried to fight off Gunter. Her strength was draining as fast as the blood he was taking, was he planning to kill her? “Stop!!”

Gunter did as commanded. Sitting up, he licked the blood from his fangs. It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. Taking a moment, he seemed to realize something. Looking back down at Alice, his features softened. "Tonight is your first time as well. It seems we are more alike than not." He took a bit of sheet and gently cleaned her new bite marks. "We must feed, together. Make Lord David proud." He reached down and gently pulled Alice up into his lap, holding her upright easily. "Once you regain your strength, we will hunt."

Alice nodded. “Yes, we will hunt together and make our master proud!” She retreat her head against his chest. The blood he’d taken had weakened her some but she would soon regain her strength. “We need to make our master’s army strong to survive against the vampire hunters. I will lure more, when they stop to help me we can take them together.”

"I know where we can get plenty of food for the Master," Gunter replied, caressing Alice as she laid against him. "I will do anything for you, my Mistress."

Alice smiled. “And I for you, you are my first and I will always be at your side.” She cuddled for a while longer simply enjoying their embrace, she had someone to spend her eternity with now.

For awhile, they stayed there, holding one another. Then, the door leading out of the small cabin flew open and after a few seconds, David and Vanessa stepped inside. "Well now, my dear Countess, it seems that my child has succeeded where yours did not." He looked over at his disciple and smiled softly. "Little Alice has done well for herself. Such a large brute.

Gunter was instantly on the defensive, moving Alice behind him protectively. "She is my Mistress, and none shall harm her while..." he suddenly stopped speaking when David stared at him with eyes that glowed hitter than the fire.

"No one gave you permission to speak, dog!" David moved dangerously closer, his stare seeming to cause Gunter physical pain as he dropped to his knees.

Alice moved to protect her new found love. “Master, don’t hurt him!” She stood alongside Gunter risking everything by facing off against her own master. “You wanted me to make you proud master! Have I not done so!?”

David considered both Alice's words, and her actions, for several beats. Finally, he released his hold on the brute, allowing him collapse to the floor. "You are correct, my dear. I am proud of you. You showed initiative. Not only have you fed, but you have also turned your first victim." Looking over the recovering brute, he asked, "What is his name?"

Alice looked at her protective mate, “His name is Gunter.” She smiled proudly as she motioned to Gunter to rise and stand with her. “If you will allow us master, we will hunt together, with Gunter at my side I will make you many more strong, and loyal vampires.”

Finally feeling stronger, Gunter slowly climbed back to jis feet, careful not to upset hie mistress's master. "Apologies, my lord. I knew not who you were. I was only protecting my mistress."

David considered the big man for a moment. Then, he nodded his forgiveness. "Yes, Alice, that is, in fact wjat I was going to instruct you to do. I must return to the old country, watch over the High Lord's land until he awakes and leads us into the future. You two, will stay here, working for the Countess Vanessa, bringing this new world under our control." He looked back at Gunter. "Know this, Gunter. If you mistress is every killed, by anyone, or anything, you will wish she killed you instead of turning you."

"Yes, My lord." Gunter bowed respectfully again.

David nodded. "Good. Now, the sun will be up in a few hours. I suggest you two figure out your new sleeping arrangements." He then turned and led the Countess back out. "Come, my dear. Let us go and find some nourishment before the dawn."

"Indeed." Vanessa noted.

Alice looked towards Gunter. “Come, let us find somewhere safe we can spend the daylight hours, then we’ll find you a filling meal.”

Now that he was certain that his mistress was safe, Gunter turned towards Alice and nodded. Yes, mistress. Perhaps, after, I can pleasure you again?"

“You don’t have to call me mistress, my name is Alice” She smiled as she looked at Gunter. “And yes, I would like that very much!”

Gunter smiled softly. "Then lets find a place to safely rest, Alice, for I hunger for you still."

Alice smiled the biggest smile yet, “As I hunger for you” She motioned them onwards. “There is an old cave system at the far edge of the woodland, it should provide us ample safe shelter for tonight.”

Gunter nodded as he reached out and pulled Alice to him. "I know it well. I've hunted in that area for years." He grunted softly, then said, "I must feed...I hunger badly..." he then looked up into Alice's face. "I know of a farm house along the way. Plenty to eat there!"

Alice nodded. “Then let us go feed my love, then we will have all the energy we need to sustain us.”

The big man nodded, then started to morph, not into a bat, but a monstrous demon beast, covered in fur, with a short snout and long, powerful limbs. He screeched, a deafening sound in the small cabin. He then turned and leapt through the front windowand out onto the porch.

Alice followed her newfound love, her vampiric strength and agility making easy work of keeping up with him. “We must be cautious, there are hunters in these woods at night. Though taking one as a meal would be a treat. Let’s find that farmhouse, lead me to it.”

He growled in reply, then leapt into the trees. In moments, they reached the perimeter of the farm and Gunter halted, sniffing the air and snarling hungrily.

Alice looked towards her mate. “I’ll play the lost and lonely female again, as soon as they open the door we feed!!” She moved into the brush of the forest tearing at her dress making herself look well and truly in distress as she banged on the door for help.

Gunter watched his love move closer to the farmhouse. He could smell the sweet flesh inside, just waiting to be culled and feed upon. Soon, his hunger would be sated.

Banging on the door pleading for help Alice smiled as the door opened, no sooner had it done so then she took her chance there and then forcing her way inside, leaving the door open for Gunter to follow.

As soon as Alice was inside, Gunther was speeding to the door. As he reached the doorwau, he morphed back into his human form. Then, he stepped inside, seeing Alice feeding on the farmer. His wife was crawling on the floor, trying to get away. She saw Gunter and hope started to fill her eyes, knowing he was a hunter. He had killed a bear the summer before, that had mauled their eldest son.

"Gunther! Gunther!" She pleaded, grabbing at his pant leg. "Help us, please! A monster.." she didn't finish speaking because, in a flash of inhuman speed and strength, Gunter had reached dowm, grabbed her by the throat and lifted her up so high, her feet weren't touching the floorboards.

"That, monster, as you called her," Gunter snarled, exposing his growing fangs. "Is my bride." He then sank his fsngs into her neck, draining her small form quickly. When he was done, he dtopped the empty husk and turned his eyes upwards. He could hear and smell the three children up in the small loft above his head.

"Oh, children?" He said in a sicklysweet voice. "Come down and join your parents!" He leapt up, crashing through the floor above and snatched them all up, breaking their legs to keep them from running away. He then dispatched the two younger ones quickly, leaving the eldest, the one who had survived the bear attack, for his beloved Alice to enjoy.

Alice appeared to join her love, the sight of dead children made her pause before she looked at the boy waiting to be hers. Children were her one weakness and it was visible to see. She frowned before looking at Gunter, then with a swift mercy she took the boys life resting him gently on the floor afterwards. “Are you satiated my love? Let’s get out of here.”

Gunter was in a state of euphoria. The first feeding was always the sweetest. Finally, he looked down at Alice and grinned. "Oh yes, my sweet. I am ready to consume you now. But, let us get to the caves first. Dawn is nigh."

Alice nodded. “We must go...quickly!” The dawn was already threatening to begin the haze on the far horizon was looming.

-------

"This sounds interesting." S'hib snorted as he read the LCARs panel outside the holodeck, squinting at the screen from a sidelong glance, reading the description out of one of the simple holes cut into the vast white sheet that had been dropped over his body.

"Hmm..." He mused, leaning to his right to look inside the holodeck, spotting a small village off in the distance beneath a heavy and dark sky.

"Computer... given my current appearance, could you cross-reference it and this simulation with the federation database on any and all paranormal or folktales, I'm going to need you to superimpose a hologram over me."

"There are twelve thousand three hundred and ninety-two possible matches for the specified parameters." Chirped back the computer after a brief moment.

"Ugh... and what of those matches, umm..." S'hib frowned, scratching his chin from within his sheet. "Which of those include Equine themes, horses... from Earth."

"one hundred and twenty three matches have been found with the given parameters."

"Be here all day..." He muttered quietly, "Ugh, Computer pick one and I'll just roll with it." S'hib added as he clicked inside the holodeck, turning to watch the doors close behind him.

Then in a blink of an eye, he was a disembodied horse skull, floating inside an ethereal cloak of mist and fog, his body was almost entirely absent, the bones shifting in and out of existence before entirely vanishing below the ribs.

"Let's go find everyone..." He smiled, as he broke out into a quick canter, his hooves inaudible as his ghostly visage shimmered down the hill in a trail of mist.

Suddenly a preacher stepped out in the road, holding a large crucifix and splashing holy water on the demon as it approached. "BACK, FOUL DEMON!! YOU SHALL NOT ENTER THIS VILLAGE WHILE I AM HERE TO PROTECT IT!! IN THE NAME OF GOD ALMIGHTY, I BANISH YOU BACK TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL FROM WHICH THEE CAME!!!"

Empty dark sockets stared at the man with as much contempt as his featureless expression would allow, watching him frantically hurling water through his mostly translucent form and onto the dirt behind. "Demon?" S'hib asked out loud, his voice a murky wet chitter that howled down the path, rolling over the preacher with an unnatural chill.

"No... no no," He added as he silently approached the preacher, his terrifying form becoming more clear. "I'm afraid I'm something your god cannot help you with..."

Though scared by what he saw approaching him, the preacher held firm his ground. His duty was to protect his flock, even if it meant his life. He began reciting scripture, passages he had been instructed would banish all demons from where he was. "IN THE NAME OF GOD ALMIGHTY, I BANISH YOU FROM THIS LAND!!

S'hib exhaled with a shake of his skull. "Red sands..." He muttered quietly before lurching forward, grabbing the man on either side of his head, pinning him in place. "I really must ask that you be quiet," He neighed, a ghostly shriek that hung to the wind while his ghostly fingers slipped inside the preacher's skull, prying out his very soul. "Whether you want to or not."

It was a fate unbefitting for a man of God, to watch his own soul being dragged out of him in silent horror, leaving it thrashing wildly in the hands of its captor as the now lifeless body buckled at the knees and slumped over.

"Actually though, what you could do... is let everyone know I'm here, just... not while I'm around, and not so... IN THE NAME OF GOD..." He mocked, looking down between the horrified soul and his awkwardly slumped body.

"Don't worry, I'm sure this will make an excellent journal entry..." S'hib grinned behind his lifeless bone mask before letting go of the man's soul, feeling it slip out of his fingers and back into the preacher's body with a heavy gust of wind that barely masked his sudden gasp of air as life rushed back into him.

"Most impressive." Said a voice from the treeline as a pair of red eyes lit up.

He turned to face whoever had spoken, dark and empty sockets meeting a pair of red eyes with all the vague emptiness of an expressionless skull, though the rest of his ethereal vasage and slight tilt of his head conveyed the curiosity that he had. "Not the word I would use, but I suppose it's in keeping with the theme..." S'hib mused out loud.

The preacher, back in the land of the living, did not waste any time. "You shall not possess my soul, demon!" He pulled out his dagger and recuted a quick pray of contrition. He then slit his own throat, to keep his soul from being pulled from his body again. Gurgling loudly, he dropped to his knees, as his life blood gushed out of the self-inflicted wound.

In seconds, he was dead, leaving the two demons alobe in that stretch of woods.

" Well, that was anti-climatic." Vise said as she stepped out of the wood in her vampire attire. " Who are you stranger and what brings you upon this dark path this fine evening."

Vanessa simply walked up to the preacher. "Ohh... pity... I really wanted to drain him. Nothing like a holy man to REALLY satisfy the accident. You two can have him, I only feed on the living." The Countess walked away. "Oh and Vise... make sure there's no more holy men here. Your survival tonight depends on it.”

Vise gritted her teeth resisting the urge to spit at her for her betrayal. " Yes, my mistress. It will be done" she managed to muster out.

"I'm simply visiting, I believe a friend of mine is here..." The ghostly skull mused at it looked down at the Preacher, the blank expressionless gape hiding the intense frown underneath.

" Does this friend have a name?" the vampiress inquired as a faint explosion echoed in the distance. " Sorry the foolish hunters have annoyed the local ghost. " she explained

"Her name is Miraj..." S'hib said softly, his skull unmoving despite the words dripping out of his mouth. "And her blood is not for drinking..." He snapped, his skull twisting unnaturally with the grinding of old bones to suddenly face Vise.

" I shall leave your friend's blood alone. The other vampires on the other hand....."Vise said slyly.

The wind picked up as Vise finished speaking, followed by the sudden and violent appearance of S'hibs ghostly skull in her face, the once vacant black sockets spewing the same murky mist that enthralled his skeletal form.

"Then it sounds like you best warn them..." S'hib growled, as his form inflated to tower over the vampire, forcing her to awkwardly look skyward just to face him as his form arched over her.

Impressive Vise thought to herself though a snarl spread over her lips. " Do I look like some dog to be command creature? If your friend is wandering these lands I would start with hunters. If the ghost hasn't finished them off."

The explosion... he would have to hurry S'hib thought as his form shrank back down into something far more docile. "I'll leave you be then..." He spoke before moving off, his ghostly form quickly disappearing from view, blending in with the misty night air.

Vise felt a sense of relif as the creature vanished and disappeared into the fog. Slowly backing a way she began to move when she hit the trees. She had holy people to hunt.


***Elsewhere***

"While I have certainly seen some detailed programs," Kyle said to Miraj as they made their way through the dark woods. "This one takes the cake. As soon as I entered the holodeck, I was set upon by a beast of somekind, it looked like a wolf. Anyway, it bit me, and then ran away. I tried calling for the exit, but got nothing, tried using my commbadge, same thing. And that's when you can along. I tried to talk to you, tell you to run for help, but, the program took over. I kept trying to reach you, but you seemed terrified of me. What did you see, when you saw me?"

"A bloody great slavering beast that looked like a giant man-shaped dog. With fangs, and claws and everything. And a tail. You were like massive. three meters tall and built like a brick outhouse. There was drool. Like lots of drool." Miraj stopped to bunch up all her skirts so she could climb over a fallen log. "What is wrong with the holodecks on this ship? They're always bloody going wrong."

"I was a werewolf?" Kyle asked incredulously. Then, after thinking about it, he nodded. "Well, that would fit. A wolf-like creature did bite me. Myth states that is how one becomes a werewolf, by being bitten by one. But, that still doesn't explain either why you didn't see or hear the real me, or, why my clothes vanished." He blushed a little. "Let's not spread that bit around, please?"

"No, sir." Miraj promised. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Thank you," Kyle said with a sigh. "So," he started fresh. "How long have you been on Ely?"

"A couple of months." Miraj said. "But I can't say its ever got this weird."

Kyle chuckled. "Trust me, it has, and more. We had the Q descend upon us once, apparently we were carrying a weapon that could kill them, which was hidden away in some archeological dig findings that we were transporting." He shook his head slowly, remembering the event like it was yesterday. "Needless to say, we all were tortured nonstop. I was actually killed and brought back to life thirty-seven times. So, a little holodeck bug, doesn't even scratch the surface of this ship and weird."

Miraj looked at him, open mouthed and wide eyed at the revelations. "Wow." she murmured. Then she tilted her head, her next sentance lost as a sound came to here ears. "Can you hear screaming?"

Kyle looked around, trying to locate the source of the screaming. "Yeah, but....all these damn trees are making it hard to locate it."

Miraj tried to center herself the way she'd do if she was on a ship, but it wasn't the same. Then she realised there was a small trail through the brush, leading off to where the darkness wasn't quite as dark. "This way." She started moveing along the trail as quickly as she dared without breaking an ankle, and soon they were back on the road between the manor and the village.

---------------------------------------------------
Lia had been tracking something, but exactly what she didn't know. Then what ever it was seemed to just disappear, and all she saw was a bat. *Bollocks!! This is starting to piss me off* She thought.

David knew he was being hunted. And whomever it was was exceedingly good. He had had to morph into a bat just so he could regroup and turn the tables. That was when he saw her. A warrior princess of some kind. And a very attractive one as well. He was certainly intrigued, however, he saw that she was armed to kill both his kind and his servants, the wolves. He would certainly have to tread lightly to claim this beauty as his next bride.

Slowly, he flew back to the ground and changed into fog, slowly creeping across the forest floor, drifting towards his prey.

Having lost her contact, Lia now looked around to see what could be out of place. As if out of place around here would stick out, but something did catch her eye. *No wind and that mist is moving towards me, ok time to see what we got here*, she decided. Taking one of her stakes she threw it on the ground, and sprinkled ginger around it. The stake was about 20 inches long, but the unusual thing was the six rose thorns imbedded around the tip.

This came from a place called Edessia, and the thorns were in memory of the six children taken from the city by vampires. The ginger served to remind a vampire just where the hunter can from, Lia knew all about Edessia but never told anyone why. Keeping her eye on the swirling mist she slowly backed up and loaded her crossbow, "Stand your ground creature of the undead". The challenge had been given, would this undead being respond?

David did in fact recognize the symbolism. He had been a young vampire then, having only been turned a few years prior. Both he and the Master had decended upon the town, looking for both food and new vampires to bring into the fold. He had actually turned his first bride that night.

Realizing he'd have to hurry, in case this woman had more tricks, he called up a wind, and forced himself down into her lungs as he blew over her. Once inside, he immediately started to scratch her lungs, absorbing the blood that came forth, infecting her at the same time.

As the creature entered her body, Lia now resorted to some old fashion defense. She now bit down on a small but strong garlic bulb, and swallowed both holy water and sacrimental wine. But then she also resorted to another attack, she ate a Sake infused Ornigiri. But this wasn't a simple Onigiri, it had been made in Hakone-Yomoto at a Shinto shrine by Shrine maidens. It had ingredients unheard of and unused by Western culture, as such when they attacked the nebulus being inside her it had no response.

The twin attacks forced the now wounded creature from her body, and then forced the poison of it's attack out of her system and thus curing her. She watched as the creature took form on the floor in front of her, "Your body is breaking down vampire, you can't stop it and you will die slowly". She now pointed the crossbow at him, "Face me and I will end it quickly for you". She placed a small part of the Origiri on the floor in front of the vampire, "This innocent looking food was specially prepared by Shrine maidens to combat and kill things like you, it seems the Japanese know much more about your kind than we Westerners".

Taking aim, Lia waited to see just what the being would now do. It couldn't attack her as the poison it had taken in while inside her had permeated every part of its body, thus it was in extreme pain and slowly dying from the inside out. "I've battle Dark Elves and their Necromancer overlords, I've battled the Zombie hoards and their puppet masters. And I have met and fought your kind many times and in many places, I have potions and charms and different ways of killing things like you that you have never heard of". She knew it was only a matter of time, this evil undead creature had made a fatal mistake and would now cease to exist because of it.

There was a sudden screaming from all around them, as a dozen vampires decended upon them both. David's brides had felt the attack on their master and moved quickly to his aid.

Three of them moved to carry him away, while the other nine encircled Lia, quickly slashing at her, to strip her of her weapons and defenses.

The trio quickly collected their master and spirited him away. They had knowledge of this poison, and there was but one cure. David had to feed on a virgin, drain her of her blood, turn her, then have her feed from him, pulling the poison into herself, thus giving her life to save her master.

As she was surrounded Lia pulled a small packet with some Japanese Kanji script on it, Lia now sprinkled the contents in a circle around where she stood. The nine acolytes now stepped back quickly, their hands bloodied and painful. "I told you vampire, I have met your kind before. These harpies may be under your control, but even you won't risk loosing them incase your rivals find out you have no brides". She pointed her crossbow at the bride in front of her and fired, a scream and a bursting sound followed with the bride disappearing. "Get them away from me, or I'll kill another". The crossbow was already loaded and ready, "Or shall I just kill you?"

Once he was safely out of range of the woman's crossbow, David called put to his remaining brides to follow him.

Upon hearing his call, the remaining vampires first snarled at Lia, then leap into the sky, crying out the name of their lost sister as they returned to their master.

Watching the brides take off, Lia now deliberately took aim at the last bride. With one simple pull of the trigger, another bride died. Lia moved forward and picked up the stake she had dropped, and loaded it into the crossbow. "Vampire, your time will come. Now take your corpse brides and leave, I have bigger fish to fry". She stood facing the undead horde, and waited to see just what they would do next. She had shown she would kill them without thinking, and even the undead feared oblivion.

David and his surviving brides flew away into the night, screeching and screaming. The woman had killed too many of them to go free, but first, the brides had to save their master.

The time would come, one day, when that murderer would run out of luck and then David would stretch out her death for as long as possible.

As the Vampire and his horde now flew away, Lia poured the water and wine around her and silently gave thanks to the Goddess who protected her. Her time in this realm was now over, she had to return to her own time and place. Her alter ego would once again be placed into hibernation, and Mrs. Taylor would re-appear in her own reality. "Arch", Lia said and when it appeared she exited the weird world of this holodeck. *Well that was different* she thought, hitching up her leather skirt and adjusting her sword Lia now went back to her (normal) life.

------

While all the scenarios have been progressing, Victor and Tonya were enjoying the conversation with detective vampire name Nick who was dressed up in a Starfleet Captain uniform playing the piano.

“So Victor,” Nick said as he played Mozart on the piano, “In this multi-universe of madness, why are you not participating in scenarios of fantasy and mayhem?”

“Because Nick,” Victor says holding Tonya’s hand, “Sometimes it is just nice to hold hands with your fiancé and listen to the music and not become part of the music,”

At that moment, a man with a crew cut walked into the bar. “Greetings. Some call me The Nightcrawler, some call me Lacroix but you two can call me Lucien”, he said as he kissed the forehand of Tonya.

Tonya could feel the intensity of the moment, said “Lucien, you sure know how to woo a lady.”


***OFF***