Vinny took a step back in alarm. The girl was summoning up some sort of new inner-strength that he hadn’t counted on. He mentally cursed himself for making that wise-crack about killing the Campione. He knew he’d gone too far with that one. Well, it was too late now. He quickly called his beast back to protect him from the salamander’s initial assault. The two ripped at each other with the intent to kill.

Vinny knew he didn’t have much time left. The black vines had made too much progress up his arm, and they were beginning to burn and throb. If he wanted to win this, he had to go for the throat. He fixed a dark glower on the Campione girl and held out his hand, palm open and facing out.

“Lues Toxicum,” Vinny chanted, casting the potent poisoning hex. He felt a flash of dizziness and had to fight off the blackness at the edge of his vision. Just a little longer. He hoped she didn’t see his momentary weakness. He had to keep up his façade of power, or she would move in for the kill. Either way, he swore to himself that he would not go down alone.

The hex he cast worked like a lysogenic virus. She wouldn’t feel its effects until just before it spread enough to strike her down, which wouldn’t be for at least an hour. He brought a hand to his face to conceal his grin. As long as she didn’t figure out what he had done, Vinny will have won this fight. Now he just needed to keep that wretched fire lizard busy until the girl ran out of power.

“Meo redi,” Vinny commanded again. Monstrum Acerbum reluctantly returned to his side, and then disappeared. Vinny felt as if a heavy burden had been released from his mind. The dark creature always left him breathless after being summoned for that long.

“Vocatus Beastae: Unus,” Vinny summoned up a large black wolf. It was considerably weaker than his other beast, but took less energy to sustain. The wolf bounded forward and leaped on the salamander, its teeth gnashing as it struggled to get at the other creature’s throat.

“I have to say,” Vinny said, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of one hand. “Ya put up much more of than I was expecting, but that won’t change the outcome of this little rumble. Ya see, you’re already too late.”

As if on cue, the restaurant behind them erupted in a plume of brilliant flames. Dante had finished his part of the job, so the Addarios were done here. The rest of the Blood Collectors crew regrouped nearby, facing the other Campiones so they could attack together if their rivals tried anything. They had been working together long enough now that Vinny trusted them to hold their own. In the meantime, he straightened his posture and thumbed his nose at the girl.

“This place belongs to us now, sweetie. You all can go home.”

Noel looked around the fairly well-fitted apartment room. Aaron got a water bottle and had sat down. Noel did the same, taking a seat on the couch. He slouched over, sighing in relief. Hopefully, no one was onto him. "Hey man, thanks for helping me," he suddenly said, surprised at his own words. He usuallt didn't thank another person, but he felt like it was needed this time.

---

The fight ensued, and soon enough Lavi's opponent switched to a spirit wolf. She smiled, realizing that he was out of strength. Why else would he get rid of his strongest summon?

The restaurant burst into flames, and Vincenzo smiled in victory. However, Lavi didn't care. She only cared that this Addario had killed her father like mentor.

"True," she began, brushing a few strands of hair from her eyes. "But I won't run away. Not now," she laughingly said. By this time, the Campiones, including a new arrival, had grouped together, facing the Addarios. She closed her eyes, and the salamander shrunk. Another flicker of flames rolled around and another salamander of equal size popped up. Honestly, Lavi had a hard time keeping consciousness, but she felt as if she had to keep going.

Willing her body to go on, the second salamander headed towards the group of Addarios. With this cue, her companions began to ferociously attack as well.

After observing his prey for a few moments and assessing that they weren't on high alert Nikola decided to make his move. He ducked out of sight of the window before his eyes lit up. He slipped through the wall, still invisible, and quietly positioned himself behind Noel while readying his sap. With one swift blow he struck the convict across the head to knock him out.

"Ah dont worry about it, anyways want to -" Aaron was rudely interrupted as a strange man came through the wall of his apartment and was invading his apartment without a warrant. He noted that, before he raised his hand, and a String of Arcane Magic seemed to flow around the Police Officer, as his limbs grew numb right as he struck Noel, as he couldn't react fast enough. The spell could be understood as a curse or hex limiting the man's moment and maybe other things.

"So, what are you doing here Officer? You do know that you are intruding a civilian's home without a warrant? So I have all the reasons, to forcefully remove you" He said furiously before he looked at Noel "And not to mention, you knocked out my Cousin" He glared at the Officer, taping the wall trying to melt a hole into the officer's head by glaring at it.