Maria had been snatched from her captor but, unable to keep upright, fell as soon as she was released. She heard the old woman, one of the oldest vampires she had ever met, say something to her but she didn't bother to make sense of it, like she usually did when the old one spoke to her. The bitch didn't like her for some reason and Maria was more then happy to return the animosity she was shown.
So she laid back and stared at the ceiling where she had fallen, blood pouring from multiple places on her body. If she was to survive this she would going to need to feed and soon. The female panted, her lips dry and her fangs aching to sink into flesh and feed.

The next voice she heard was like heaven had opened and finally blessed her. She blinked and looked over at one of the only two people she wanted dearly.
"Lucian...?" she murmured, praying she wasn't dreaming. No... it wasn't him... it looked like him but... no... there was something wrong...
But she reached for him anyway in time to see another appear, keeping Lucian from her. "No," she protested to the male she didn't even bother to try and recognize. "Lucian... help me..." tear appeared and the salt in them stung the wounds on her face. She wanted him to come to her, to hold her, to say everything would be okay now, to make her feel safe.
And to kill that rat bastard and use his skin as a throw rug.
Maria moved so that her thigh was visible, even though every movement hurt, to show him the 'T' carved into her skin. "He marked me..." she whimpered. "Take it away. Make it go away. Please my mate..." she begged, calling upon the highest form of bond vampires could have. "Help me..."

Then he said the strangest thing, something about... 'we'... who was 'we'? Why was he acting so strange?
No, she didn't want him to fight now. She wanted him to hold her, to feed her his blood so that the marks left on her would heal.

Beatrix:

The rage had blinded her, unable to tell who she was really mad at. Herself, mostly, one could guess, but she took it out on everyone. The bodies piled up higher than her lies and denial, nearly out-numbering her days spent in self-pity. The first voice directed at her pulled her out of the temporary fugue. A female, who was it?

Ahh, Morgan, yes. The prophetess. "Too long, I suppose, we both do love a good fight." she flashed a fang-toothed grin.

Jareth:

The hole in his chest hurt like hell. Everything hurt. He didn't know what to feel other than the urge to run. Save Theo, and run.

So that's what he did.

Jar broke from the combat zone and went to one of his labs, gathering something, anything he could use to give them an advantage against the number of skilled Blackmoores amongst them. He packed his coat filled with various vials of differently colored liquids and powders, all chemicals created by his own hand. All had a purpose, and most were quite dangerous.

Theo wasn't alone, of course he wasn't alone. That little whore of his found him and slit his throat. It looked bad, really bad, but Jareth wasn't giving up. Theo was his lifeline, his guide, his mentor in many ways. Without Theo's protection, Jareth's ass was grass, and he knew it.

The soft tinkling of metal on concrete was all the warning Morven, Adelisa, and the others would get before an explosion of thick smog blanketed the room, temporarily blinding them all. Jareth took his moment of cover to dive in and grab Theo's seemingly lifeless body and scrambling away like the weak coward he was.

Weak, but loyal till the end. This was far from over.

Morgan smiled an almost devious smile, "No truer words have ever been spoken." Thats when she connected with a rogue and twisted underneath him and tore out the artery in his thigh, "Honestly you would think we would spend more time together all things considered..." The rogue dropped screaming an trying to hold the wound closed, Morgan turned to look at Trixy, Morgan's eyes were like that of a well trained hawk...or a experienced mother, it wasn't that Beatrix looked off...it was more her aura, "Trixy...Is something bothering you dear?"

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Lucian was poised and ready, the moment this fool took one step Dracula was going to dismantle him, his eyes were dark purple like some sort of demon and they sent chills up and down Adrian's spine. Next came the first strike, Adrian was a Scott, predictable indeed. Adrian came forward at great speed prepared to cleave Lucian in half but in that same moment Lucian had heard Maria's cries for help and seeing her crying and calling for him as her mate, an to make matters worse that fool who caused all this had somehow managed to escape before Lucian could devour his very soul, this sent him into an almost frenzy as he dipped under Adrian's blade and grabbed him by his throat, Lucian might have said something cruel or gloated over him any other time, but now he was to focused on Maria. Lucian tossed Adrian sending him flying across the room with great speed, He slammed the wall with such force it cracked the wall and two of his ribs, Adrian let out a surprised grunt and slumped there in horrible pain, Lucian however seemed uncaring of his new found powers, and in a blink he was next to Maria, his once sparkling blue eyes now glinting purple next to her, but...Had he been that fast before? fast enough to move without it being seen? Lucian came through stronger when he spoke now, "Maria..." He bit into his own wrist and opened a nice sized wound, "Drink and be healed my love..." The blade cuts were all over her and it took all he had not to let out a roar with all the anger he was feeling, but Maria needed him. He slowly approached as not to scare her and offered her his wrist, "Drink and live my Mate..."

Lucian retracted his arm quickly, "Don't presume to touch us." Lucian however did look down to his side, "She...She was begging for my help...I didn't know what to do..." His voice was changing from having the properties of two voices to having one, "Little vampire...I wasn't just offering her our blood...I was offering her a taste of our soul..." Lucian moved away at speeds he couldn't have normally, with a bit of distance between him and everyone else he spoke, "We'll tell you like we told him..." He nodded to Adrian, "She is ours..." his eyes glinted darkly as he prepared to fight.

Adrian grit his teeth, his whole body hurt he felt like puking, But...He remembered this feeling...Horse riding with Holt and falling into a ravine, two broken ribs. He opened his eyes to see Morven in front of him assessing his damage, "My spine's okay...Feels like I've broken some ribs though..." He looked around and his eyes went wide, he looked to Morven and pointed to Lucian, "Count Dracul...The Dragon...Dracula...Morgan...Recognized him." by now it was getting harder to breathe but he said what he needed to Morven would warn his family where he no longer could.

Praetor had sent out scouts, English pathfinders from world war II. He would often recall them and let them regal him of stories of the progress made outside. He was keeping tabs on Lucian, sadly he knew what was to come yet in this sorry state he would have to ask for aid, first from Klaus then the Blackmoores. Dracula could not return, he played dangerous games, endangering the secrecy vampires fought so hard to maintain. He had rested in the chair, four empty blood packets lay beside him. His hunger stated as he straightened himself up, he pulled on his jacket and set about tiding the house and testing his body. While he may look like a handsome twenty-something his body did need time recharge, especially after great tests of power.

Praetor had just finished cleaning the library when he heard noise, walking into the kitchen he was greeted by the sight of a one armed young woman. "Drink, your body needs blood no matter how much you wish to deny it. Don't worry, we didn't steal it the blood is from donors at local hospitals. I am Praetor, Mira's bodyguard and elder Vampire." He said taking a seat at the counter. "Sit, I can tell your a new blood and more than likely have questions. I'm recovering so I have time to speak with you." He said in his gentle teacher fashion, he seemed warm and friendly like the teacher you knew didn't mind hearing your thoughts and cared about his students.

Adelisa, through the fog, walked over to Maria and placed her hands on her thigh where the marking lay. It was deeper than she would like, but that would just mean a scar on Adelisa would replace the scar on Maria. She cringed as the scar slowly developed on her thigh, but the jeans hid it well. Adelisa looked up at Maria and smiled softly. "You'll be okay now. I'm sorry I couldn't find you sooner and you had to go through that. You are very strong." She moved her hands to her arm and sighed in relief as the scars weren't that deep.

Adelisa looked up at the two men and her eyes widened. She noticed the… hostility of the one man and the other… well she couldn't put her finger on it. Her eyes landed on Alistair in fear and questioning. Fear of the men fighting and she was questioning the entire situation.

"A little over 2000 years old. Of course you may know me better as Abraham Van Helsing, quite a bit of folklore surrounds me these days." He spoke calmly pulling out his phone tapping away as he checked to see who had emailed him questions on the materiel for his class at the university. "Your power is quiet unique like mine." He said as a ghostly servant returned whispering into his ear a moment before disappearing in to thin air.

"I can mix a little blood into another drink for you if you prefer that way? Your lucky to have been turned in this age, I lived off animal blood for centuries as I refused to drink from humans until they began simply store blood. I'm one the more progressive of my kin. Many see humans as food, yet I see them as friends and allies who we must teach." He spoke softly staring past her at the wall.

Maria realized after Alistair spoke that he was right. Vampire blood was addictive, which was probably why she was craving it right now. Theo had fed her a male vamp when she had been starving.

As the female, the rogue whom the bastard had been after the whole time, came forward to heal her, Maria stared at her. "You are the one," she said. "He took me, tortured me, to get you."
She wasn't angry at the rogue and was trying not to blame her, but a small part of her did blame the female. If it hadn't been for her, Maria wouldn't have been tortured like this. But she had been tortured by the male longer, so Maria couldn't blame the female for escaping him.
"Thank you," she said after the female had healed her. She hoped they were keeping this female, since they could use such a healing power in their family.

But that could be dealt with later. Now there was trouble. She could sense a storm of violence and blood brewing right before her.
"Please," she begged. "I will not have my mate and my sire fight. Don't you both understand?" she said with tears in her eyes. "He got away. He is still out there. I don't feel safe here," she said, hugging herself. She didn't know which male to go to. She felt the pull both ways.
To Alistair, who was her sire and hence like a father to her.
To Lucian, who was her mate, her true love. Even if there was something wrong with him right now.

She reached out a hand to both of them, taking Alistair's and Lucian's hands in each of hers. "I don't feel safe here," she repeated, calling on the bond of sire and childe, of mate to mate, for these two males to feel her fear and their need to protect her because of the different yet strong bond she shared with them. "Please. I need to feed. He... he starved me until I was nearly mad with bloodlust then fed me a male vampire who came in here to attack me. I ripped his throat out and gorged on his blood. I feel dirty and used and afraid. Please do not fight, I am begging you, the two males who are most important to me. Alistair, my sire, my father. Lucian, my heart, my mate. Take me from this place."

As Maria spoke, a specter entered. He was in the garb of Knight, a Templar Knight to be exact. He stepped forward looking between them all. "Praetor sends his regrets he could not assist in the rescue, he was attacked by hundreds of rogues after his scuffle last night. I have been sent to as for Lucian to return home for awhile, Praetor wants to help him suppress Dracula. If it not brought under control Lucian will be lost and none of you are in the condition to face him." Spoke the ghost rounding on it's heel, no longer facing the crowd as away.

"The Praetor would like to meet with the other ancients to discuss the issue plaguing us all. Morven, Klaus, Auria, and himself. Alistair and Mira will join them as Clan heads. We must work together to remove the problems in the city... Then we can go back to arguing ideals and methods." Said the messenger fading off and away, his eyes staring daggers into Lucian. As if the man inside knew him from some past life.

Lucian had been completely prepared to face Alistair, he had planned to show no mercy to the clan head and if it meant slaughtering him in front of all of his family...so be it. But Maria's voice, like light in the fog ripped him from the jaws of his own insanity, his own madness, "Holy father what have I done..." Lucian made the catholic cross across his chest as his eyes turned back to crystal blue and looked to Alistair, "Stay your blade my friend...It's me...for now at least...I'm sorry...He's stronger than ever before..." Lucian turned to Maria and took her hand with both of his and began kissing her fingers, his eyes seeming to tear a bit, like he had found something he had thought he lost forever, "My love...Forgive me..." That's when he heard a familiar voice and looked down to see the specter of a Templar knight, his face seemed familiar and some part of Lucian felt he knew the ghost, But after the message was relayed and the spirit had faded, Lucian turned to face everyone, but his eyes remained locked on Maria, "Praetor is right..." He grasped Maria's hand tightly but with so much love, "I'm going to have to go away for a while...It might be a long time before we see each other again..." He smiled at her the same way he had when they had first met, "Try not to forget about me to quickly my love..." Lucian released her hand and turned to leave..

Despite all the pain he was in Adrian forced himself to stand, his eyes were wild but brave, "You are stronger than this Lucian..." Adrian saluted him in the way he had once saluted William Wallace, "Be strong brother...Be strong in the face of even this...Return to Maria..." Despite his ribs and barely being able to breathe Adrian saluted the vampire, no...The Knight...as he left.

Adelisa watched the couple with a soft smile. They were just meant to be, she thought. Then she remembered the look in the girl's eyes when she watched her heal her. She saw the blame and the slight anger toward her and she knew why. Adelisa stepped back from the group and looked at them. They were a family unit, something she hadn't seen for such a long time. It was quite the site, a beautiful family surrounded by bodies and destruction. Adelisa smiled slightly. It was definitely a site indeed.

Adelisa looked over at the area Theo's body was supposed to be. She knew something wasn't right, no matter how her much she hoped he was just dead, something was not right.

Béatrix:

Of course the prophetess was able to see through her façade. Despite Trixy’s polished skills as an actress, a few people managed to break through the mask and see the girl beneath it. Morgan just so happened to be one of those people.

“I can see why no one ever plays poker with you.” She said as a joke just as she pulled her clawed hand from a now-dead rogue’s chest. “I’ll be fine.” She finished, making it blatantly obvious that she would speak no more on the subject.

The twisted little love scene between Maria and Lucian was enough to make her want to vomit. She didn’t want to see this, especially not now. Her feet wanted to run so badly, to find an escape from the guilt and shame. She still couldn’t look at Alistair. What a macabre family they were, close yes, but oh so distant.

Mary said her torturer got away, Theo, the leader of this Blod clan. The absence of Theo’s body didn’t surprise Trixy, she had a feeling she knew the vampire responsible for taking him. A secret for a secret… She took a deliberately deep, albeit unnecessary, breath. When Alistair mentioned Skye Manor, Béatrix was the first to turn foot and head out.

Jareth:

The dead weight of Theo’s body was an extreme burden on Jar. He couldn’t use the streets, the sun was still up and humans were milling about. It would be a tad out of place to be carrying a seemingly dead person, blood dripping from a gash in his throat, down the street. There was also the gaping hole in his own chest that would cause distraction. Thankfully, this particular lair of Theo’s connected to the sewers. So, with Theo slumped over he shoulders, Jareth headed to the only place he knew was safe, as it had no immediately connections to the Blod clan - except for himself, that is.

His apartment. Yes, the very one he brought Madame de la Croix to. Jareth tossed Theo’s body down on the bed none-to-gently. All of this over a stupid little pet of his. “Was it worth it, you idiot?!” Jareth said aloud before grasping Theo’s face in his hands and shaking it. “Wake up! Wake up!” he yelled and even went so far as to slap Theo. Truth be told, he had no idea how to rouse an unconscious vampire. At least he hoped he was only unconscious…

Adelisa looked over at Alistair's back and her eyes widened. Is he-? her questioning thought was cut short when he said his final piece. Her smile came before her answer as she said "thank you. Thank you so much." It came out as a whisper at first but then she said the former with a louder voice. She looked over at Maria and smiled softly. This was the woman she came to save. Whether killing Theo was really in her best interest… well that was quite questionable. Adelisa did want Theo dead in the beginning, but this woman… she needed Adelisa much more than Adelisa needed to kill.

She noticed at woman, Beatrix, walk out the door as soon as the manor was mentioned. She knew something was wrong with her, could sense it even, but Adelisa was in no way able to find out what was going on in her head. She, instead, decided to follow everyone as they left, maybe even talk to Maria a bit.

Theo was in a dark, dark place. Absolutely nothing and no one was there. It was extremely strange, actually. He wasn't in hell, nor in heaven. He was just… there. A voice took him from no where and he opened his eyes to see Jareth. He tried to talk, but his throat had just been sliced open so talking wasn't going to happen. Blood, he needed blood. He took his shaky hand and reached up to his neck, dipping a finger tip onto the blood and raising it to Jareth, trying to show he needed this.

Jareth:

"Right, of course... Vampires need blood, vampires, blood, uhh" he shook his hands in front of him, obviously frazzled. 'Ahh!" he exclaimed before spinning and turning to rifle through his mini fridge, knocking over a few bottles of god-only-knows-what before finding his stash. Jar always preferred his blood hot and fresh, but he kept some bottled blood for emergencies, he guessed this counted as an emergencies. Jareth rushed over to Theo with the now open bottle of blood and fed it to Theo. The action itself was oddly tender and nurturing for two otherwise ruthless and rough males.

Something happened. He was suddenly back. Lucian came back to her completely. The presence before, Dracula, left for now. But before she could embrace him he was talking about leaving her. Panic rose in her throat.
"No!" she cried. "Don't leave me! Lucian!"

But was already pulling away from her, moving away.

"You don't have to leave," she continued to cry. "Whatever is happening, I'll do whatever it takes to help you. Please don't leave."

The poor female slid to the floor as her love walked away and her sire made a comment about her choice in men. She flashed an angry and hurt look at him. "Not now sire of mine," she said, calling him the formal title she reserved for when she was angry at him. This was not the time or the place to talk about her taste in men. She had never felt this way about anyone before. Anyone she had known before paled in comparison to Lucian. And frankly it was very hurtful and inconsiderate of her sire to make such a comment when his childe was in such emotional pain.