Lily
Jackson straightened against the opposing wall and raised an arm above his brow to block the abrupt fluorescent lighting.
As Lily uttered his name weakly she noticed beneath the blooming light, that his face was shadowed in black and blue. Someone had done a number on him and the smell of blood had reached her keen senses at an alarming rate.
His eyes widened on where she lay, wearied and unmoving against the wall, "Lily-" alarmed, he reached for her and she drew sharply out of his reach.
Frowning, he pulled back, shaking his head guiltily, "I'm not going to hurt you-"
She exhaled a heavy breath and closed her eyes against the onslaught of lighting fused madly with a rising, uncontrollable thirst. "I know."
Jackson's eyes moved over her worriedly, "What did they do to you?"
She opened her eyes and peered warily at the lighting, "It's what they're doing."
He followed her gaze and frowned-then realization dawned. As this newly obtained knowledge barely settled he eyed her skeptically and felt a knot entangle itself in his throat. He shook his head in disbelief.
"Are you-who?" his swollen face furrowed with profound bewilderment. "How?" he peered at her anew in a wide and wary regard.
She closed her eyes, feeling every muscle and joint twist in agony at her resistance. "I can smell your blood."
When she reopened her eyes Jackson had flattened his back against the wall. He peered heatedly at the barricading door. "Bastard." He hissed beneath his breath. He averted his eyes from the door to Lily, "I'll get you out of here-" he paused and said with an attempt at humor, "-try and not bite me, k?"
She smiled feebly.
Ward
Ward paced the confines of his lab. He was growing impatient and now seven hours into his strategy with everything as a no-go, he was growing increasingly angry.
He turned and surveyed the flickering computer screen where a camera had been positioned in the confinement room.
His daughter was far stronger then he gave her credit for. Her resistance to feed was quite impressive and equally disappointing.
"Plan not going accordingly?"
Ward straightened and peered shrewdly at Ravensport leaning casually against the wall, "I'm not paying you to talk, hunter, just to catch me a vampire."
Ravensport pushed away from the wall and stepped up to the computer screen, eying the two on the other side. "Word to the wise scientist, I kill all and any vampires, including pretty blondes recently turned."
The warning hovered subtly between the two before a creaking noise alerted them to someone entering the room.
Ravensport stepped aside and Ward peered intriguingly at the man making entry and felt a satisfying grin pull at his mouth, "Dr. Hughes, how particularly coincidental of you to show."
The man was of fairly height, white-haired with a corresponding beard and prior to everything, Ward's superior.
Dr. Hughes eyed the unusual amount of vials and equipment set out amongst the room, "What in blazes is happening here, McDermott?"
Ward smirked, "The beginnings of a phenomenon."
Hughes shook his head and heaved a sigh of frustration, "McDermott, take what dignity you still have and just leave. I'm sorry to say but you've been let go." Shaking his head he added, "If you don't leave the premises I'll be forced to call the authorities."
Enraged, Ward motioned to Ravensport, "Would you be so obliging and assist Dr. Hughes to the steel table."
Ravensport moved forward and seized a confounded Hughes, wrestling him easily to the surgical table. It took little effort to subdue the older man and once he was strapped tightly to the surface Ward appeared above him.
"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?" Hughes demanded, struggling against his restraints.
Ward smirked, "I'm going to make an example of you." He left Hughes momentarily and moved to grab a manila folder before returning and tossing it lightly atop Hughes chest.
"What is it?" Hughes asked frantically.
"That happens to be a strategic map of data pertaining to stem cells that I have cultivated from a species believed impossible. I have discovered an incredible healing ability, the rejuvenation of tissue and bone marrow, all of which counteracts serious illnesses. You, Dr. Hughes, will come to rue the day you interfered with this research."
Ward crossed the room and grabbed a particular vial from the counter. He moved back to where Hughes was struggling.
Hughes watched Ward through wide, fearful eyes as he took out a syringe and inserted the needle into the vial. "What is that?" he demanded.
Ward straightened, his mouth curling wickedly, "This is a blood sample I achieved two months back. The blood contains a virus severely lethal-and I'm going to inject it into your bloodstream."
Hughes turned a ghastly shade of white as horror washed over him. Ward turned to his newly obtained victim and grappled with the man's wrist. He pressed the needle to a protruding blue vein and released its contents with cruel ease.
The older man froze, the last bit of color in his face draining rapidly with dread, "You bastard-" he rasped.
Ward's grin broadened as he stepped back and set the needle aside, "You have approximately 12 hours before the virus takes effect, eventually shutting down all your organs, destroying all your white blood cells-"
"You crazy bastard! You've killed me!"
Ward leaned against the edge of his desk and eyed the squirming man with gloat.
"Undo it!" Hughes wailed frantically, "Give me the anti-virus!"
Ward nudged his head toward the manila folder that had toppled to the floor, its contents scattered along the cold marble. "Everything you need lays in that folder, old man."
At Ward's cue Ravensport moved forward and released the restraints that kept Hughes at bay. Once free the older man scrambled off the table for the manila folder.
He gathered it with shaky hands and skimmed the scattered data, frowning all the more as he read further. "What is this nonsense?" he flipped a few more pages, "Vampires, McDermott? You expect me to believe this?"
Ward straightened, drawing his shoulders back as he glared down at the old man pass the bridge of his nose. "If you live long enough, you'll see what is factual and what isn't."
Ravensport moved toward the surveillance screen, "Someone has breached the outer gates."
Ward fell in beside the hunter and surveyed the screen, "Keep your wits about you and remember the game plan-he is not to be killed but captured."
Ravensport's face remained impeccably expressionless before he slipped from the room.
"You've become obsessed with your work-"
Ward stiffened and turned back to the old man, "People keep telling me that, but I've discovered it, have lived it, and you'll choke on your words soon enough!"
There was suddenly a booming crash somewhere along the level of there floor. Feeling undoubtedly ill at ease, Hughes staggered to a chair and fell into it. Ward moved away from the surveillance and opened the top drawer to his desk. Within seconds he withdrew a semi 40 caliber pistol.
Varian
As he slipped skillfully unaware beneath the rotating cameras, his senses narrowed intricately into the many scents assailing his nose.
His fears worsened with each passing hour that grew closer to dawn. Lily's weakened state weighed heavily on his mind. She needed to feed and having not fed could potentially put her in the mindset of a Rogue and that proved perilous to his kind. If she became a Rogue the council would seek to kill her.
He picked apart the various sounds that fell to his ears. He could smell the odor of sweat smothered in leather. He could hear the particular shift in the weapons they wielded. With his collected senses, he estimated about a good thirty men laying in wait throughout the building.
It was a testy entrapment.
Blending naturally into the shadows that hugged the building he spied Talon from across the way. In his usual and frustrating nonchalant manner, he strolled openly across the length of yard, alerting the hired men waiting in wake.
Fired shots rang out and with incredible ease Talon dodged bullets and whilst they whizzed by him, he crept closer until a handful of men were within his reach and from there he bestowed havoc.
Varian entered the lower level of the building and was immediately affronted by a fistful of armed men. They opened fire and he moved readily, wincing at the first blow as he intercepted them. There was a snapping of bones followed immediately with the thud of bodies as they dropped aimlessly around him.
The odor of gun smoke singed his nose as he turned from the sprawled bodies. The commotion had alerted others to his whereabouts and he was facing a swarm of men as they descended from the second floor.
His fangs lengthened and a slow, unfurling hiss erupted from his throat.
Lily...
His call went unanswered.
Six to seven men stood in his way to the second level. He eyed them hungrily and almost admirably. They knew what they were up against and yet they stood their ground. They raised their weapons and from there fired several shots that flitted the air, hitting him forcibly in the chest, knocking him clear to his back.
The second he was down, they acted, firing a round of bullets that seared the length of his body.
He hissed as they grazed like fire against his skin. He rolled sharply as a bullet ricocheted off the gray marble.
They encompassed him, unleashing a flurry of rounds.
He gritted his fangs against the explosion of pain as they released their ammunition with unrelenting force.
There was suddenly a sharp grunt as a feminine fist jammed itself in the abdomen of one of his attackers. The man doubled over, alarming his comrades on either side of him. They turned wildly about ready to open fire but their weapons were wrenched from their grasps and tossed to the air.
Blanch shoved the man she doubled to the floor and spun around bringing her elbow up to connect painfully with another man's jaw.
Varian arose to his feet and caught a wealth of black hair in his peripheral. He turned and spied Ruby coming from the left side of the building, her mouth smeared with blood.
At his suspicious look she hastened to console, "Easy Fabio, I didn't kill the man."
"There are more on the second level." Blanch confirmed as she stepped in beside Varian.
Varian nodded and the three of them moved towards the stairs. When they reached the top they were caught unaware by the significant amount of guns leveled at them and within the midst of the armed men, stood one erect hunter.
**********