A New-Ish Arrival (invite only)

[Spartan 999]

Domovoi Shepard glanced behind him, checking to make sure none of the locals had decided to follow him. Not likely, but one could never be too sure. He turned back around, satisfied. A 14.5x114mm round hurtled through the air, closing the 2.5 kilometer distance between Domovoi and the sniper in a split-second.

Domovoi didn't seem to have moved, even though the bullet slammed into the ground right in front of him. Strangely enough, the vapor trail that accompanied the round traced a path right through Domovoi's body, though there was no bullet wound. Several more shots were fired, each of which somehow inexplicably missed their target as he started sprinting into the treeline.

Nine mercenaries dressed in matte black body armor appeared out of the forest, various weapons firing at the rapidly moving Domovoi. Again, none seemed to hit him. He delved into the mercenaries' midst, fists punching and legs kicking as he moved. Limbs snapped, necks were broken, skulls caved in--the usual with Domovoi.

Five vampire mercs charged at him from different angles, their bodies completely covered in case any of the rays emanating from the retreating sun touched them. They swung swords, knives, and truncheons in their attempt to kill Domovoi, but they had no such luck. The vampires were extremely fast, but Domovoi was even more so. He dodged and blocked multiple attacks, his body contorting oddly to avoid a few simultaneous strikes more than once.

The first vampire to go down had his own bowie knife stuck into his crotch, then was incinerated as his armor and clothing was ripped off. The second spasmed as she was impaled by her own rapier, the sword going up to the hilt as it entered the base of her spine and poked out at the top of her skull. The third was thrown in the path of one of the sniper's bullets, his head exploding from the impact. The last two died together, one with the other's truncheon lodged in his skull, while the fifth had the fourth's broadsword jammed into her heart.

Domovoi grabbed a 9mm magnum from a mercenary's corpse, aimed high in the direction of the sniper, then fired. The bullet slammed into the sniper's head, killing him instantly. He glanced down at the magnum, then tossed it to the ground before continuing on.

[Lady Amira Nuit]

Kora stood on a high tree limb and watched the madness below. Smiling she liked what she saw from the man that had destroyed her men.

"Enjoy it now you little prick," she whispered as she watched him head off.

Jumping to the ground more of her followers rejoined her.

"Keep following him," she demanded, "We can't lose him."

"Yes, master," one of her minions said as they took off after the man.

..........

Up ahead another woman jumped out of no where in front of them man. Looking him in the eye she said, "My name is Selene and I wish to help you," she said hoping that the man would see she really wanted too.

Kora had hurt one of her friends a few months back and she be damned to watch her torture someone else. So she had been following her and her jounry had lead her here and standing before a man that didn't seem like he wanted the help but she would be damned if she didn't step in and face the b!tch....

[Spartan 999]

"Very well." Domovoi replied, stepping past Selene. "Follow me if you wish." He spoke up several seconds later. "By the way, do you know exactly why I'm here and why Kora is attempting to kill me?"

*****

Deep in the forest, a small ripple swept through the air. A scarlet spark jumped through the center of the ripple before the it faded. Then, nothing. Not for the time being, anyway.

[Lady Amira Nuit]

Selene began to follow him. "I didnt here the full convertion but does that matter? All I want to do is kill the b*tch! "

Damn, Selene thought to herself. That doesnt sound like me at all.

It was beginning to look as though Kora was turning her just as she warned but again why care? The b*tch had to die for what she had done. She had to free him at any cost!

"Why are we running from her? We should face her, together!" Selene snapped ready to end her life right then and there. As they walked she felt different in the air. Something she hadnt felt before and her sensing began to go crazy. Thing was all she wanted to do was kill Kora at any cost. That is why she was here, nothing more.... or that is what she kept trying to tell herself.

.....................

"My lady, it seems a woman has joined up with him," one of the vampires told her.

Kora couldnt help but smile. "Really now. She is quicker then i thought she would be."

"My lady, she speaks of only your death."

"Good. It means my plan is working then," she purred as she stopped and turned to her captive. "She is turning," she said to him.

"I wont let her kill you," Jeremy Ward warned.

"We shall see about that lover," she said moving in close to him. He tried moving away but that wasnt going to happen.

As her body pressed against his she moved her lips to his neck. Unable to move he just closed his eyes and wished to be elese where.

"Please dont," he whispered.

"You know you want me lover," she purred as she began to kiss his neck.

"Please....stop...." he whimpered.

But he knew she wouldnt. She had him on a tight leash and nothing would stop her sense there was a spell in place, there wasnt anything that he could do to stop her from doing whatever she wanted to him.

Suddenly one of the vampires cleared their throat. "Uh, my lady. They began traveling again and something else..."

Kora pulled herself away from Jeremy even though she wanted him here and now. "What? What is it?"

"I am not sure but something in the air had felt different then nothing. It didnt feel right."

Kora did feel something but ignored it do to almost play time with her captive pet. "Doesnt matter. What matters is getting to that little sh*t and stopping him. Now lets move!'

They all took off after the two in hopes to catch them before anything had a chance to go horrible wrong for them.

[Spartan 999]

"I'm not running," Domovoi said placidly. "I am searching for the same thing Kora is looking for. That is the reason why she wants me dead, or at the very least, indisposed when it arrives." He paused to inhale deeply. "It is near. And you have felt it. The walls of reality are shifting, cracking. I do not doubt Kora has sensed it as well, and will be that much more desperate to stop me."

*****

Approximately two minutes after the initial "spark", another ripple followed by three sparks bent the air some distance away from the first site. Whatever was causing the odd ripples was moving.

[Lady Amira Nuit]

"I have felt something odd yes but that is not the reason I am here. She has someone I truly care about and I have to kill her to get him back or at the very least figure out a spell to get them apart." Selene said as they kept on. Whatever he was looking for was getting stronger. It was making her senses tingle. "That feels so weird. Whatever it is I feel it moving that way," Selene said pointing off towards the left.

She began to wonder about Jeremy and how he was holding up. How she wanted him back with her. She promised to protect him and this is where they were now. How could she fail him so horribly? Still she was going to stop at nothing to get him back or die trying.

......

As Kora began to walk as Jeremy stayed right at her side. He too felt a change in the air around him and knew Kora couldn't ignore it. Something he was trying to remember her saying about some kind of ripple of something. Maybe he should talk to her to help distrack her from Selene.

"So why are we needing to stop this guy we are looking for anyway? Does he have something of yours?"


"No," Kora snapped as they kept moving.

"Is he famous like me?" Jeremy asked still pushing to get some answers.

"No," Kora snapped again.

"Then why is he so damn important?"

Kora stopped and looked at him. "Because he is looking for something that I have been looking for for some time now. Its very important that I find it first."

"Which is?" Jeremy said spreading his hands wide.

Kora walked up to him with her body against his. "You really want to know? Why?"

"Because its improtant to you?" He said not sure what she was about to do to him.

She kissed him hard and pulled back. "You're so damn cute Jeremy. You should know by now that I dont relieve anything until I do it." She turned and began to walk again which forced him to follow.

Whatever she was keeping from him, he felt it growing stronger. Man, he hoped Selene was going to be ok. He was so worried about her that he wasn't connsered about himself at all. Maybe he was in love with a vampire. A vampire and a half vampire/werewolf...what a combo. Well Amira parents were the same this right? Anyway, he just hoped they could be together again and soon.

[Spartan 999]

"Magical people and their spells..." Domovoi muttered, sliding easily down a short incline. "Perhaps what I am searching for can help you get your man back."

An arrow thudded into the tree beside Selene's head. Domovoi pushed her to the side as several more bolts flew out of the forest, but Domovoi either deflected or dodged them all with uncanny speed. He vaulted into the air and reached out, grabbing two of the arrows. As he flipped back around he threw them into the trees, and was rewarded by grunts of pain and the sounds of bodies falling to the ground.

Several groups of vampires rushed out as if on cue as Domovoi landed in a crouch. With the setting sun all but below the horizon, they didn't cover themselves completely.

"Some help would be appreciated, Selene." Domovoi said serenely before snapping the first attacker's neck with a quick twist of his right hand.

[¡мuş℮!]

Seeming to appear out of nowhere more arrows whistled through the air. However these ones were different. They would appear as bolts of white shooting across the small battle, landing into hidden targets in the trees. Two more vampires fell as the lightning fast missiles were fired repeatedly one right after the other. Then again a few more arrows taking out some of the vampires that had started to surround the duo. However the helpful shooter remained hidden within the trees, dancing from limb to limb without a sound to take shot after shot.

Wild curly red hair twisted in the wind that each arrow caused as it shot from the bow. The white compound bow, was held and moved fluidly with slender hands. And emerald green eyes glanced through the branches finding her targets. Her nosed crinkled in annoyance.

“Vampires.” her feminine voice grumbled. She was sure that the blood thirsty creatures would have no trouble picking up her scent sooner or later. But until then she was going to take out as many as possible. She considered these parts ‘her woods’. And strangers were not something that she came across much.

Once she was satisfied with the amount of numbers that were on the ground, she gracefully dropped from the branch. Her knees caught the wooden rod and she easily flipped to stand on the forest floor. The archer held her bow at the ready as she approached the two whom the vampires had been attacking. Her eyes flickering from spot to spot to see if she could sense more of the assailants. But she also attempted to keep her attention on the other two.

[Spartan 999]

"Joy, another person arrives." Domovoi muttered loud enough for the newcomer to hear. "So, I take it you're on our side--for the time being, anyway?" He said normally.

[¡мuş℮!]

The woman flashed him with dark look, as his tone seemed unappreciative. Even though he had seemed to have been able to handle himself, it was he who had asked for assistance and she had given it.

“I can leave if you want.” Her tone gave off a hint of her slightly annoyed attitude. “But I figured a fair fight was more in order instead of two against an army.” She paused in her explanation. “At least that is what you seem to be up against.”

She kept her bow in hand, waiting to see if more of the suck heads appeared. She did not hold those creatures high on her honored list. After all she was an elf, and did not hold many creatures on that list. Elves tend to think highly of themselves.

“This is my woods.” She commented. “And I’d like to keep it free of Vampires if at all possible.” The red head growled. “

“We best keep moving.” The Elf stated and turned to head in the original direction the man and his partner had been going before they were side tracked.

[Spartan 999]

"Actually, it's this direction." Domovoi said, pointing almost ninety degrees to the South from his original path. He started walking again, and this time the small party wasn't interrupted by a vampire ambush. Not yet, anyway.

Around ten minutes later, they had reached a moderate sized clearing with tall grass waving in the wind.

"Here it comes..." Domovoi muttered, glancing off to the left. A miniature storm of sparks cascaded through the air, rippling space as whatever it was moved further into the clearing. Then, it stopped. The sparks faded for a second.

A wide circle seemed to open, almost immediately identifiable as a portal, but one unlike anything seen in the universe. Through it stumbled a man, who fell to his knees and started coughing violently. He shook his head, then stood and looked over the three unknowns before him.

"If you want to attack me: prepare to die. If not: felicitations, greetings, hi, etc." The man said, odd looking clothing flowing in the breeze. "So...which is it?"

[Lady Amira Nuit]

Selene rushed to Domovoi aid and was becoming a little over powered when arrows pieced through them. She smiled as an elf appeared before them. Smiling at the woman she only heard stories of such creatures but never in her life did she think she would meet one. How excited she was and was about to say so when Domovoi "kind" words spoke how happy he was she had helped them. But the elf was firing her comments right back. How she liked her.

As they rushed off Selene just stood in awe when the portal appeared and out walked a man she had never seen before. He felt odd to her and unsure of what he was about. She turned to Domovoi and asked, "What the hell is this about?"

Suddenly Kora appeared on the opposite side of the field. "Domovoi my friend. You have something that belongs to me. Can I please have him back and I promise I will go easy on you and yours." She snapped her fingers as the army of vampires circled all around them.

Selene saw Jeremy appear beside Kora. She kissed him hard on the lips then smiled at her.

"You b*tch!" Selene screamed ready to rush over but Domovoi concern words forced her to remain where she was. He needed her help then and only then will she free her love.

[Spartan 999]

"I'm Domovoi, and this is Selene." He said as he introduced himself to the newcomer. "I was tracking a disturbance in time and space to here, and you appeared." Before he could continue, the small vampire army emerged from the forest and into the clearing to surround the three.

"Domovoi my friend. You have something that belongs to me. If you will please hand him over, I promise I will go easy on you and yours."

"Fascinating." The newcomer muttered as he looked around. "Actual vampires. Hah. I didn't think I'd traveled that far, relatively."

"Yeah...I'm going to have to decline, whatever your name was again." Domovoi said to Kora, standing nonchalantly next to Selene and the newcomer. The vampire blinked once. "I don't have room in my memory for unimportant people." He said in explanation.

"Do you often work to provoke bad guys who have you outnumbered many times over?" The newcomer said to Domovoi.

"It happens. A lot."

"...I think we're going to be good friends."

"If you can survive this."

"Of course I can!" The newcomer objected, airily waving a hand. "I didn't go tumbling through the multiverse for a massive distance without some way to defend myself."