#keepwatchoverthenight

[hxrcos]

--; T he N i g h t i s A l i v e

Rain poured from ominous clouds as lightning danced across the sky and thunder roared overhead. Every sound seemed to echo and grow in volume with the otherwise eerie silence in the pauses between each strike and rumble. The Death Dealers had been sent out for two reasons: patrol, and a hunt. It had been a good one, chaotic and messy for a change compared to the quiet and peace that had temporary settled in Budapest. Most of her comrades had already returned to the manor in which their part of the Coven resided -- but she wasn't ready to go back. Not quite yet. She continued to stalk the seemingly abandoned streets through crumbled stone, splintered wood and shards of glass from the tumultuous fight that had taken place among the opposing forces. Apart from those small sounds, she was otherwise silent -- as only the dead could be.

The vampire's countenance was fierce and concentrated. Gloved hands brought both Beretta's up, dropping the emptied magazines before reloading them simultaneously. The actions were performed in practiced, fluid movements. Due to the temperature, her breath escaped in tendrils of white vapor. They weren't necessary, but more so done in an absent manner and a force of habit. A sound that wasn't her own caught the woman's attention, and she quickly pivoted before lowering into a crouch. Overhead sailed a lycan's form as it had been about to pounce her. The beast let out a series of predatory growls and lunged again, but their speed was matched and already anticipated. Selene opened fire several times before dropping to the ground. She used the creature's momentum to her advantage and flung it off and away. A few more moments and evasions, and three shots to vital regions had it out for the count. Lycans were unable to heal wounds inflicted by silver due to their extreme allergy, and the AG rounds certainly came in handy.

Making an approach, Selene nudged the lifeless and now human form with a boot. The rain was already washing the blood away and if it weren't for the bullet wounds, an unsuspecting being would have though something more internal had happened -- or at least would have been perplexed by the sight. With a satisfied and barely audible hum, the warrior turned and started off. She was soaked now, black hair sopping wet and sticking to her face in places with water running off her long coat and splashing beneath her boots. Even so, it was otherwise ignored and given no acknowledgement.

[hxrcos]

♦ T H E ♦ T A K E ♦ D O W N ♦

❂ -- Rain struck anything and everything within its reach as lightning danced across the sky and thunder roared. Even so, people hustled and bustled about London's streets. They were determined to get to their respective locations and out of the rain. She watched like a hawk, perched upon the large clock-tower that overlooked the populace. It stood like a silent guardian, passing the hours, minutes and seconds. Selene's hair was matted to her face in places, soaked by the rain. It was cold as ice, not unlike the warrior herself and slid down and off the rest of her attire.

Electric blue eyes darted between the mortals below her, picking them out one by one and studying their movements. As a Death Dealer, it was her duty to hunt down lycans and kill them. They wouldn't have escaped Hungary if she had been sent in the first place; but Kraven had ordered a different set of Death Dealers to handle the problem. A mistake on his part as someone soon reported that the beasts had managed to get well past their own borders. Now she was in England, tracking down the enemy of vampires. For all she knew, they could have already started biting people and enforcing changes. There could be dozens of lycans hiding below London's streets and hardly a soul would know.

It was a monstrous howl that ripped the female from her scouring. As if by instinct, Selene promptly dropped from the clock-tower. Despite its great height, the woman landed firmly and allowed her body to crouch. The impact was nothing new to her and as a vampire, as a Death Dealer, it was natural. Pulling her dual Berettas from their holsters she ran through one of the emptier streets. Following the sounds of the lycans wasn't difficult and while on the move, she ensured that both guns were loaded with silver nitrate bullets. She could hear screams now, mixed in a terrible chorus of ghastly howls and growls. Rounding a corner to face an alley, she got on one knee and started firing at one of the lycans. It was unfortunate that someone had to be injured already -- though this may not be the first they took.

[hxrcos]

Daylight will be here soon. I will retire now.