Martin swung a sed time and caught the sed Shadewraith by its wispy head a it reeling backwards as well. “You two…” He poio the young vampires. “Get the leader.” Martin poio Powell.

  Shaking untrolbly at the turn of events, the double vampires poi the visible light in the spad then dropped to their knees sm. “Sun…liii…” They whimpered in unison.

  Sensing that they had the upper hand, Powell-wraith ordered the st of its subordio attack Martin. “The caretaker, overwhelm him and possess the fool.” Gliding doweps Powell-wraith got within inches of Jennifer and smiled. “You are the tool, fleshling.” Spotting the unscious Carolio its left, the lead shadewraith emptied its pistol into Caroline’s head sending blood and bone debris across Jennifer’s fabsp; It cackled with pleasure when it felt a small amount of suffering from the dying woman. “You’d call that breakfast, primate.”

  Meanwhile, Martin was being assaulted from all dires. Every so often, the ward would ect with his fists and send a shadewraith spiraling through the wall or floor. While the impacts from Martin’s massive blows did weaken them slowly, khat his time was limited. “Jennifer…Jennifer!” He called back to his partner and heard nothing from behind him. Losing focus on his attackers, He witnessed Powell-wraith looming over his parthreateningly. Choosing to use what strength he could muster, Martin sprang and tackled Powell-wraith and pu with all the fury he could muster. “Jennifer…please…get out…” He felt the first of three shadewraiths pass through his heart, leaving an icy grip that slowed his ability to lift his arms. “R…Run!” Martiwo more iced chills pass through him and their trail left the old ward helpless. “Jenni…” He tried to call out to the woman he loved and was silenced by a shadewraith that had settled in his body.

  {“Hello shell. Glory to Archaios Enas and her…vision. You get to suffer for me, primitive.”}

  The shadewraith waited for its brethren to stop their attack before addressing their leader. “This one fights very hard, his fury and fear are a boon for me. I will have him…mier I’ve had a bit of fun.” It made Martin’s body ugh.

  { “Archaios Enas, We have captured the shell that belongs to the nightstalker you seek. This thing is her sve, daylight protector. The name you seek is Sylvie Miakoda.”}

  Miles away from the attack, Archaios Enas respoo the shadewraith under her and.

  {“You have done well, keep the shell intact, we will use it to torture the nightstalker. The one called Jennifer Rivers no longer matters, feed if you want my darlings.”}

  Powell-wraith started wildly ughing ahe Deputy Director’s body, causing it to fall lifeless onto the crete floor in a puddle. “You are mine, little Jennifer shell. Your usefulness has beeinguished just like your person will be.”

  Jennifer exhaled as the shadewraith reached for her throat. Without any warning, bloodstone dust flowed from her light breath, through the misty-wraith, turning it from its inky bck to a putrid green. It fell to the ground with a thud and began to writhe on the ground helplessly. Bloodstone flowed through the beast's form, ing it in the process. Ung about its owehe creature ed its own pain with excitement as it perished.

  {“Cover my exit and take possession of the mage, her skills will be very useful at the portal.”}

  The shadewraith inhabiting Martin unicated to its panions.

  {“We have things handled here, you should join in the sed prong. The ohat owns the parlor a few towns over, the nightstalker called Jester.”}

  One of the two remaining Shadewraiths floated atop of Martin-wraith.

  {“Yes, Join in anht. Perhaps use this shell to infiltrate the nightstalker’s ir.”}

  Laughing maniacally, Martin-Wraith started up the stairwell and spoke aloud to its fellow shadewraiths, “Agreed. This shell…so many threads it has weaved. Its mind is id bare to me…a still struggles as I stras for my grip.”

  Jennifer looked up along the ceiling and saw the darker masses cirg her, their diamond eyes staying just out of reach of her breath. “That’s right, you ’t get too close.” Jennifer began bag up slowly towards Tatum’s body when she heard what sounded like a pair of metal bearings hit the floor. Notig that the shadewraiths stopped and hovered in the air, Jennifer raised one eyebrow, “What…?”

  Groaning and holdiomach, Tatum got to one knee and spoke. “I think they are a bit shocked that I am still alive and very willing to do this.” Turning her palm towards the two dark masses, white light fred from her hand and forked like lightning as it gripped them by their eyes. She looked at Jennifer and winked. “You had a brilliant idea in hindsight.” She lifted her other hand and produced two little pods. Crushing the little tainers, Tatum held the exposed bloodstone powder over her magical beams and blew as hard as she could.

  A cloud of dust fused with Tatum’s magid traveled quickly along the streams that were holding the two beasts. A few seds ter, the bination of magid dust made the two shadewraiths drop to the ground with a heavy thud. Stunned in pce like their other dead brethren, the two formed wicked mouths with rows of silvery fangs and began ughing with their suffering. “I have these two, Jennifer. You get Martin before he gets away.”

  Dashing up the stairs the fastest she could, Jennifer caught up to the shadewraith inhabiting Martin just before it reached her front door. Upon hearing footsteps behind him, the Martin-wraith turned and was suddenly face to face with Jennifer. It reached out and grasped Jennifer by her throat. “Your kind just doesn’t know when to stop, do you?” The shadewraith pulled the struggling woman closer, “Here’s something that you probably didn’t expect.” Using its free hand, the shadewraith touched its stomach.

  Barely able to breathe, Jennifer noticed that around its horrifid, it started pulling strands of shadowy mist from its body. Dawning ohat the beast litting itself into another shadewraith, Jennifer exhaled as hard as she could. Feeling the st of the powder leave her body, Jennifer watched the light cloud as it surrounded Martin’s head, f the shadewraith within to leave its host and fall helplessly on the floor. Instantly freed from the grip of her attacker, Jennifer dropped to the floor and nded on her babsp; Scrambling the best she could with her arms and crab-walking back from the shadewraith she watched Martin’s body hit the floor and dissolve just like the others. “Rest well, Martin. Know that I did love you.” Upon hearing the shadewraith ughing, Jennifer spun around and tried to stand up, just to fall ft when one of her awisted and popped. Seds ter, the violet-haired woman heard the st ughs of her adversary and it ceased to exist. “Good riddance.”

  -Jasoer” Roderick-

  With daroag, Jester waved to the st of his personal ers with attoos and closed all the shutters to his establishment, dousing the building in plete darkness. Flig on the ambient lighting so his wards could see a little easier, Jester pulled the cash drawer from his register and headed to his office. “Take a couple of hours to yourselves, then re-open at about nineish. We had a great night, nothing like a band of drunken sailors ing in and wanting their ship name on their arm.” Jester ughed and motioned for his tweny to follow. Onside the office, the elder vampire took his seat and his other tires sat down in a couple of spare chairs. “Gentlemen, tomorrow night we'll be headed to ial Heights for the first re-established veil cil. I know the presumed leader fairly well, his name is An Brown.” Jason scratched the top of his long brown hair, “I pn to address the loss of Oscar and Owen. That witch owes us.”

  “Agreed master.” The young vampire named Ray Lee spoke up. “Master…” He looked down at Jason’s mobile phone. “Speaking of the witch, she’s calling you now.”