"So, how do we do this?"Hunter asked.

Snowhawk picked up the dress laying on the bed near her. "If we can concentrate my scent, we can use it as a lure for Kione."

"I can attempt to mask yours,"Onyx began, "which would let us get him right where we want him."

Snowhawk nodded. "The cabin he was keeping Nytehawk in is small. We could trap him in there."

"Then what?"

"I don't trust that setting the place on fire would work, so we'll just beat the ever-loving piss out of him."

"That might be too close quarters," the chocolate Lupino frowned.

Snowhawk thought for a moment, then gave a half-grin. "Then you boys stay outside and I'll take care of him."

"Too dangerous for you," Onyx responded, mimicking Adian's frown. "If he were to somehow pull that necklace off--"

"I know. It was a joke."

"Perhaps this is not the best time for jokes," Hunter commented.

Snowhawk sighed. "You're right. But you still have the basic idea for the plan, right?"

All four males nodded. Adian added, "We'll have to flesh it out more, but it seems solid."

*********

The following day, Kione was again assessing the city's walls. And he found something of note; there was a short period of time between shifts when the outer wall was unguarded. Perhaps the same could be said for the inner wall. The elder vampire waited until the appropriate moment, then slipped past the gate. He hid near the second gate, and waited for it to be left.

After midnight, the vampire seized his opportunity and snuck into Juv.

The city's streets were quiet. Most residents were asleep. He strode down the wide market street, carefully sniffing the air around him. He had two goals: getting Snowhawk back, and killing off the medical team before burning their research. He knew he was close to the former by the very faint scent of her that hung in the air. Because of the city's population, it was a hard scent to track, but not impossibly so. He eventually found himself near the hotel she and the others were staying at. "Now, how to get in," he questioned, then happened to catch a glimmer of light from the third floor. It was her. She leaned on the balcony railing, watching the night sky above. He could now figure out where she was in the building. Before she looked down, he ducked into the lobby, ignoring the night desk help. They seemed to be interested in some television show, so also ignored the apparent customer.

Kione snuck into the hallway, looking for the elevators. They were soon located, and he stepped inside, pressing the button for floor three. A very short ride later, aand he stepped out of the elevator, and began to quietly sniff the air for Snowhawk's scent. Breaking into the wrong room could be disterous, and allow her to escape his grasp.

Being closer, in a lower traveled area, he easily caught her scent and followed it to her room. He tested the door, finding it locked. "Now what?" he wondered. Then a plan struck him. He knocked on the door and ducked below the peephole.

"Who is it?" Janus' voice returned.

Kione simply knocked again.

Janus walked to the door, looking outside. After seeing no one, he unlocked it and carefully began to open the door. He never saw the crouched vampire before the door was slung open. The door struck Janus hard, sending him to the wall and knocking him unconscious.

Kione rushed into the room, but was shocked to find no one else there. Then he felt an icy shard pierce his back. He cried out in pain, then turned to see Snowhawk standing protectively in front of Janus' form.

"I don't know how you got in, but you need to get the fuck out," she growled.

Kione chuckled, mildly annoyed by her ice magic. "You are coming with me, dear." He began advancing toward her, while she backed away. The door had swung closed after he rushed in, so she soon found herself trapped in the short hallway from the main hall to the sleeping area.

"Never."

As he backed her against the door, another knock was heard. "Snowhawk, Jauns, are you alright?" Adian's voice asked.

"He's here--" Snowhawk returned before she was rudely grabbed about the muzzle.

Adian cursed and tried to open the door, but found the combined weight of Kione and Snowhawk against it.

"Hunter! Onyx!" he cried out, the two soon stickng their heads out of their respective rooms. "Help me get this door open!"

They rushed to the room and began pushing on the door. Inside, kione grinned and soon pulled Snowhawk away from the door and jumped back, still holding her.

The three pushed hard on the door one more time, only to find it easily opened and they tumbled into the room. "Let her go!" Adian demanded.

Kione just grinned. "Now, now," he began as the three untangled themselves from each other and stood, "where is your hospitality? I haven't even been introduced to you."

Snowhawk quickly shifted to her feline form, and attempted to bite down on the vampire's arm. He grabbed her ear and she yowled in pain. "I think not."

Snowhawk growled and attempted to bite down again, this time succeeding. As hoped, Kione released her, but followed by backhanding her in the back of the head. The force sent her forward, towards the three standing from the floor.

Janus began to come around about this time. He groggily shook his head and winced in pain. He fuzzily saw his love stumbling toward him. She hadn't noticed him waking up yet, so she spun around to face Kione. Her tail was bristled and looked twice its usual size. She shook her head as well, trying to rid herself of the after effects of the vampire's strike.

Kione advanced toward them. To say he was pissed off was an understatement. He went straight for the still shaken feline first, snarling as he tried to grab her. "You can't run forever, mare."

She ducked out of his grasp once more, then slashed at him with her claws. "I don't intend to."

While Kione's attention was focused on Snowhawk, Onyx began sneaking up on the vampire. He soon was in lunging distance. He lept at Kione's back grabbing him about the arms and pinning him to the ground. The Guard straddled the vampire, trapping his arms beneath him, and pressed down on his back, keeping him from rising.

Hunter soon joined to keep the vampire pinned to the floor. Adian stopped at his brother's side and offered him a hand up, which Janus gratefully took.

As the two wolves made their way to the pinned, struggling vampire, so did Snowhawk.

"So you've won," Kione grinned. "For real, this time."

"I've no time for gloating," Snowhawk said, holding her arm away from her and forming an icy sword. Onyx inched back carefully. Snowhawk raised the newly formed, magic blade, and swiftly brought it down toward Kione's neck.

When magical ice should have pierced flesh, there was nothing but the blade shattering to the floor. He had vanished.

"What the fu--" she began, but was soon cut off by a hand over her small muzzle, and another holding the scruff of her neck.

"You've failed once again, mare," Kione grinned then quickly grabbed her about the waist, and dove out the balcony door, shattering the glass in the process. The four males ran to the railing to see Kione speeding off with her into the darkness. He seemed to be heading toward the medical district. 

As he ran, Kione played "dodge the fangs" with Snowhawk, and he was losing horribly. The more she bit him, the weaker his grip became. Soon, just before he reached the medical district, she finally chomped down one last time, and made him drop her. She rolled away from him, then stood, ready to fight. Kione was not about to lose his prize, so faced her, also ready to take what ever she could throw at him.

With a growl, the feline formed Delphin rushed at the elder vampire. She extended her claws as she ran and soon lept at him. Kione caught her tail as he sidestepped her attack, then caught her small paw in his free hand as she slashed at him again. He released her tail and caught her opposing hand in his when she tried to claw her way free.

"Are you slowing down, mare?" he grinned. A quick release of her arm and a slap across the face was her reward for trying to bite him again.

"Hold still, you son of a bitch!" she growled, not really phased by his slap.

"If you're going to act like this, no, I think not."

The two tussled in the street, and were beginning to attract a crowd of night owls and folk awoken by the noise they made. Janus, Adian, Onyx, and Hunter soon emerged from the crowd of gawkers, but the two were too engaged in their tussle to notice them. Adian directed the two Delphin to move left and he and his brother then moved right.

Another figure could be seen in the crowd, his height giving him away. Alcom watched the two fighting for a moment, then began moving through the crowd. After he passed, the gawkers would turn and return home. Even the ones on their balconies went back inside after a glance from the ancient Delphin. Soon, they were the only ones left on the street.

As Snowhawk lunged at Kione again, Adian and Janus ran toward him. From the other side, seeing what the two Lupino were doing, Onyx and Hunter ran toward the fighting pair as well. Alcom stood back and watched.

Hunter grabbed Kione's arms and pulled them behind the vampire, then Onyx kicked Kione's legs out from under him. Janus grabbed Snowhawk and held her back as Adian strode toward the three Delphin.

"So what now?" Kione panted. "We've been through all of this before.   You pussy out and I get away."

The angry feline growled and broke free of Janus. She was tired of words ruining her peace. She quickly formed another icy sword and advanced on the group before her. "Hunter, back away," she commanded. Hunter complied and Onyx took over holding the vampire.

Adian stepped in front of Snowhawk. "You shouldn't do this."

"Then who will?!" she yelled. "I will never be at peace as long as he lives!"

Adian reached out to touch her shoulder, but she shrugged him off and walked around him.

"I see," Kione said, then struggled against the grip of the Guard.

Snowhawk shifted back to her Delphin form. She looked directly at Onyx. "Do whatever you need to do to keep me from healing him, should I revert to Emerald." The Guard nodded, understanding. With a moment of thought, Snowhawk changed the form of her icy blade. From a sword, it became two daggers. One she pressed against the vampire's neck, the other she pointed at his gut.

Kione smirked, but it was a terrified smirk as he struggled against Onyx. "So you've finally earned your name... Snow."

Snowhawk eased back only for a moment, then pressed the two daggers into their respective body parts.

Kione's blood gushed forth, and both Adian and Janus held onto Snowhawk as she fought an internal battle against Emerald. Onyx let the vampire fall to the dusty street and went to assist the two wolves. Hunter stepped in as well.

As Kione bleed out at their feet, the four held tightly onto the struggling Snowhawk. Alcom slowly walked to the group, first looking at Kione's body, then stepping up to Snowhawk. He touched her forehead, just below her horn, and she soon struggled less and less, then finally tried to collapse to her knees. Her fall was eased by those around her.

"They're gone," she finally said after several moments of silence.