Sylvie

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

Shaking uncontrollably at the turn of events, the double vampires pointed at the visible light in the space and then dropped to their knees smoldering. “Sun…liii…”  They whimpered in unison.

Sensing that they had the upper hand, Powell-wraith ordered the last of its subordinates to attack Martin. “The caretaker, overwhelm him and possess the fool.”  Gliding down the steps Powell-wraith got within inches of Jennifer and smiled. “You are the tool, fleshling.”  Spotting the unconscious Caroline to its left, the lead shadewraith emptied its pistol into Caroline’s head sending blood and bone debris across Jennifer’s face.  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 directions.  Every so often, the ward would connect 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, knew that 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 partner threateningly.  Choosing to use what strength he could muster, Martin sprang and tackled Powell-wraith and punched it 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!”  Martin felt two 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…mine after I’ve had a bit of fun.”  It made Martin’s body laugh.

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

Miles away from the attack, Archaios Enas responded to the shadewraith under her command.

{“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 laughing and left the Deputy Director’s body, causing it to fall lifeless onto the concrete floor in a puddle. “You are mine, little Jennifer shell.  Your usefulness has been extinguished 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 black 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, consuming it in the process.  Uncaring about its own existence, the creature consumed 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 communicated to its companions.

{“We have things handled here, you should join in the second prong.  The one that 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 another fight.  Perhaps use this shell to infiltrate the nightstalker’s lair.”}

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 laid bare to me…and yet it still struggles as I strangle its force in my grip.”

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

Groaning and holding her stomach, 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 flared 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 containers, 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 magic and traveled quickly along the streams that were holding the two beasts. A few seconds later, the combination of magic and dust made the two shadewraiths drop to the ground with a heavy thud.  Stunned in place like their other dead brethren, the two formed wicked mouths with rows of silvery fangs and began laughing 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 horrific hand, it started pulling strands of shadowy mist from its body.  Dawning on her that the beast was splitting itself into another shadewraith, Jennifer exhaled as hard as she could.  Feeling the last of the powder leave her body, Jennifer watched the light cloud as it surrounded Martin’s head, forcing 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 landed on her back.  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 laughing, Jennifer spun around and tried to stand up, just to fall flat when one of her ankles twisted and popped.  Seconds later, the violet-haired woman heard the last laughs of her adversary and it ceased to exist. “Good riddance.”

-Jason “Jester”  Roderick-

With dawn approaching, Jester waved to the last of his personal customers with new tattoos and closed all the shutters to his establishment, dousing the building in complete darkness.  Flicking 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 coming in and wanting their ship name on their arm.”  Jester laughed and motioned for his two progeny to follow.  Once inside the office, the elder vampire took his seat and his other two vampires sat down in a couple of spare chairs. “Gentlemen, tomorrow night we'll be headed to Colonial Heights for the first re-established veil council.  I know the presumed leader fairly well, his name is Alan Brown.”  Jason scratched the top of his long brown hair, “I plan 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.”