The Cursed Shifters - Mateless

The Warehouse

The day went smoothly, before they knew it the group was gathered beside the cars loading their weapons in. Each wore their usual flat black tactical suit, made to fit them, move with them, and fit their particular skill set. Dre’s strong suit being brute strength his gear was sleeveless with cuffs on the arms to hold throwing weapons, cargo type pants, and a utility belt that he absolutely loved because he modeled it after Batman’s, complete with smoke bombs. Lennon’s suit was light and stretched easily to accommodate his speed, pants in boot cut and a long sleeve black shirt with a regular belt with holsters attached to it and a shoulder holster over his back. Michael’s gear blended Dre and Lennon’s together, he had cargo type pants full of various useful tools like fire starters and a small med pack in addition to his weapons, he wore the same stretchy black shirt as Lennon with the same shoulder holster. Both girls wore cat suits, both stretchy enough to allow for their acrobatic fighting style, thick enough to be decent and warm, with a heavy belt slug across their hips and latching to their thigh for their weapons. Shiloh’s varied from Bex’s a bit; the sleeves of Shiloh’s were not attached to the catsuit like Bex’s. Her suit came up like a tank top and the sleeves were a separate piece she had to pull over her head with a circle hood and a mask she could pull up to cover the bottom half of her face. It allowed her to contain her hair, hide her face, and fee movement of her arms. The leg her belt wasn’t strapped to had her throwing knives on it and she carried and longer throwing dart in her combat boot. Both girls combat boots had a zipper pocket on each boot that held smaller items. The group in their flat black tactical gear without the weapons on was enough to give anyone pause.

                                “Alright boys, what did you come up with for a distraction?” Shiloh sounded like a mom asking her teen boys what trouble they had gotten into this time and Dre broke out into a huge grin.

                                “Dre wanted a bomb, you told him you didn’t care if he blew up the front of the building and he took it seriously.” Michael said sheepishly.

                                “Oh lord, ok so stealth is not the game outside. I am sure it will be plenty distracting, should we expect the warehouse to collapse on us?” No one could tell from her tone if Bex was amused or annoyed.

                                “No, no of course not, I made a smaller bomb then what he wanted,” Dre looked disappointed at this information. “Far more feasible as we can basically throw it like lit dynamite,” He pulled his improvised bomb out of the trunk. “This Tannerite will explode with proper impact, if Dre can’t throw it hard enough because it is designed to be hit with a riffle round to trigger the explosion, we just have to shoot it, the Tannerite isn’t actually the bomb though more like the fuse, it will light the small flare that will set off this,” he pointed to the liquid inside. “All at once. It’s only a gallon so the explosion is equal to about ten sticks of dynamite. There should be a hell of a pyrotechnics show.” He was obviously proud of his design.

                                “So. we will be prepared for the flash and shifting of the building, sounds like a solid distraction for the vampires inside and any that see the explosion will be blinded temporarily. Alright, let’s go, Lennon, you’re in my car, we won’t be meeting up again until we are back home if this goes according to plan. Remember only use our private line if we need to communicate.” With that Shiloh closed the hatch on her jeep and climbed in starting the engine.  She was sinking her car radio to her phones Bluetooth and selecting her metal station on pandora when Lennon and Bex piled in. The music in Shiloh’s car varied greatly but it was always angry metal for these trips.

                                The drive went quickly, and Shiloh was turning the music off to both quiet her vehicle as she pulled onto the backroad in the woods behind the warehouse. She listened closely as she drove down the windy little one lane, nothing but animal noises greeted her, and their presence told her the vampires were not out here. That was perfect for them, no chance of one sending up a warning they were coming. She linked the guys in the other car “Do not forget to spray yourselves down with scent neutralizer, they don’t smell as well as we do but we will stick out and they will notice.” She could feel Dre rolling her eyes through the mind link and chuckled. “Don’t get overzealous Dre, I’ll tell you when we are in position and things can go boom.”

                                “Yes ma’am.” He mocked and Shiloh laughed aloud.

                                Her jeep coasted to a stop right where she had selected on the map and the three of them hopped out and went to the hatch to pull their weapons out. Knives, daggers, handguns, and Shiloh’s wrist mount cross bow all strapped on and adding a lot of weight. They had trained extensively with the added weight of their weapons, both in how to fight with them on and moving silently with the extra weight throwing them a bit off center. Once the three were fully armed the sprayed themselves down with scent neutralizer and began their trek through the woods in silence. One mile of woods to cross to get to the warehouse, full of sticks and leaves to crunch underfoot, it would have been easier to go in as wolves and shift just inside the woods but the risk of being scented or seen as they dressed was too high.  The warehouse came into view and guards could be seen milling about the perimeter of the building, they obviously believed there was no point to their job as they looked bored, and a couple even had their phones out. Shiloh wished she could see their faces when the building was attacked, she was sure they would be priceless. To the left of her there was a large oak tree with thick limbs that hung over the building, a much easier option then trying to dodge the guards and get up the side of the building.  Motioning to Bex and Lennon to follow she headed toward the tree and the three of them climbed, scaring a sleeping squirrel half to death when they passed his little hole in the tree. They slid out the thickest branch hanging over the warehouse and dropped silently to the roof, the hatch to Varesse’s loft was fifteen feet from them.

                                “Michael, we are on the roof walking toward the hatch, on the count of twenty set it off.” Lennon put his hands on the handle ready to jerk it hard enough to bust the latch, using the explosion to cover the sound. They heard the bomb flying through the air and Lennon braced, the thud and nothing, it didn’t hit with enough force. Vampires were shouting about the noise, and it sounded like a couple had walked over to look at the bomb asking what it was. Then a muffled gunshot and the sound of the Tannerite igniting, then the flare, Lennon focused wholly on the sounds of their bomb working and as soon as he heard the shift from the fuse to the explosion, he tore the door up breaking the lock and hinges. They dropped in quickly, giving only a split second for anyone in the room to realize the door was off before Shiloh was crouched on the floor, Bex behind her. Lennon followed suit when the girls stepped out of the way, Vareese was not in the room, but it was definitely his and, on the bed, snarling like a rabid dog was a tiny blonde, Shiloh recognized the smell of her as it filtered through her mask, the female that was missing the night before.

                                “You!” The vampire spat; her face contorted in pure rage. “I know it’s you under that mask you ginger b***h! I’ll tear you apart for what you did to them!” She was obviously enraged but she had only moved to her knees with her arms out to her sides and her hands held like claws, she had made no move to attack or even stand yet. Shiloh raked her shadow cast gaze over the unexpected interference.

                                “Find him, I won’t be long.” Her voice was cold, bored even, Bex and Lennon headed out the door and down the stairs to begin what would surely be a m******e as they searched for Vareese, leaving Shiloh with the enraged vampires. Shiloh pulled her mask down and her hood back showing the vampires her face, a mask of cool unremorseful calm.  “So sorry, was one of them your master? I suppose I am here to take another from you.” She wanted the vampires to attack first, she just needed to get her riled up enough.

                                “They were MINE!” Claudette growled finally prowling off the bed onto her feet. She couldn’t be more then five three, even shorter than Shiloh. “I made them, and you slaughtered them, tortured Tyler as you shredded him. I will make your death just as slow!” Over emotionally and dramatic Shiloh assessed.

                                “You know I did you a favor, he tasted awful and now you can find better looking options. I really don’t want to fight a child so if you could just move along, I’ll get back to what I am here for.” Shiloh turned her body slightly as if she was dismissing the vampire as a waste of time, that was the last push, insult to injury.

                                Claudette screamed in anger and lunged for Shiloh, but she was ready and came around with her left fist up in a clean straight punch to Claudette’s face. Shiloh could feel and hea4r the cartilage and the small bone at the bridge of the vampire’s nose crunch under her fist. Blood began to flow down her face but stopped quickly, her nose began to reform in front of Shiloh’s eyes. Old, she had to be old to heal that quickly. “Not a child, an old hag, well those changes things doesn’t it.” Claudette lunged again and Shiloh spun to the right out of her grip, her long red braid snapping behind her like a whip. A knife fisted in her hand, Shiloh threw her arm out straight driving the blade into Claudette’s spine at the small of her back, Claudette dropped to the ground having loss use of her legs and grabbed for the knife, with the blade in place she couldn’t heal those connections. Shiloh attacked again bringing another knife down to slit Claudette’s throat and finish the fight, but Claudette rolled toward her at the last second, it forced the knife deeper into her back but her throat was intact and she knocked Shiloh’s feet out from under her when she collided with Shi’s legs.

                                Flat on her stomach Shiloh pushed herself up with her arms getting back to her feet but the delay had given Claudette time to pry the knife from her spine and the nerves were beginning to heal. Shiloh growled, letting her Alpha through and Claudette flinched as she realized she wasn’t just facing a well-trained low-ranking wolf but a combat trained Alpha. Claudette snarled in defiance and used what use she had regained in her legs to kick for Shiloh’s stomach, Shiloh took the kick, unflinching, and grabbed Claudette’s leg, hitting it at the knee and breaking it before dropping it to the ground and prowling toward Claudette who was howling in pain, writhing on the floor.

                                Bex and Lennon were tearing through the warehouse, it was chaos, vampires running for the hole where the door used to be and flames now leapt, trying to get out before the entire warehouse went up in flames. The chaos made it easy for them to go through slaughtering everyone that crossed their path. Most were too horror stricken to even realize they were there until their head or heart was removed. The impending dawn was adding to their panic, get out before the sun or be burned alive. Then they heard him, Vareese shouting orders to his minions. Lennon headed straight for him while Bex continued the trail of s*******r, they would decrease the number of vampires who could reform this terrorist group. “VARESSE!” Lennon boomed as Vareese went to mount a dirt bike for a quick exit, he knew his warehouse was lost, he was running before the sun caught him. Vareese pause, looked at Lennon and smiled, before straightening.

                                “I suppose I have time to dispose of you before I leave. I assume you are responsible for this damage?” He was almost yelling over the chaos and screaming but still managed to ooze arrogance.

                                “Not at all, the boss lady is up there dealing with your feral little pet.” Lennon smirked, Vareese eyes shot up to his loft.

                                ‘Is it her? The redhead Claudette spoke of?’ He debated going back to take her now, the moment of thought cost him, Lennon attacked firing three shots to Vareese chest, each one narrowly missed his heart and Vareese was sure they were intended to. Vareese bared his teeth and snarled, letting that arrogant elegance slip. The two men charged for each other teeth and fangs bared. Vareese raked claw like nails across Lennon’s shoulder, tearing fabric and skin open at the same time as Lennon swung the vampire’s mouth, aiming to knock his fangs out. His punch met open air, too fast, Vareese was too fast.

                                “Silly pup, or is it silly fledgling? You are half vampire; I can see it in you. You are not nearly enough to defeated me.” Vareese taunted and came for Lennon again, toying with him he would attack and gash him open again and again. Lennon was bloody and fuming when he heard the shots ring out and echo through the warehouse. Vareese was throw back near his dirt bike as a shotgun blast collided with his chest. Lennon looked behind him and saw Bex holding a sawed-off shotgun that definitely did not belong to them. The sound of the dirt bike firing up had his attention snapping back to Vareese and Bex aimed the shotgun again intending to knock him from the bike.

                                Shiloh gnashed her teeth and let Fayrah come just under the surface, waiting, pacing. “You will die like your friends,” Shiloh growled in Claudette’s face. Fayrah came forward enough to partially shift Shiloh’s face and they tore Claudette’s throat out together. The woman was so small it took only two tearing bites from the half-shifted muzzle, Claudette’s gurgling screams, lost in the noise from bellow ceased almost as soon as they began. Fayrah receded back into Shiloh’s mind and her face returned to normal. Wiping the blood on her sleeve and pulling her hood and mask back on Shiloh stood and turned to leave when she heard a whimper in the room. She sniffed the air, too thick with the sickly-sweet vampire blood to smell anything. “Come out.” Shiloh’s tone left no room for objection and a terrified whimper sounded from the armoire to her right as the door creaked open. A girl stared back at Shiloh terrified, she wasn’t a vampire, but Shiloh couldn’t tell if she was wolf, shifter, or fairy through the filth caked over her. “You’re safe now, follow me and stay close, I’m going to get you out of here.”

                                Shiloh linked her team, “Everyone alive?”

                                “Yes, Dre and I are fine, just been in the trees picking off anyone who made it out. Someone got out on a dirt bike, but we couldn’t get a clear shot.”

                                “It was Vareese, Lennon is pretty beat up, Vareese did a number on him before he escaped but we are alive, and the vampires down here are not.” Bex was tense, distracted by trying to patch up the gaping slashes all over Lennon.

                                “Get back to the cars, Lennon go out the front and go back with Michael and Dre, Michael can patch you up while Dre drives. I’m bringing a hostage I found in Vareese’s room with me.”