Chapter 4 - Do Or Die Again?

Can't I get a fucking break here?!

I suppose I ought to be grateful I'm still existing but for fuck sake now what is trying to piss up the wall?!

I frown and look at the door, Rain lets go of my hand and retreats to the back of his cell. Smart boy. I have no idea what the hell is about to walk in through there and I'm currently about to force myself to stay awake during the day. Well cock. This is going to seriously put a crimp on my actual abilities.

The doors blow off their hinges and I hit the deck, shards of debris pepper the room and a couple of garou who aren't fast enough catch glancing blows. They'll heal, I can't afford to go on a healing spree at the moment. What I would like to know is why the hell I'm looking at a carbon copy of Rick Moranis spinning a set of keys around his fingers and grinning like he just won another Emmy. In fact I'm reading his aura right now, its pitch black with sparkles oh fuck me it's a mage.

As if that wasn't bad enough, now that dust is settling, he's got backup and FUCKING HELL!?! They grow that big?! I almost can't believe what I'm seeing as a BSD squeezes through the remains of the frame and it has to be at least 20 freaking feet tall. There's 2 more normal sized ones but god dammit, that fucker is HUGE!

"Well now, isn't this a quaint gathering? Good to see that you're all in one place. Makes my little errand here easier. So come on out Wyrmripper, I need that information. Give me it and I might let some of you live, the rest get a quick death at least." says the Rick Moranis lookalike.

Huh, pretty much a nice rundown of the situation there. We're fucked. Or maybe not. I know magic has a bit more difficulty effecting me and I'm a wildcard because there's no way this tit will have an idea what I actually am. So, looks like I'm gonna need to stick my fangs in here too. But for now, let's keep my ass down here on the floor and see how this plays on out.

The alpha picks himself up, growling loudly and his body shifts into his werewolf form. The three Black Spirals are watching him, but it appears that the mage is the one in charge here, interesting.

"Come now Wyrmripper, if you fight me, you'll only make things worse for everyone else here." and he holds up one the keys in his hand. There's a screeching sound and from the floor and walls, almost everywhere, there's silver chains flying out and binding everyone. I wince from the screams coming from the garou, they must be in agony. The chains wrap around my wrists too and pull taut. This isn't good, but they aren't that strong, I should be able to break them.

"All I want is that little bit of information locked away in that tiny bestial mind of yours. Surely you wouldn't want everyone else to suffer."

I'm finding it very difficult to take Rick seriously here. I know it's not the famous actor himself, but fucking hell it's really hard to actually see Seymour Krelborn barking out orders he's expecting to be followed without hesitation. Granted the screams and moans of pain from the rest of the pack is a nicely sobering thought which stops me from breaking out in guffaws right now.

So the alpha must be Wyrmripper. He's looking torn with what to do, can't say I envy him right now. I don't think this guy is planning on being nice with any choice he picks. But what Wyrmripper is doing right now is buying time to try and find a way out of this. Maybe I should try something? But what? That mage is fucking dangerous. I got lucky with knocking out the Black Spirals previously, but a mage's willpower is way beyond theirs, my anaesthetic touch probably won't work here. I seriously doubt I'm gonna be able to convince him to be kind enough to let me yank his soul out. Though the plus side is that he's still a mortal, so clocking him one across the jaw would probably do the trick, if I can get close enough. The big boy on the other hand would be a shit to deal with if my anaesthetic touch didn't work on him either.

Ok, first things first, use your blood Alias, let's get out the big guns and full power. Pump up your strength and ready with that dazzling speed you've built up. If I snap the chains and rush the bastard, I might be able to put him on the floor before the other muppet's get chance to get me. Need to rely on my magic resistance to keep me from getting blasted through several walls though. If this fucks up, I'm in trouble. But it would appear that's the theme at the moment.

I steady myself and half listen to Wyrmripper trying to negotiate with Rick, who's reminding Wyrmripper who's actually in charge. I charge forward when I feel my blood peak, ragging the chains with all my might and they snap as I suspected they would. Of course this gets their attention, but I'm already drawing out my Celerity speed, moving almost blurringly fast past the three Black Spiral's and raise my fist, bringing it straight across the shocked mage's face. I sock him one in the jaw and he goes careening backwards into wall, only for his body to shatter into dust.

Uh-oh. That was a fake! I rush to the side with the last of my speed, barely in time as the spot I was in moments ago is filled with silver spears.

"Well now, I didn't think any of you wolves had it in you. Looks like I was right to take a precaution."

"Well fuck" I mutter as Rick steps out from behind the remains of the door. The aura reading I'd done, I'd been too hasty and seen magic, it never occurred to me that it could be a puppet.

"Huh, you're not a werewolf, you're human and you possess some impressive speed and skills there. But I'm afraid I can't play with you today so do me a favour and stop breathing."

He waves another key at me and I hear a whooshing sound and my ears pop. Then my all the air in my lungs seems to rush through my mouth and out! He's just pulled all the air out around me. Big mistake, I don't need to breathe. However I should use this to my advantage. I immediately grasp my throat and make a strangulated sound before collapsing to my knees. I roll my eyes back and fall forwards, keeping my heart beat still and not breathing at all.

"Now that's sorted, we can get back to the business at hand. Now Wyrmripper, my patience is sorely tried with that little stunt. Give me the location of your Sept's headquarters or I'll rip each one of you apart and keep your souls in a jar!"

Sheesh, this guy is fucking nasty. But what the hell am I going to do now? I've blown a lot of blood with that stunt and I'm running low again. It doesn't feel like the air has returned around me, so maybe I can use that to take care of one of the Black Spirals. How I'm going to do that I'm not sure. Wait, I can still use missing voice, I don't need air for that. Maybe I could try copying his voice? No, it's not stressful a situation enough for them not to realise something was up. I could just get up and try tanking a few hits, but I don't have the blood spare for that either. My strength rush was still there, so I still have that, but apart from that I don't have much in the way of options.

"I'm tired of this and I don't really have the time to torture you all. Nor do I believe you'd give up the information even if slaughtered everyone here. So we'll do this the hard way and I'll rip the damn information from your mind!" snarls Rick.

Well that's not good. I've heard of mage's being able to do that, why does it not surprise me this one can do it too. I need to do something now or there's going to be 'no' later. Ok, voice time.

"ALPHA, look at me!" my voice rings out and Wyrmripper's eyes meet mine as I'm up on one knee.

"I can do the same with you as Rain! They won't get the information! "

"How the hell can you still be alive?" Rick looks at me with a mixture of animosity and confusion.

I ignore him and look straight at Wyrmripper, he looks doubtful, but either there's no other option or he trusts me as he gives a very quick nod. Gotta make this count! My third eye blazes as I reach out with my power and Wyrmripper's eyes go blank as his ethereal version steps forward and is sucked into me.

"I have his soul now mage. Your mind tricks won't work, destroy his body and you'll lose any chance at getting the information." I say as I step from the area where the air has vanished.

Rick glares at me, seething with anger. Then his face goes still and a malicious smile appears on it. Uh oh.

"Oh, is that so? Jotun! RESTRAIN HIM!"

Yeeek! The big one springs at me with some serious speed! I dive to the side and roll to my feet, but I'm not fast enough and he's got the better reach. A clawed hand grasps my arm and even with my strength boost, I'm not able to break free as he clasps me to his chest, his jaws parted and saliva dripping down onto me. Yeck.

"That was clever I grant you. But you're not the only one who can pull souls from their body."

Well shit, ain't this fucker a bag of tricks. I'm stuck and he's about to yank that soul outta me. Wait, this big bugger has got hold of me. Hehe, I have an idea.

I grin back at Rick and his smile slips a little.

"What's so funny?"

"G'night!" I grin at Rick and use my anaesthetic touch on Jotun. His eyes roll back and I feel his grip loosen. Rick looks up at Jotun and says "No!"

It's at that point I realise I'm a fucking moron. If I'd have thought this through, I'd have realised that he was leaning over me and knocking him out means he would go in the direction he was leaning. If I was still breathing, I'd have no air in my lungs when his form crashes atop mine and I'm pinned underneath a 20ft werewolf.

"Hehe, your mistake, my advantage" says Rick, yanking out a key and pointing it at me.

I wince and brace myself for the tug of war, only for the mage's gasp to make me look up as he's staring down at Jotun horrified. I glance at Jotun and realise he's slowly becoming transparent like... OH FUCK! I release Wyrmripper's soul quickly and it streaks back to his body as I feel Jotun's body and soul forcing its way into me.

I can't describe the pain of having something forced into your soul. I knew my soul was broken from becoming a vampire, but right that moment, the universe became a mesh of white, red and black as those are the closest things I could explain with how it felt. Pain was an understatement, I felt numb and agony at the same time. The beast within me screaming to get out only to feel like it was 'eaten' up by something. The bigger beast roared through me and then my world was nothing but blinding red.

Agony shot through my head and something dripped down the front of my face and onto the floor. Below me was an eye, looking back at me was my own eye! More red in my left eye, blood was dripping down my forehead. I began to panic and that was all it took for the bigger beast within me to scream it wanted loose. I couldn't hold it back, I couldn't hold on, my world exploded in red and then all I knew was darkness...

I woke up to pain. My body ached, my eyes were blurry, the light was too bright for me to actually open them. I could feel sound returning to my ears with a rush of blood, noises around me, but there's someone next to me breathing. My chest is burning, I take a gasping breath of air and I feel the blood pumping in my ears.

The shock is enough to clear the fog from my mind. I'm breathing! My heart is beating and moving the blood around my body! I sit up and automatically regret it, I hear a voice telling me to take it easy, but the nausea rushes through my body from sitting up too fast, the panicking and everything takes its toll on me as something rides up my throat and I retch it out onto the floor besides me. Oh god it burns, the smell of bile in my throat and nose makes me retch some more. The taste of blood as well lingers in my mouth as I spit out the last of whatever it was I just puked up.

Coolness spreads across my neck and I pant a little. My mind is reeling from real emotions and feelings as well the nausea ripping through my guts. I manage to blink enough to get my eyes to focus and I look up to see Rain stood beside's me, taking a piece of cold wet tissue that was draped across the back of my neck. It's enough to help me start gathering my thoughts and faculties.

"Are you alright Alias?"

I manage to groan a little and rub my eyes.

"I can feel everything. Oh god it's almost too much. My head is pounding, I can feel the blood pumping in my ears and my body aches. What happened to me?"

I look up to see Rain's face etched with worry, I can feel a pang in my own chest of guilt that I'm making him worry but at the same time I feel something else. I'm glad, glad someone is worried about me. Oh my, this is going to take some getting used to again.

"I don't... know exactly." He looks away, there's a look on his face that tells me he's hiding something.

"Okay, so what do you know or what's your best guess hun?"

He takes a breath and sighs "I don't know if I should be telling you this." he looks up and out of his cell. I realise then that I've been put in with him. I look out of the cell and see Wyrmripper and Soothing stood outside of there and looking back at me.

"Uhh, okay. Alpha? Soothing? Could you like, give me a clue here? I'm somehow alive again and I feel like shit. What's going on? The last thing I remember is the mage doing something and..." my eyes widen as I recall exactly what happened. The one known as Jotun was forced inside me, I felt his soul and mine being mashed together. It hurt like fuck and now I'm alive again, but why did I black out?

"You remember the part where you were being merged with Jotun I take it?" says Wyrmripper.

I nod "Yes, after that it all went black."

He nods back "That's what usually happens when you have your first change. You black out."

His words sink in slowly, first change? What could he mean... Oh. No way, it can't be?!

"You... you mean I'm?"

Soothing nods "You're apparently a garou now. You changed almost straight away and went after the mage. He kept trying to do things with those keys of his, but nothing seemed to work on you. He ran eventually as you mowed down the two bodyguards. We barely broke free and then you must have run out of steam or something because the next thing we knew you'd hit the deck and were unconscious."

I manage to nod and groan as my head throbs some more.

"Why didn't the mage's power affect you Alias?" says Wyrmripper.

I wince and look up at him "Something that occurs naturally with my body makes me resistant to magical abilities and spells. It was originally used to protect against vampiric magical influence, but I discovered it also works against mages. Its why I charged him off the bat, I was hoping to fuck him up before he could hit me with anything, but if he did I was the least likely for it to affect me. I didn't bank on him being a double. Sorry for being reckless."

Both Soothing and Wyrmripper look at each other.

"Regardless, you're now an even more special case. You've merged with a Black Spiral dancer. We can't detect wyrm in you, but we're still very concerned about this whole thing. However at the same time Alias, you've thrown yourself into help twice tonight, risking your neck for some people you've never met. I want to be grateful I really do."

I smirk and interrupt him "Hey, it's ok. I understand how difficult it is to actually trust in people. I know you're in a precarious position, otherwise I wouldn't be in the cell with Rain here. Right now I'm adjusting to being alive again, so I'll be over here, trying not to be a pain whilst Rain can keep me company. That way neither of us are gonna cause any trouble for you as we're in a cell."

Wyrmripper frowns and growls a little "Thank you for doing that Alias, however I'd prefer if you didn't interrupt me. We'll send for an elder of the Sept to give us some advice here, but we know we technically owe you one Alias."

I wince and actually feel a blush crawling up my cheeks without having to control it this time. It's such a strange sensation but one I welcome right now. Being alive again after all this time and a garou on top of that! Colt is bound to.... Fuck... Colt will probably try to kill me on sight. Not only have I not redeemed the fact that I devoured a soul, I'm now a garou and can't prove that I'm not the same as other vampires.

What the fuck am I going to do now?

I hear Soothing starting to say something, but I can't concentrate on what he's saying. The tears are hot as they stream down my cheeks. I look up at Soothing and manage to gulp in some air.

"I'm sorry Soothing, I didn't hear you. I... I think I..." my next words are choked by a sob as my body shudders. The sorrow pouring from my eyes and gentle choked sobs as I can't get the thoughts of Colt and Leonis out of my mind. I placed my head in my hands and wait for the sobbing to abate. I feel awful, like my heart is trying to leave my body.

I don't make sense of anything I hear. I hear Soothing saying something to Rain, but I can't stop crying, I feel tired, my eyes, my body I feel worn out. I think I remember lying down.