She came over without preamble to lay beside him. She knew she was a bit too close to him for decency but she was beyond caring. He was warm and his nearness made her feel safer. Sleep did not come easy though. The crypt floor was hard and cold and even the blankets Rikter had laid out for them did little to combat that. Exhaustion eventually won out though and she drifted off.

She did not have pleasant dreams though. She moved restlessly in her sleep and at some point in the night she rolled over to huddled against Rikter. It was clearly unintentional but no less intimate for that. She threw an arm around him and held fast to him like he was a life line. She was a little embarrassed when she woke to find herself twind about him so. She sat up abruptly and blushed prettily. "Oh, I'm sorry... I hope I wasn't crushing you."

He watched her reaction, saw the blush steal over her features and thought of something witty to say though nothing came to mind that wouldn't embarrass her further. He just grinned, stupid as it was he couldn't help it. “No, you weren't.”

There was little to eat just some fruit. After which he packed up their things and even left the structure so she could get dressed then slipped back inside t do the same himself before transporting the trunk with them as they walked. It was a nice day and she noted that Rikter wasn't wearing his sword now. Maybe he wore it at night because he may have vampires to deal with or didn't wear it now because it would draw less attention.

Waiting outside the cemetery it wouldn't be long before their carriage came to pick them up. The arrangements he made had to be odd she guessed. But they had a little time on their hands as they waited. Instead of talk about alphas, werewolves vampires and other things that went bump in the night he asked her simpler questions either thinking she needed a distraction or would soon have her fill with such things.

He asked about her music, about her latest concert, if there had been anything new she had been working on. She could tell he knew a little about music, not much but more than the average person. When he had filtered through his questions he had gazed at her, nodded then made a head motion to their carriage as it came into view down the road.

“Any last minute questions?” It was clear that he had the next few hours planned out at least but only shared a slight over view with her thus far.

She did not miss his grin but she was glad he did not tease her like he did last night. Flirting was one thing but she barely knew this man. She was thankful he was an gentleman and had not taken her unconscious movements as an invitation. She had been made too aware of her own vulnerabilities last night. She didn't need them to be compounded.

They ate and went about the business of preparing to leave. He had brought her a change of clothes, of which she was grateful for, and waited outside for her to change. Then they headed off to meet the carriage he had ordered. He tried to distract her with small talk but she was preoccupied with thoughts of her future. She had a life and a career here but this fiasco had thrown everything into disarray. Would it ever go back to normal? What was she to do if it didn't?

The carriage arrived and Rikter helped her up into it. He asked if she had any further questions for him as he followed her in. "Hundreds but I suppose the first question is where we are going? You said would would need to leave the country. Where did you have in mind? And do you think we will return? I have things in my apartment that I will need if we are leaving indefinitely."

“Not far. The next town over. If the info we look into is promising then we may not have to leave the country but we may be out of the county for a bit. It is a bit tricky to discern right now even if my brother is dealt with the motives of the res of his nest can vary.

“Essentially a sired vampire is under the thrall of it's creator. It has free will to a point, it cannot go contrary against orders or attempt to confront the master. There are sneaky things it could do to circumvent this but more or less it has restrictions. When the Master is vanquished the underlings become free willed.

“In this case the problem is compounded, get rid of one cause others to spring up. Often this is dealt with wiping out the entire nest at once. Most vampires have small nests to conceal their natures easier. Adalstan's is a bit different. Most are aristocrats and can afford to cover things up. However, there is no telling if my brother keeps them in check. Either they are normally so scattered that they do not draw much attention or he does. I have a few ideas.”

He did not discuss them, however, not wishing to get her hopes up before they learned anything. When they arrived at their destination she would find that they were at a tower greeted by a middle aged man. The place had been full of books and musty old tomes.

He was introduced to her as Bradly, a man that had been into the occult given the decor of the place. “Basically I need you to show Nell anything concerning the Alphas you have.” There had been a silence. “Werewolves.”

There was a bit of recognition in that, Bradly glanced to her and looked again probably wondering if she had been infected if he believed in that sort of stuff or gauging her interest in the material and folklore.

“Is there anything else?” Rikter gazed at her, apparently he may have had plans of his own to look into.

She was less than enthused about the idea of being left alone to read a bunch of dusty books about Werewolves but she didn't object. "Do you want me looking for something specific? I know it is my supposed heritage but I'm not sure how reading books about Alphas will help me become a better one." Adalstan had said that there was some ritual to awaken her abilities. She could research that, she supposed. Maybe she could overcome his thrall then. She didn't like how easily he could control her when she was with him.

Bradly gave her an inquisitive look at that, perhaps he had been worried too as he shot a glance to Rikter who just acknowledged the look with a nod.

“Nothing specific.”

She had been shown to a stack of books. Most of it had been various folklore, tales of vulnerabilities, treating the curse of lycantrophy and other matters that contradicted these stories indicating that werewolves were a species that could not transmit their condition but rather beings born with it. Other stuff indicated that they were not shape shifters at all, some had. Some indicated shape shifting through donning wolf belts.

Things were a bit unclear but there had been something consistent about the wild children, people raised by wolf packs that degenerated in a sense taking on the qualities of wolves. There had been stories about such children reared by wild animals and what she found seemed consistent.

What she found about Alphas seemed consistent for the most part too. Each pack had two, male and female. The toughest of the pack. The male and his mate. What she found that had been somewhat interesting had been the plethora of information that all came together. While the legends had been unclear there had been the factual stuff too like humans taking on the qualities of animals, regressing and becoming more animalistic. Crawling rather than walking, losing the ability to communicate like normal and so forth. Then in one such book she found that the wolves in a pack began to look toward the humans that they assimilated … that the humans, despite being weaker became alphas in many cases.

Theories indicated that they took on animalistic properties but some retained the intellect of humans, those that learned to blend the two became stronger. They could use tools and advanced. There had been stuff that indicated that they taught the others … was that what occurred with Luke there seemed to be an intelligence there.

Were the human alphas just humans and the werewolves their own species? No shape shifting at all. It was a bit unclear and confusing. Most things contradicted one another, but there seemed to be something consistence. Something about regression and suppressing one's nature unlocked by coming in contact with an alpha, as if their was some sort of genetic memory passed along among those that could trace their bloodlines back to alphas of the human variety reared by wolves. There had been a few cases where people were recovered after becoming fused with a pack and it was the best explanation she could think of, that someone in her bloodline became an alpha, was saved and she was removed from that state. Yet lacked any real understanding of that trait until brought back into contact with another alpha. At least that was what she came away with but the case study was limited, hardly studied at all.

As confusing as it was she was roused from her readings when she heard the door of the tower being opened, their was a jingle from the bell affixed to it. There was some commotion soon after, something falling or being knocked over. ”Oh, Nell!” Someone called out loud enough to gather her attention, foot falls echoing slowly as the man came forth searching for her.

Nell waded through the book after book. There was an wealth of information but it was often conflicting. It was impossible for her to sort the fact from the fiction. It was all very interesting but she wasn't really sure how helpful any of it would be and she wasn't finding anything about how to awaken her Alpha abilities. At least, nothing short of becoming an outright werewolf. She wasn't sure she liked that idea any more than becoming a vampire but at least that would save her from being turned into Adalstan's puppet bride.

She heard the jiggling of bells as the front door to the tower opened. She thought nothing of it at first but them she sounds of a muttered scuffle and a dull thud as something, or someone, hit the floor. She tenses, listening for further sounds of danger. That's when the newcomer called out to her. She was on her feet in the next breath. She wasn't sure who the caller was but only Rikter and Bradly should know she was here. Had they been followed from town or did Adalstan have some other way of tracking her?

She didn't have time to ponder that. She had to hide. She had no idea where Rikter was now. She hoped he was still in the building and not the body she thought she heard hitting the floor a little while ago. She looked around her for a good hiding place but mostly just saw book shelves. She frowned, wondering if she had time to climb up one and hide atop it. Probably not. Plus it might be noisy. She headed to the back of the room, through the maze of shelves. Maybe she could wait until the person entered and sneak passed him to the exit. She crouched low and trode as quietly as possible and tried to stay out of sight until an opportunity to escape presented itself.

She moved further into the room. The place was like a library, floor upon floor of book shelves. Either Rikter was the one that hit the floor or had been on one of the upper levels. She was on the ground level, there were windows. Each had been much too small to pass through without a good deal of squeezing being rectangular in shape and high up where getting to stand on something to even attempt to pass through had been next to impossible.

Climbing a bookcase certainly looked possible. Each appeared to be in good condition and sturdy but she ruled it out given the nose factor that it might entail, that and getting stuck up there should she be discovered. Further back she moved into the room. She heard as this stranger walked into the room.

He stopped by the desk where she had been sitting. She could hear him close one of the books then call out to her again. Clearly he knew that she was here or had a great suspicion.

“Come out, come out wherever you are.” She heard him as he walked further into the room. Slowly, listening for her whether breathing or movement. As hidden as she was with the plethora of bookshelves she was unable to see him too. She had a vague idea as to where he was. A few times he changed direction hearing her move or getting a feeling.

She worked her way back into the room then moved along the wall trying to circle back towards the door. In time though he figured out what she was doing and cut her off forcing her to move back in the other direction. Would he do the same as he honed in on her location? It was as if they were on opposite sides of a table and he was trying to get at her forcing her to run to the opposite side. Only that they could not see one another.

“Look, the longer you draw this out the worse it will be. Adalstan didn't even send me.”

Who ever this man was she had no doubt he was an advisory. He claimed not to have been sent by Adalstan but that didn't mean he was a friend. She couldn't ignore that predatory note in his taunts, plus he had almost certainly knocked either Rikter or Bradly upon entering the tower. Not the behavior of an ally.

Still, he was blocking her most likely exit. She needed to stall him so she could either find another way out or buy time for either Bradly or Rikter, whichever was still conscious, to come to her rescue. So, she decided to answer him. Hoping to keep him talking while she looked for another way out. "Who are you then and what do you want with me?" She called over the shelves then tiptoed hurriedly to a different spot in cased he tried to rush her.

He did not rush her but she did hear him get a little closer. She moved and he didn't as if guessing where she had moved toward. “Me? I am no one really. A loop hole describes me best. I personally have no real interest in you, other than the completion of my assignment.”

Not much of an answer. He began moving again guessing right by the sounds of it. It had been tough to know if he had been aware of it or not. She had to decide if moving was in her best interest or if it had been better to remain in place and hope he simply passed her by and gave her an opportunity to the door.

He paused, there was a crash on the floor above them, which was their ceiling. “Did you hear that Nell? No sound of a disturbance, just one crash to the floor.

“No struggle. Your boyfriend is dead, surprised and taken out with a single blow. No help will be coming and soon there will be another one of us here. You can't afford to remain hidden. Come out now and I promise to make it quick.”

He began moving once more, closer now but it was clear that he still had not located her yet.

Her heart lurched. There was more than one of the bastards. She wasn't sure she believed him about Rikter being dead. She had a feeling that man would not be so easy to kill. Still, she was done talking. Whoever this man and his gang was they didn't want nice thing for her. His last statement, in fact, gave her the suspicion that he intended to kill her. She wasn't going to wait around for that.

She slipped off her shoes to carry and pulled a sizeable book from the shelf in front of her. She then chucked the book at an end table stacked with more tomes across the way. The books crashed to the floor as she had intended. She waited for a moment to see if he would take the bait. Once she was sure he was moving towards her diversion she started to move in the opposite direction and around another bookcase. She was hoping that creeping around in her stockings was making her harder to track. She needed to get around this guy and to the doors before his buddies showed up to help him search.

He had not moved at first, almost as if he had been torn in distinguishing if that had been her or a book. He seemed to be cagey enough not to fall for the rouse straight away but in the end he headed toward it as she made her way toward the doorway.

His pace was slow she noted as if he was giving himself enough time to double back if he had been wrong or heard anything. Fortune had been with her as he had not heard and she managed to get to the door. But that was where fortune ended. A second man appeared ahead of her before she managed to pass through.

A young man holding a bloody sword. Caught by surprise that was the only saving grace from being run through straight away. He then grinned either he recognized her as their target or he had other more nefarious things on his mind.

“Now what do we have here?” Her luck was growing worse as the original assailant was making his way toward her doubling back after checking out her rouse. The man stepped casually toward her with his sword angled at her in a threatening manner. It seemed as if he was going to take his time, she was stuck between the two now or at least that was how it may have gone if the man didn't display a surprised look as six inches of steel pierced his torso.

Falling toward the floor she could see Rikter standing there just as she heard the other man rushing toward her.

“May I cut in?” A portion of his lower left abdomen had been pierced, she could clearly see the slashed cloth and the circle of blood soaked into it. “Get behind me, unless you're calling dibs on this one.” He grinned, grimacing in pain then gestured her out of the way with his blade preparing to take on the rushing one.

She was overjoyed to see Rikter alive and well again. She hadn't really believed the assassins had killed him but they could have incapacitated him. She doubtless would have been dead or worse if he hadn't shown up when he did. "Oh, by all means." She said as she moved behind him. "I'd prefer to wait for a more civilized partner."

"Be careful. There is another one in there as well." She warned as she turned to watch behind them in case there were more coming. "I'm not sure who he is but he claimed that he and his men are not working for Adalstan."

He nodded. The first target went down easy enough. It was the second where the back and forth went on for a bit. It was clear that Rikter suffered from his injury and once they had disengaged to reassess one another his off hand dropped to his belt.

“Forget this!” The enemy noticed about the same time she had and made a lunge forward but didn't manage to get very far before he was shut dead. He dropped to a knee, sucking up air for a moment.

“There not Alsatian's. Their agents from the other vampires, human assassins. The vamps can't go against my brother directly.” Pushing himself up to his feet he turned and smiled, concerned that the she would have drawn more of them he looked to the open door. “Loopholes ...” He shuck his head, took her by the wrist and headed out of there. Easily cutting down two others that came into the building without breaking stride.

“There is a forest near here but sadly we'll have to travel by foot. Unless you wish to stay. I have a pretty good idea as to why the assassins want you dead.” As he spoke he reloaded the weapon, gave it to her as her again as he did in the cemetery the night before.

“Things get a bit easier soon, I promise.”

She let him lead her from the building but his words sobered her and she lost her jovial tone. "Will it really get easier?" She asked seriously. "There were a lot of vampires at your brother's party, Rikter. Even if we stop him from hunting me the others might continue to come after me. Wanting to use me like Adalstan or kill me so no one else can. How are we going to end this in a way that doesn't result in my having to spend the rest of my life running?" Or was that what was supposed to get easier? The running.