This was the last position Dakk thought he'd be in.

Hung up in wires about a foot off the ground, pretty much immobilized, and trapped in an abandoned building with no help coming. To top it off, his helmet and sword was on the ground in front of him. He was pretty much dead meat it seemed.

Yet he still had a sense of humor. "Yeah well, least they'll find my body without any trouble."

As he looked around, Dakk noticed to no surprise that it was dark and dusty, but there was a distinct smell of ashes in the air, which was bizarre in and of its own. Dakk tried to worm himself out again, but much like the last few times he tried it was the same. He was tightly in place. Stuck.

"And to think all I was doing was chasing a 'strange looking person' around the harbor. I chase this person through the buildings and for some damn reason I end up pissing off the cops. They mistake me for the person in question and send all sorts of crap at me, and the next thing I know, I fall through the floor and get all tied up. Yup, my night is just dandy, alright," Dakk complained. He didn't normally complain but when the night goes from standard to bad to worse, you have more than a simple right to rant.

Dakk's eyes went wide when he suddenly fell to the ground. He was able to land on his knees; the wires that had been holding him up smacked his back. He got to his feet, "Well, nice to hang around, but better get going before the boys in blue come looking for me."

Not that he was in trouble, just the unfortunate victim of misunderstanding which made the situation even more ridiculous.

Dakk gathered up his items on the floor and put them back in place. His Slayer helmet was put back on his head and his sword was back in its sheath on his left hip. The entire building was a warehouse and from the looks of it in derelict condition. The ceilings were caving in, the walls were cracked and moldy and the floors were like walking on holey ground. It was full of holes and hard to walk through.

Dakk carefully went through each room and he went down some stairs. Even though he was armed and protected by armor, Dakk couldn't help but feel a bit creeped out by the atmosphere. The placed reeked of fire and tragedy.

The slayer went on and came to a long hallway-

-and was promptly shot at from the opposite end of said hall.

"Shoot!" He dodged the bullets and hid behind the wall. "Hey! I'm a Slayer!"

No response save for another volley of fire. The walls weren't really helping with blocking bullets, as Dakk felt more than one go through the wood and plaster. If it weren't for the helmet he wore, his head would have been riddled with them.

But Dakk was confused. Cops normally gave out warnings or orders to surrender, these guys just fired on him on sight pretty much. With that behavior they weren't really doing their jobs were they.

Dakk pulled his sword out and was ready to book it away from the spot when that familiar smell of burning ash came to his nose again. Being in a building that was in a fire a long time ago the smell was gonna be constant, but this was different...it was a stronger smell. Like newly burnt wood...which was out of place right now, but it was soon replaced with a much more unbearable smell that made the Slayer's stomach churn.

Dakk then noticed something else.

The guns stopped firing, and he poked his head down the hall, seeing someone lying in the entrance to the hall.

He stood up, sword in hand and slowly walked down the hall, the wooden floor creaking under his feet. He reached the end of the hall and saw one body, a man, dead with a large scorch mark on his back. It went past the Kevlar armor he wore and down past his skin and into his innards. Dakk had seen some bad stuff in his career, but this was sick already.

No as much as it was in the next room, with three more bodies all burnt to a crisp. That was where the nastier smell came from. The men were armed with assault rifles, but from what their clothes looked like they were not law-enforcement officers. Not at all.

"Damn...what could have done this...?"

Then it came again. The ash-like stench again, and Dakk looked straight ahead and saw a woman with waist length grayish white hair standing in the middle of the room, like at least ten feet away from where he stood.

Not saying a word, Dakk raised his left hand and pressed a button his helmet, "Scan object." The circuitry in the helmet began its work and Dakk got a magnified view of whom or what he was looking at.

Though she had her back to him, he knew it was a woman because she wore a dress. Well, one could call it a dress when it was in actuality a chain mesh fence shaped like a ball gown from old times except that it was open in the front and flowed unnaturally. Dakk also saw that whoever she was had long legs that were white as snow, and she was barefoot. She wore a black corset peppered with grey dots, and before he could say a word, she turned to slowly face him.

From the front all Dakk could use to describe what he was seeing was a single word.

"Damn..."

The corset this woman wore was tight, accentuating the fullness of her breasts held by the corset. In fact, Dakk couldn't help but notice that she had an hourglass figure and had curves in all the right places. Her arms were covered from her elbow to her fingers in black lace gloves. She wore nothing else, save for what looked to be a mask on her face. The features it showed, simple expressionless face, reminded him of those creepy porcelain dolls that were in horror movies. Nonetheless she was extremely attractive in his mind...

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

The strange woman said nothing, but from behind Dakk he heard many footsteps and the lights from multiple flashlights shining past him.

"Put your hands in the air! Now!"

'Okay, now those are cops...' Dakk thought sarcastically, raising his hands to his shoulders and turning around. "You guys mind? I know you have a job to do but would you please be kind enough to let me do mine?"

The slayer didn't think they'd actually listen to him, but he did distract them so he could quickly draw his sword and slice the upper portion of the doorway. This caused a minor collapse that made the ceiling fall and effectively block the doorway.

"That should keep them out, now, where were we-" Dakk turned around and noticed that the woman was already beginning to run away. He sighed, wondering how he always got stuck chasing after strange women*, before taking off after her.

He went to where she had been standing and found a stairway that went up. He just went up and up until he reached the roof. He didn't have to look far for the woman; she stood at the far end of the roof, standing on the ledge looking right at the slayer.

"You better not be thinking of jumping on me, I still have questions for you to answer," Dakk said, ready to jump and grab her if she even looked as if she wanted to jump.

She moved slowly but gracefully, walking along the ledge to her left, her face looking down at her feet before she stopped and returned her gaze to Dakk. She extended her hand, as if she was offering it to the Slayer.

Dakk smiled from within his helmet, "I take it you want to talk now. Albright then-"

A shot rang out, and Dakk felt a sharp ping of pain go through his left side just above his hip. He screamed out and fell to a knee, his left hand grabbing where he was shot, and he could feel blood flowing from the wound. "Dammit! What the hell!?" Turning his head to the door leading downstairs, Dakk saw some men dressed in swat gear storming onto the roof.

'Great...'

There were at least a dozen or more of them, all in a straight line and armed with semi-automatic weapons. Even as good as he was in terms of fighting Dakk was in no condition to fight. He was in even bigger trouble than before. He looked back to where the woman was standing but she somehow moved to stand next to him. Sucking in a great amount of air, Dakk was able to stand up on his feet, and he saw that the woman was looking right at him. Being this close to her Dakk noticed that she smelled like freshly burnt firewood. Her eyes were all black too, which he found to be slightly creepy. To top it off he noticed that it was indeed a mask she was wearing on her face.

"Looks like the end of the road here sweetie," Dakk said, trying to make light of the fact that he was caught.

The woman still remained silent, but she raised her hand like she did before, and snapped her fingers.

What happened next was that a large wall of flame came between herself, Dakk, and the SWAT team. The men started crying out in the sudden appearance of the inferno and Dakk had to take a step back because of the heat. He was also shocked to see what had just happened.

'That explains why she smells like ashes then,' Dakk thought.

Too bad the wall of flame dissipated as quickly as it appeared, and the SWAT team promptly raised their guns-

-but Dakk was able to grab the woman and, having no other clear ideas as to what to do, they ran the few feet and promptly jumped over the ledge of the building.

The SWAT team went and ran up to the ledge, looking over the edge to see nothing but an empty street twelve stories below.

Steering clear of the windows, Dakk kept a hold of the woman and hid in the shadows. "That was close..."

He kept one hand on the woman and his left hand was still covering his wound from earlier. He was in pain, but he had to try and block it out. He was also surprised that his acrobatics had not failed him up on the roof. He had jumped over the ledge, but he found a smaller ledge that had just happened to be right under them. Sneaking inside, Dakk had to stop and count his lucky stars. Any little mistake he would have been kissing his life goodbye.

"Guess I can call myself lucky...again..." Dakk said as he slid down the wall and sat on the floor. He took off his helmet and set it on his right side. Dakk noticed that this side of the building had power as the lights were still on, but the room was vacant. Must have been home to some homeless.

Dakk was taking quick breaths; he was in so much pain that it was ridiculous. The bleeding had stopped, but it was still painful. "Still can't believe I got freakin' shot..."

He closed his eyes for a split second, and when he opened them again he saw the woman standing over him right at his feet. She was looking down at him with her hands on her stomach. This strange yet beautiful woman who seemed to be able to control fire with her hands.

Dakk was kind of wondering why she hadn't taken off when she had had the chance. He wouldn't have been able to catch up to her in his condition, no way. "So, what's up with the mask? Got something you have to hide?"

As silent as the grave, she remained quiet. Instead she stepped over the Slayer's legs and sat down, straddling his lap. Dakk was wide eyed and wasn't expecting that whatsoever. "Eh...what do you think you are doing...?"

Her left hand went to his chin, one of her fingers pressed against his lips, as if she was silencing him. Her right hand went to his left side, finding the hand that covered his gun wound. She pulled that away with relative ease, somehow being strong enough to takes his hand away. She raised her right hand again, and a fireball appeared to hover above her palm. She clenched her fist and the ball disappeared. When she opened her fist again, Dakk could hear the sizzling and see the steam coming from her hand.

And for this reason he kind of got the idea of what was going on, and he didn't really like it at all. However, he was pinned to the wall; he didn't have any say in the matter. 'This is gonna hurt-'

Sure enough it did. When her hand touched his wound it was so painful he started shouting out obscenities. Every word in the dictionary that he would never say in front of others. She wasn't even pressing on it, just lightly touching it. Squirming under her weight, Dakk by reflex had his left hand grab her wrist to try and pull her away, but as strong as he was he couldn't get her to budge. The wound was sizzling and smoking, but it was sealed and it would be alright, too bad Dakk was gonna be feeling it for quite awhile.

Fifteen to twenty seconds after she started, the woman pulled her hand away and Dakk leaned forward, too worn out to shout any more. His head leaned on her left shoulder, his breathing heavy, "Dammit...that hurt...but thanks..."

His right hand drifted off to his side, feeling along the floor for his sword, but the woman grabbed his wrist, and even though it was not the hand that she had used to seal his wound, it felt warm when it touched him it was like a heater.

Dakk felt himself pushed back against the wall; the woman's other hand pressing the center of his chest. She was stronger than she looked, such a person should not have been able to be stronger than him, but Dakk wasn't exactly in the best position to fight.

He was at her mercy, but he wasn't gonna be silent for her. "Better hurry up princess, do what you got to do so I can get going."

The woman put her right hand under his chin and lift it up. Her mask was almost touching the tip of Dakk's nose, and she was looking into his blue eyes behind the black eyes of the white glass mask. It appeared that she was inspecting him, like a scientist to an experiment.

Her left hand came up to her face and, slowly, pulled the mask off of her face.

Dakk's eyes went wide at what he saw. From behind the porcelain mask he saw what could only be described as pure beauty. Slender and youthful, and though as white as the rest of her body it was still breathtaking. Her lips were full, covered with a thin layer of black lipstick, cheeks alight with pink blush, her eyes not as black as Dakk had thought instead silver irises and instead of white in her eyes it was black as night.

She laid her mask on the floor next to the Slayer's helmet, and Dakk found himself captivated by this mysterious woman, who he was now sure was not entirely-if she was at all-human. His hands went to her hips and tried to push her off in an effort to protest, he was unsure what she was going to do, if she was gonna hurt him or just toy with him he didn't know. All he did know was that he was unable to move, her strength far superior to his own as she held him in place.

He watched her, looking for any sort of way he could at least attempt to read what she was thinking. He saw nothing that could give him an answer.

While searching for an answer, he noticed that she reached for her corset, her slim fingers between her breasts, pulling out a small tube. A lipstick tube. She opened it, using it to put a fresh coat of black lipstick on her luscious lips. She didn't take her eyes off of the Slayer, not even when she put the vial back in between her breasts.

"What are you doing-" He never got to finish, since he was soon met with silence the woman leaned in and her lips began touching his. It was so sudden that the Slayer wasn't able to do anything but feel the softness of her lips. The kiss was soft and slow, the silver eyed seductress was not rushing herself, and she was taking her time with her captive. Dakk was overcome by her body, and her scent of fresh ashes.

Her lips were on his for a few seconds before she parted from Dakk so he could breathe. She also needed air, her impressive chest heaving with each gulp of oxygen. Her hands were on his shoulders before going to his neck, she once again kissed him with the same amount of fervor she had done before. It didn't appear to be lustful or rushed nor deliberate, instead slow and if one would believe it to be passionate. She gave a light moan of pleasure, the first sound she had ever made in his presence, and she seemed to be enjoying what she was doing.

And Dakk Tribal was taking it, not much choice in the matter as she had him pretty much immobilized. After a few seconds she pulled back, Dakk's head back against the wall. He was heaving from what one could call the one sided make out session. He saw her looking at him with those mystic silver eyes, appearing almost child-like as she blinked once at the Slayer. She leaned in, Dakk thinking she was going for round two, but instead she went past his face and went to his ear.

"You can call me Ashelia..."

Dakk's eyes moved along with the woman, Ashelia as she called herself, as she leaned back and ran a hand from his chest to his cheek and then to his chin, making him look up at her.

Her voice echoed in his mind, "My debt is not yet paid." She finally started to stand up, feeling started to return to Dakk's legs since she had been sitting on them for an untold amount of minutes. Ashelia stepped back a few feet and turned away as the Slayer got to his feet. Dakk was clutching his left side, the pain still apparent and he was nearly hunched over to help deal with it, using his sword like a cane.

"Debt? What do you mean?"

Ashelia kept on walking, her bare feet kicking up debris on the floor as she walked. She walked gracefully before she turned around, her mask in her right hand, "I hope we meet again, Slayer." With her free hand she blew him a kiss, and put her mask back on her lovely face.

Dakk bent down to pick up his helmet, and when he stood back up he saw that Ashelia was gone. Not exactly knowing what was going on, the Slayer wiped his lips with his wrist, noticing that he had a mixture of grey ash and smudges from the strange woman's lipstick. The Slayer had to smirk, no real reason to do so as he had failed to apprehend the stranger he had been after hours before, and this Ashelia had fit the description of 'strange'.

2: Dancing on Halloween Night

The night was cold, light frost on the pavement of the sidewalks and roads, giving the city of Crystal Cove a genuine sparkle in the moonlight. Beginning of November was usual for this cold weather to happen, but Dakk didn't notice it thanks to his thermal clothes under his combat suit.

Being on a rooftop in the middle of the night looked as if the demon slayer was looking to get ill, but he didn't really care at the moment. He was more concerned with hearing what was going on over the scanners his helmet was giving him. Police dispatch was all over the place tonight for some reason, even though it wasn't past midnight yet. Usual calls made for drunken incidents, a car accident, and some rowdy teenagers busting up a bar downtown, but nothing that had gotten his attention. "Then again, singling out people in white coats is not in the job description for a cop I'm sure," Dakk thought as he looked down at the street below him. In this part of the city it was quiet, more than likely due to the cold. Trick-or-Treating was over at eight, and it was less than an hour away from midnight, so unless you knew how to drive you weren't outside at this time of night.

But as a Slayer, Dakk's job didn't stop because of weather. He had already been called onto three possible cases of Shadows causing a ruckus in a Halloween party. That was dealt with rather quickly, and Dakk didn't have to use his sword much. After that all action seemed to stop, and now the Slayer was doing his usual activity of waiting for a call. Dakk hated waiting, he needed to get going before he became an ice statue.

Inside his helmet, the heads-up-display was giving him information on the mysterious individual known only as Number VI. Having fought this person or whatever he was and lived to tell about it, Dakk became something akin to possessed in finding out more about him. Too bad all he knew was that he wore a number VI, wore a white coat, and that he had the ability to fire energy orbs that exploded on impact with anything. 'That and he could talk right to my brain, that is and of itself was creepy.' Dakk thought.

Dakk shrugged his shoulders, the muscles in his arms beginning to activate after being still for so long, "Think I'll just call it a night, get up in the morning and try again." He ran to the back of the roof and went down the emergency ladder, sliding down the metal and landing on his feet next to his motorbike.

And that's when he noticed the two men standing next to it.

Not knowing what was going on, the Slayer put his hands on his hips, the hand on his right hip touching the scabbard that held his sword. The men wore black suits with white ties, but they also wore what appeared to be masks. Black and white masks that covered the entire face. "Okay, you guys don't look like cops."

Both of them towered over Dakk, and he wasn't a small man by any means. The first one, who had diamonds over the eye holes in his mask, stepped forward, "Are you from the Order of Magdalene? A Slayer?"

'Okay that was too good to be speculation...' Dakk thought, "Yeah, 1st Class Slayer, what of it?"

The same guy held up a golden envelope, "The Princess is expecting you. Come with us."

"Princess...? She have a name?"

"Just follow us, and you'll find out," he said, his voice sounding gruff.

Dakk looked around, his expression hidden thanks to his helmet, "And if I refuse?"

Click.

The Slayer knew the distinct sound of a gun's safety being turned off.

"The Princess wants you to see her, she'd rather have you without any bruises," the guy said, motioning for Dakk to follow. The other gun, who Dakk assumed had the gun he couldn't see, followed his partner.

The Slayer shrugged, so much for an early night.

Dakk followed the car which the messengers were driving to the outskirts of Crystal Cove, and it was made pretty apparent as to where he was going.

On top of a hill was a large mansion Dakk knew as the Wayne Mansion. It was a large mansion that had been built before the Revolutionary War for a family that supported the rebels, and from what local history is known it served as a hospital for soldiers until the end of hostilities. It pretty much became a home to other families for years, until it was bought by a house collector nearly five years ago. But from what Dakk knew, the guy left town a few weeks before tonight, and there was no word on who bought the place in his stead.

The parking lot, which seemed to be half the size of a football field was full of cars, and when the Slayer turned off the engine of his bike he heard a grand piano playing a familiar tune. 'Moonlight Sonata...I like that,' Dakk thought, getting off his bike.

The front door, at least it would be called that when the doors were twice as tall as a usual pair of doors, had guards on either side of it, both dressed in suits and save for breathing were totally still. The two men led Dakk up the stairs, and while they were able to go inside, one of the men at the door put a hand on his shoulder, "No weapons sir."

Dakk looked down at his sword, and not wanting to start trouble without a good reason, the Slayer silently conceded. He took the sword off his belt, still in its sheath and reluctantly handed it to the guard. "Take care of it. Family heirloom."

The guard took the sword with a simple nod, and he moved aside to let the Slayer through.

Dakk felt like he was in another time zone. Everyone was dressed in black and white. The women were in dresses like from fairytales, while the men were in black suits. The only thing they all had in common was that they were wearing masks. Masquerade masks.

"And I stick out like a sore thumb," Dakk joked, referencing his purple and black combat suit and his helmet. Among all the white which included the mansion's walls and structure he did stand out. He decided to ignore the suspicious looks and occasional whispers that he heard to see about asking for why he was at this party, personally summoned by the lady of the household for unknown reasons.

Dakk chuckled at the thought of explaining to his superiors why he was at a party instead of working, he knew they wouldn't take that he was threatened at gun point as a good enough reason. Still, he was sought out, and the fact that his 'job' was not known to the general public for good reasons, the fact that someone the men called 'princess' knew him enough to know that, it was more than worth investigating.

The Slayer stopped at the base of a large staircase, looking up at the ceiling, discovering that it had a glass roof over a balcony for a second floor, amazing architecture for a building made in the 18th century. He couldn't help but marvel at it. "Whoever bought this place had to have won the lottery, but at least they kept the splendor. Whoever owns it must have good taste."

"Glad you think so."

The light feminine voice came from Dakk's right side, he slowly turned his head in that direction. His eyes came to see a silver hand fan held up by a small hand of a woman, which slowly lowered to reveal her face. Like the rest of the attendants she wore half a mask shaped like bird wings. Her eyes were like her fan, shining silver and looking not so like a human.

A pair of eyes Dakk instantly recognized from a certain incident awhile back. Except last time she wore a glass mask. "Ashelia."

The woman kept the lower half of her face hidden behind the fan, "I'm glad you remember me."

'How can I not remember you.' Dakk thought as a hand went to the ribs on his left side. "I take it you're the Princess those guys were talking about."

"They flatter me with such a title," she said, stepping toward the staircase. Dakk noticed that she was wearing a full black dress, but it looked better refined than her last outfit. It was a black ball gown, not another color on it and it contrasted with her pale white skin, and the corset was covered in long feathers, which made it look like a version of the Black Swan from Swan Lake.

"I'm gonna try to be straight to the point here, but since you invited me here I'm assuming it was for a good reason. Care to tell me why?"

This time she lowered the fan, fully revealing her face, her full lips covered in a coat of shiny black lipstick. "Rather simple, Slayer. You saved me from before, thought I'd be nice and invite you to my masquerade party as a way of thanks."

Not totally convinced, Dakk stepped forward, "I appreciate the sentiment but you don't owe me anything."

Ashelia folded her fan, her eyes glowing in the lights, "How noble."

"However, there might be something you can help me with, if you don't mind," asked Dakk. The Princess blinked a couple times but she seemed like she was listening intentionally.

"Someone in a white coat with a number VI attacked me a few weeks ago. From what I suspect, there might be more of them. You know anything?"

Dakk thought he saw the woman smile before she covered her face with her fan, "Maybe I do."

"Ashelia, I'm not going to play games with you, not when the situation could lead o disaster. Do you know anything or not?"

The sternness in his voice didn't seem to have any effect on the demoness. Lowering the fan once again Ashelia looked him in the eyes, though she could only see the black visor that covered them, Dakk felt as if she was peering right into his mind. "How badly do you want to know."

Somewhere in the room, a clock started to chime loudly. Midnight had finally come. Not knowing how to answer her, Dakk's attention was taken by all the guests around him started to remove their masks. All action in the room stopped, even the music had stopped.

"The unmasking hour..." Dakk said, turning his attention back to Ashelia, who also removed her mask. She was still waiting for an answer.

derekjensen16: Dakk finally had one, "I don't have time for games Princess. If we won't get anywhere then I better just be on my way." The Slayer started to walk away.

"Thirteen."

He stopped, turning back to Ashelia. "Thirteen?"

"There are thirteen of them, all of whom are different in appearance and power. They are unpredictable, and I know nothing of their plans, just in case you wanted to ask," Ashelia said as she walked up to the Slayer.

This was only the second time he had seen her face without a mask, but Dakk couldn't tell what she could be thinking even with a clear view. Was she telling him the whole truth?

The music started back up and the guests all started to move again, and Ashelia seemed to be pleased with the way the corner of her mouth curved up into a smirk, "That's all I know."

The Slayer took note of everything the Princess had said, the recorder in his helmet had recorded the audio. He started it when he was brought to the Mansion, just in case of finding any worthy information. "I think it works. Thanks."

"Now you owe me one," Ashelia said.

Upon hearing those words, Dakk knew he was caught in a pinch. The last time Ashelia repaid him for helping her was something he'd never forget, and he was sure she enjoyed it more than he did. "I guess I do. Anything you would want?" He was secretly hoping it would be a small favor…

"Come here," in a surprising move, Ashelia took Dakk's hands with her own and put her body closer to his. She put one hand on his shoulder as he put his own to her lower back, he could feel the zipper at the top of her corset as well as the heat her body was emitting. This reminded him that the woman he was reluctantly embracing was not human as well as she could manipulate fire. To what extent she could control it—or how powerful she actually was—he wasn't sure. Dakk just knew he was beginning to miss the familiar weight of his sword on his hip. Ashelia put both hands on his shoulders, "You know its past midnight, right?"

Knowing what she implied, and having known the rules of a mask party, Dakk sighed before his helmet unraveled from his head. The metal folded and compacted in the small ring around his neck, revealing his expression. If this were another occasion he might have been smiling but the Slayer was more focused than usual. The music resumed, a light melody filled the air, but even as he was feeling less than troubled by his predicament he had to ask, "What is it about me that-"

"I find so irresistible?"

"Pretty much, considering we met in a burning building-after you killed some policemen," Dakk said.

"They tried to kill you. I thought you'd show some appreciation for that."

"Regardless of what they were trying to do to me, they were just doing their jobs. They didn't need to die."

The Princess pulled away, doing a slow full circle spin in front of Dakk. "You worry too much."

"And you claim to be a princess, yet I don't see a crown. I say I have a right to worry when you kill people just for me. Especially when there is another way to take care of a conflict," he said sternly.

Ashelia walked, motioning with her hand for Dakk to follow. "You save lives every day, kill monsters for a city that doesn't know of the evil that has surrounds it, and you get nothing from it."

The woman walked along some stone pillars, hiding behind them but Dakk was able to tell where she was by easily feeling for the heat coming off her body. "I know I can sleep a bit easier at night. A slayer fights evil wherever it takes form. The job is never ending, I know, but it does me great personal pride to rid the world of monsters and demons."

Dakk peeked around the pillar, and he saw Ashelia looking at him through the shadows with those silver eyes, "Would that include me?"

He knew what she as implying, yet before he could comply he felt one of her hands go and lay itself on the center of his chest. He felt her pushing against him, reminding him that she was stronger than she looked.

Her tone sent an ironic cold shiver up Dakk's spine, "Let me ask you, Slayer, what your definition of a monster is? What sort of creature earns that dreadful name and so deserves to die? Even more so, who are you to judge what a monster is?"

'A monster is that which does harm to others…just because it wants to, and doesn't show remorse in doing so,' Dakk thought, reminding him of one of the prime rules of being a Slayer. Protect the innocent from monsters and demons that mean to do them harm. But what if a demon doesn't mean any harm? And though she killed people, Ashelia claims to have done it in the name of saving his life. Was that justice enough to call her a monster? Because f this little revelation, the Slayer couldn't bring himself to answer.

She grabbed him by collar and pulled him to her, "You have no right to judge me."

Dakk didn't back down, "Right now, Ashelia, I can't deem you a threat. However, should you cross the line, I will come after you."

To the Slayer's surprise the woman smiled, "The only way you'd catch me is if I gave myself to you. If that were to happen, I would do so willingly." She leaned into his ear, whispering, "In more ways than one."

His eyes went wide and he back off a bit, "What?"

She knew he heard her completely, but Ashelia just giggled and walked back to the lights under the chandelier in the center of the room. Dakk followed her and once he met her in the center the chandelier went dark. All the lights in the room went out all at once, including the candles in the far corners.

Ashelia grabbed her mask and quickly put it back on her face, she felt the unwanted presence of an intruder in her home. The lights came back on, and she looked up at the top of the stairs leading to the second floor was a person wearing a white cloak with the hood up. This person was clapping its gloved hands together like it was applauding.

"The princess and the Slayer, how romantic…if not totally without chemistry. You two looked rather ridiculous if I may say so myself. Certainly someone could have written the script a bit better."

Ashelia, who now wore her mask over the top of her face, spoke, "And who are you, barging into my house without an invitation?"

Dakk make sure he wasn't seeing things to make sure that who Ashelia was talking to was indeed another one of the white cloaked individuals she had mentioned before. This was not the same one he had met at the Sanctuary Café, that guy had been quiet and deadly, this guy seemed to be full of hot air and boastful. A very annoying combination in Dakk's view. Also added that Dakk could see the number XI on the left side of the man's chest.

"I am no one of importance to you, lady. It's your friend I am more interested in."

Dakk put both hands on his hips, "Is that so? Sorry, but I don't swing that way."

The man chuckled, "A sense of humor doesn't make up for your short comings, Dakk Tribal."

"Oh, we've met before? Last time I checked you were a different number," Dakk said, trying to act like he wasn't surprised. How did this guy know his name?

The man raised his hands, pushing the hood back, and from the hood came a few light blue and grey strands of long hair. The rest of the man's head was the same color only with flamboyant design and hair looking too…pretty. Flipping back a bit of his ear as well as putting it behind his right ear, "You met one of my allies, but I assure you that I am different from him."

'Okay, this guy is creepy to look at,' Dakk thought, almost wishing he was facing the other one right now. "So then, what might you be? You know who I am, so wouldn't it be fair for you to share your name?"

"I am the one, the only…Ione. That is what you can call me."

Dakk had to take a double take of that name. He didn't know exactly how to spell it even after hearing it right then and there. "Eye oh nay? Bizarre but whatever."

"My friend Vectas spoke highly of your ability, yet I see nothing remarkable."

'Vectas must be the other one,' Dakk noted. "Next time you see your buddy tell him thanks for the compliments. Now…" Raising his left arm, Dakk pointed it at the entrance to the mansion, and out of nowhere came his sword, drawn like a magnet to his hand. He tossed the weapon to his right hand, just as his helmet finished unfolding over his head, combat ready in less than half a minute. Also added that he felt a great surge of energy go through his body when his sword was back in his hand. "Why don't you come on down here and I'll show you what remarkable is."

Ione shook his head, not sounding too pleased with what he just saw. Still, he didn't seem worried. "So quick to aggression." He raised both hands toward the ceiling, and in his right hand was a sword with a crescent shaped blade that was grey in color. Rather exotic as Dakk had never seen such a weapon before. "I came here to see what Vectas was so impressed with, not a fight, but if you insist."

Dakk took a step back as he saw Ione jump down the nearly twenty feet from the top of the marble stairs down towards him. He raised his sword, which began to glow a light blue, and successfully blocked Ione's blade which could have cut him cleanly in two. Sparks flew from the clash of blades, but Dakk violently shoved Ione back to the edge of the first step.

Compared to what Vectas had done before, Dakk swore lone's attack was either half-hearted or was pretty weak. He somehow believed it was the former.

Ione straightened his pose, acting as if it didn't bother him that Dakk easily fended off his attack. "Slayer, you still don't impress me."

"I'm nowhere near finished," Dakk retorted with an unseen smile.

Suddenly a wall of black flames shot up from the marble floor between the two fighters, reaching high towards the ceiling. There was a great amount of heat surging from it, enough to keep Dakk and Ione at bay. Ione was cowering from the wall, his free hand covering his face.

Dakk had seen flames like this before and turned to see that a sphere of black flame was hovering in Ashelia's right hand. Her mask was still on, but Dakk could tell just by looking at her that she was not at all pleased. "Not in my home."

The slayer shook his head and turned back to Ione, "What kind of magic is this?"

The wall of flame vanished as quickly as it came, and Ashelia took its place between the two men. Her eyes, however, went right to Ione. Any playful demeanor she had from before was gone now. "If you want to fight, do it somewhere else. I will not tolerate it in my home."

Ione raised his weapon, "Stay out of this maiden."

No less than a second later Ione had the tip of Dakk's sword right under the point of his chin, "Better listen to the lady, pal." Dakk had made a rather selfish move in ignoring that there were people in the room as well. A rookie mistake. That and he had to take into account that Ashelia was there with him. The slayer didn't know her very much but he knew from past experience that when Ashelia was serious she was dangerous. The look on her face, even partially hidden by her mask, had a look of a tiger ready to strike. 'She means business.'

Ione seemed to notice it too, and his weapon vanished in a flash of light. "She gives me the creeps." He gently pushed Dakk's blade away from his face, looking at the Slayer's face, almost peering at him through his black visor. "Well then, I'll just take my exit. Til we meet again, Slayer." Ione bowed and just as he stood up straight again he vanished. Simply vanished into thin air.

Dakk took a deep breath as his helmet's HUD stopped its recording, but he kept his helmet up this time. "Why do they always leave before the fun really starts?"

Ashelia put her hands on her hips, watching Dakk as he put his sword back in its sheath on his hip. "I don't like him."

'That makes two of us,' Dakk thought, his mind full of confusion. Why did this happen a second time? It's like these white coats were toying with him, and he didn't like that at all. 'The next time one of them crosses me I'll just have to beat them before they get the chance to run away. But at least I know the names of the two I have met now.' Vectas and Ione...now he just had to find out the other eleven and he'd be alright.

Dakk's train of thought was broken when Ashelia started to walk up the stairs, flanked by four of her guards.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Ashelia turned to where she could see Dakk out of the corner of her eye, "Tired. I'm going to rest. Is there something you wanted?"

Dakk shook his head, "Just to say thanks. You know, for the tip."

Ashelia turned around, putting her hands on her stomach, "You are welcome."

The slayer nodded once and started to leave.

"However."

He stopped, turned back to her, "Yeah?"

He saw the corner of her mouth curve up into a smirk, "You still owe me a dance."

From behind the visor that covered his eyes, Dakk could feel her silver eyes looking right at his. "Maybe some other time. Goodnight." Dakk's feet told him to run, which is what he did after he finished his sentence. He took off right for the door, and he somehow felt her eyes following him up until the doors closed behind him.

Getting to his bike, which was by now covered in a thin layer of snow, Dakk shook his head, "Women," before turning the key to start it up.