Risky Bussiness (Leila)

Leila let out a soft satisfied moan after she exited the truck. She'd felt more alive at that moment than any of her human years. The look of the blood on her shirt hadn't even phased her, she licked her lips and wiped the life giving liquid off of her chin, savoring the last taste off her finger. She moved with the group and watched the end of the transaction. Eager eyes watched the men and their movements, she noticed how much sharper she'd felt and how many more men that were actually there. Calm and collected at last she followed her group to the big limousine and hopped inside.

Leila had a need to analyze her own emotions at the time. She sat and silently watched the girls' interaction with Samuel. Her lips curled into a small smile as she began to see their concerns and his compassion. Then her eyes drifted to her own sire, quiet and stoic as always. She had been debating on what to say when she finally did speak, Tantra had placed a fear in her heart like no one she'd ever known, not even her father. Still out of respect the once royal princess turned vampire sucked her teeth to ensure her mouth no longer held traces of vitae and she spoke to Tantra.

"Are you having a good evening my sire?"

Tantra's blue eyes went directly to stare into Sorayya's, she remembered that look, and now after Samuel demonstrate how powerful vampires can be, lifting her with just one hand? now that was impressive, and Tantra is suppoused to be the mighty warrior, among vampires appearance can be very deceiving.

"I'm delighted Childe, your progress have been remarkable. To be totally honest I'm shocked that you have advanced so much in such a little time. Congratulations" and her beautiful, soothing voice made that comment so moving and sincere that could have made Leila cry if she were human.

Leila's face lit up like a christmas tree. Her smile was literally ear to ear. She wouldn't have ever thought Tantra would utter such complimentary words and it made her giddy to hear them. Knowing her sire's penchant for the tongue Leila replied shortly and sweetly.

"Why thank you! Dr. Garrison is a skilled instructor, I am grateful to have been under his tutelage for the evening. I must thank you both as well. It has been challenging, but eye opening. I feel like a new being tonight."

Tantra nodded accepting Leila's words and Samuel exchange a look with Tantra and then back to Leila implying a 'good work' message in it. The silence continued for a few seconds until Jen and Tracy started to ask.
"Sir Samuel, Is everything going ok? the doctor... He knows we're comming? right?"

Samuel said nothing, just started to caress both of his daugthers heads trying to sooth them down. Then he said to Leila radicly changing the subject.
"How would you like to be dressed Leila? just clean or different?"

Leila watched New York City pass through the darkened windows after she would've blushed at the glancing. Her thoughts were replaying her feeding from all those people.

The girls comments brought her mind back to the present and she wondered curiously why he chosen not to answer. She was even more shocked when he'd asked her about her clothes. She looked down and remembered what a mess she had made.

"Oh yes. Just clean would be fine thank you."

Leila tapped her finger lightly on her lap. The air in the limo was thick and pungent with the tension. She could barely look at everyone and couldn't help but feel like this wasnt the time to ask questions. She knew whatever the exchange was it was highly illegal and with the kind of money that was carted around reminded her of serious gang or mafia activity, like she'd just been born into the family of the bosses.

Leila sat and waited biding the time until there destination was made known.

Her face was as frozen as stone when the warning played over the cellphone speakers. She was already pale otherwise the other passengers might have thought she'd grown ill. She could see the lights and outlines of the other vehicles surrounding them. Her gazed moved to Tantra's phone listening to the huge man's voice instructing them then over to Samuel. 'Vampires in a police barricade?' The question raced through her mind, something monumental was going down right now and she couldn't stand not knowing for another moment.

After hearing about the highway blockage, Leila finally trumped up the courage and spoke to the small tense space.

"If someone wouldn't mind enlightening me, I would really appreciate it."

Her voice sounded like she was fighting off trembles. It wasn't a defiant question at all, more curious and concerned than anything else.

Leila stared at Tantra's face in disbelief. She knew the "we" meant her as well. She ran her fingers through her long wavy hair and then rubbed her chin, clearly considering what could possibly happen.

"Who, is it that we need to fight? He said something about vampires, o-other vampires? What do you want me to do?"

She looked to her sire for answers, and instruction. She knew she had to play a role, but she had no idea what that would be. She was confident in what she'd learn so far, but she could only hope she was ready for a battle.

Tantra looked at Leila into her hazel beautiful eyes and said.
"You're going to fight by my side Childe..." tension and silence after that.

Leila nodded in acceptance and glanced over to Samuel. She was trying to accept the fact and prepared herself mentally for whatever lied ahead.

Tantra stood up, her swift movement was precise still some noises let Leila pierce her through her deception for a moment, allowing her to see her true visage and the armor and weapons she was wearing from the begining, a second after everything vanished again from her sight under the veil of lies she had on.

Facing the chair Tantra rouse the sit to open a secret containment where were hiding more weapons and other stuff, like vest and grenades. Rapidly took many objects from it, throwing some to Samuel and giving others to Leila at her side. A bullet proof vest, a machete and a pistol. Closed the sit and turn again facing Leila.

Tantra held Leila's hands and looking again into her eyes said. Now Tantra's voice was sybiling.
"Tense your musclesss and close your eyessss Childe, let your blood empower you, let it make you fasster, sstronger feel Sseth's power insside of you growing, assk him to make your body thicker and imvulnerable, to protect you from all damage. Sssss"

Spoiler:

Leila watched her sire's movement and was shocked to see her real appearance. She was geared up the entire time, covered by the veil. Leila followed the weapons and gear being tossed and Samuel then herself, collecting by her side. She hesitated for only a moment then slipped on the vest over her jacket. Moments later her hands were in Tantra's, her ears and eyes heading her instructions. She closed them as instructed and for once she didn't allow doubt to rise in her. If her sire and Samuel felt she was ready to fight by their side, she knew she was.

She called upon the blood, willing herself faster and stronger. Leila would do anything to make her sire happy, regardless of what she was a few days ago she had been called upon to be a warrior. She tightened every muscle in her body, making them tense and ready for the blood.

'Dark Father, I call upon your blood for strength and protection. I call upon the gifts you have granted to me to serve you.'

Thump, thump... thump, thump. Her heart was beating again, pumping blood into her arms and legs, thickening her skin, dropping her fangs and transforming her tongue into what she would later learn was for more than just the charming snake-like sound.

Spoiler:

Her eyes flickered open and in them was a stony reflection of her newly found strength, a will that stood between fear and courage - the eyes of a warrior.

"It isssss done my sssssssire."

The limousine was moving fast, followed by the whole comboy, Sorayya could her gunfires shooting from behind and seconds later the people in the caravan started shooting with automatic fire against whoever was the enemy. Tantra said.
"Driver itsss an ambussh. Watch ahead for obsstacless"

Almost a minute later heavy automatic fire started to shoot from the front of the limousine, probably from a .50 caliber machine gun judgin by the impacts, still the limousine protection was too thick and all bullets started to bounce from it. The sound inside was deafing, each impact was like a motocycle crashing against the car. The driver turned left hard making all inside the car to unbalance, a second later all could feel an explosion next to them, another turn right and another explosion. The driver yelled.
"They are throwing grenades against us!"

Samuel got his long M-16 machine gun and after hitting the roof window buttom got his head out through it and started shooting in automatic to the front. Then the driver hit the breaks hard stopping the vehicule on it tracks and when he was ready to go back in reverse Tantra said.
"Don't go back! Leila and I will take care of them. SSamuel blow the barricade"

Tantra opened the door in her side of the limo, and made a sign to Leila to follow her.

Spoiler:

Leila's body jostles around the vehicle, startled by the noises around her but determined to hold steady and keep her resolve. She rushed forward on Tantra's order, cocking her pistol and holding it an angle to the ground, poised to shot on command. If nothing else she was grateful for those few lessons she'd had at the range to prepare her for what was about to happy. She nodded to Tantra at her side, ready to burst out of the car and into the streets.

Spoiler:

Leila acted quickly, surprised by how much faster she was with the blood rushing through her. She got to the back of the limousine and peered carefully out to the other side. Once she got sight of the closest target, she checked the gun again, making sure it was cocked and fully loaded. Then she peered over the corner and took aim at her target, firing two shots into his chest.

Two shots! * POOM * POOM *

One directly to the chest other right in the face of Leila's opponent, the guy was not wearing a helmet or other head protection and Leila could literally see the bullet bouncing in his head with just a scratch on him. A second after the guy rouse his weapon and started three round shooting at Sorayya.

TATATATATA* * * * *

Behind of her Tantra was runing against the other enemies, dodging and zigzaging trying to make herself a difficult target, in a split of second got to the first opponent one of the .50 cal users, the gun was just too big to handle in close combat so the guy drops it into the ground unshaft a pistol and starts close range shooting of Tantra, Leila could see the metallic reflections and bounces from the man's bullets against Tantra's body then she draw in a lightning fast movement a short sword and decapitated the man.

Leila ducked back behind the cover of the limo once she realized the spray of bullets heading towards her. She looked over to see Tantra beheading the man and knew she'd have to get closer to do any real damage. She looked over the edge of the limo quickly to assess the number of bodies on her side and the distance between the man shooting her.

At the other side of the limo were three guys, dressed up as military (armor and big guns) each was covering behind a tree but after Leila's demonstration of fire power the one hidding that got shot by her starts to walk directly to her.

The street the group were at was ornated with many trees, it was the country side of Queen, some industries and other comercial stablishments but no residential building around, the two way street itself was much like a hallway with trees as walls.

In front of the car two trees were knocked down making a barricade to prevent the car from going forward, two big cedars with at least 30 feet tall with big branches. To complicate the thing the trees were on flames, to avoid superhuman vampires to get close and try to break it, of course.

One on Sorayya's side starts to shoot cover fire to help his approaching partner making dificult for Leila to stand up, as she could recieve a bullet in the forehead. It was terrifying.