Once his senses recovered, Ryder roared and sprang after the pair. Seeing them slip into the storm drain, he skidded to a halt and peered at the broken grate.

'Huh... dead end...'

A vampire came running over. He was holding an assault rifle like the other vampire, and had a bag over his shoulder.

'In the sewer, are they? OK, I'm going after them.' He climbed through the broken grate and began to pursue the brothers, although they had a bit of a head start.

{As they ran, one looked back.}

Carl: "Hey, something magical is following us."

Jack: "Persistent buggers. Keep running for the main drain. If they catch up, then we'll deal with them."

{Something about their helmets let them see their assailants, even behind walls and around corners.}

The vampire shifted into a greyhound and ran through the tunnel at breathtaking speed, using scent to follow the two men. Eventually, he spotted them up ahead in the distance. Shifting back, he withdrew what looked like a grey golf ball from his bag, and with all his strength, threw it after the brothers. It hit the floor just behind them and exploded, throwing small pieces of shrapnel everywhere.

Carl: "Well, he caught up."

Jack: "Grenade, GRENADE!"

{The blast knocked them off their feet, damaging their trench coats. Underneath, they had some kind of body armor that protected them from the shrapnel. It looked like a streamlined mix of Kevlar and black metal}

Carl: "Let him catch up, he said, we'll deal with him then, he said!"

Jack: "Just shut up and shoot!"

{Carl stood up and started shooting while Jack scrambled backwards, also firing.}

The vampire likewise scrambled backwards and pulled out another ball, this one white. He threw it down and it exploded into a mass of pink smoke that completely blocked him from view. However, this meant he couldn't see the brothers either. Pressing himself against the side of the tunnel, he considered how to act next.

Carl: "We can still see you, jerk wad!"

{Carl fires again, the bullet grazing the vampire as he hugged the curvature of the tunnel.}

Jack: "He's stalling. C'mon..."

{Jack throws another flash bang through the smoke. Using that as their cue to leave, they bolt down the tunnel again.}

The flash of light completely blinded the vampire's sensitive vision. He doubled over, pressing an arm against his eyes in pain.

//...Tussocks are fleeing down the sewer tunnel northwards of Cathedral Road. Unable to maintain pursuit.//

Ryder was flying high above the city, watching the streets below. He figured that the brothers would eventually have to emerge somewhere, but he had no way of knowing exactly where they'd pop up.

Carl: "This tunnel leads out of the city, right?"

Jack: "Yeah, leads to a tributary that dumps into Lake Topaz."

Carl: "Then what?"

Jack: "Didn't you pay attention to the escape plan? Then we follow the forest to Opalway. The tree cover should keep the dragons off our back and we'll lose them. Easy."

Frederick frowned as he pieced together all the information he was being sent.

//I believe they intend to follow the tunnel that leads out to Lake Topaz. That means they'll never have to come up inside the city.// He weighed up his options, then gave some orders.

Ryder flew outside the city, landing close to where the tunnel exit came out. Meanwhile, the vampire who'd been blinded shifted into a greyhound and, once recovered, continued to follow the brothers at a distance. He and Ryder were going to try and block them off at both ends.

Carl: "There's the end! I see light!"

Jack: "Easy, see? We'll get out Scott free!"

{The brothers ran towards the sound of rushing water.}

As they ran towards the light, Ryder's head appeared at the end of the tunnel. The dragon grinned, his face thrown into silhouette.

'Sorry, gentlemen, this road is closed!'

{The brothers skidded to a halt, pulled their guns, and started shooting at Ryder's head.}

Carl: "Sorry, buddy, but your free trial at life has expired!"

{They could see that Ryder couldn't fit, so they just took a step back and started shooting.}

Ryder pulled his head away from the exit to avoid being hit, then shouted back.

'So, what're you gonna do? The second you step out here, I'll crunch you!'

The vampire was getting closer as well. Seeing the brothers and the tunnel exit ahead, he shifted to human form and approached cautiously, holding his rifle.

{Carl twitched, then turned and fired at the vampire. The bullet whizzed by, inches from his head}

Carl: "Jeeze, my aim sucks today..."

Jack: "You can't crunch us both! One of us is going to cancel your ticket!"

When the bullet missed, the vampire responded by tossing another shrapnel bomb, trying to knock the pair off their feet.

{When the vampire came out of cover to throw the bomb, Carl fired again, tagging the vampire in the chest. The bomb exploded, knocking them over again.}

Jack: "Cough. Enough with the damn grenades!"

The vampire sunk to the floor, coughing and clutching the wound in his chest. Suddenly, Ryder walked into the tunnel in human form, grabbed Carl around the neck with one arm, and wrenched his gun out of his hand with the other. Holding up Carl's body in front of him as a shield, he grinned.

'How about we see what's actually under this helmet, huh?'

Carl: "How about you suck it!"

{Pulling out a knife, Carl twists around to stab Ryder in the side. Jack levels his revolver from his position on the floor, looking for an opening.}

Ryder gasped from the blow, then jammed the barrel of the gun against Carl's leg and pulled the trigger. The vampire was kneeling on the floor of the tunnel, loosely holding his rifle as he spat up blood. It didn't seem like he'd be much help.

{Carl screamed as the round punched through his leg. He listed to the side as his leg gave out, giving his brother an opening. Jack shot Ryder in the shoulder, beginning to stand up against the wall.}

Jack: "Let him go, you scaly bast.ard!"

Ryder reeled back, releasing his grip and letting Carl collapse to the floor. He fired at Jack while backing away, towards the tunnel exit. The dragon's vision was starting to blur and he could feel himself weakening from the blood loss of his numerous wounds.

//Frederick's telling you to back off if you have to,// relayed the vampire to Ryder. //He says it's not worth dying for. We have the Garveys.//

{As Ryder backed away, Jack kept firing at him, albeit blindly, as one of Ryders bullets and the trauma from the bombs had finally cracked his visor. As soon as Ryder was out of the tunnel, Jack stumbled down to his brother.}

Jack: "Carl! Carl, can you walk?"

Carl: "...No...no, I don't think I can..."

{Grabbing up his brother, the pair starts limping for the exit.}

Outside the tunnel, Ryder briefly leaned over with his hands on his knees, panting for breath. He contemplated the situation.

//OK... I think we've done enough... The injured one might not make it, and if nothing else, they won't be coming after Dianne or Armin anytime soon.//

Shifting to dragon form, Ryder took off, leaving the exit clear for the brothers to hobble out.

{The brothers hobbled away, headed for the tree line. They weren't moving quickly, but they weren't planning on stopping.}

A few moments after the brothers left, the vampire came crawling out of the tunnel. He made it to a patch of grass, then promptly collapsed, unconscious.

Ryder flew laboriously until he came upon Pythia's house. He thumped on the front door with his snout, before collapsing as his energy ran out. He was bleeding from bullet and stab wounds in his wing, side and shoulder.

{Pythia opened the door to find Ryder lying there. Gasping, she quickly gathers her supplies and gets to work, taking out the bullets, cleaning the wounds, and finally mending them.}

Pythia: "Ryder? Ryder, can you hear me?"

Ryder's ear twitched weakly at the sound of her talking.

'Yeah... yeah, I'm great... Just drove off the Tussock brothers... they won't be killing any of us anytime soon...'

Pythia: "How did this happen? Don't the guards give you armor or something?"

'Mhm, well... I guess I could ask Fred to get me some... But I can't get fancy armour that fits both my forms like Dianne's...'

At his house, Frederick relaxed fractionally when he heard that Ryder had made it safely to Pythia. He then sent out two vampires to pick up the unconscious man from outside the sewer pipe. //Well, this hasn't been a perfect success, but certainly not a failure either. All immediate threats have been removed. I'd better tell Dianne and Armin later.//

Pythia: "Then ask Dianne where she got hers! I don't like seeing my friends show up on my doorstep half dead."

{Sniffling a little. she hugs Ryder's face.}

Pythia: "Stop almost dying..."

Ryder lifted his head at that. 'Ah, umm, sorry... I didn't think it would bother you that much. It wasn't that bad. But, ah... I'll be more careful?' he said awkwardly.

{Pythia lets go of him, looking down at him sternly}

pythia: "You better. I can't heal you if you're dead!"

'I won't die, don't worry.'

Smiling a little, Ryder slowly got to his feet, wavering a little.

'OK, I think I need to have something to eat, and a nap. Thanks, Pythia. You're a great help, as always.'

Pythia: "Ok, take it easy. No more chasing hunters today, you hear?"

'Aw, don't worry. The hunters are dealt with.'

Ryder bumped her with his snout in a friendly manner, then stepped back, took flight, and began to head for home.

At the Alscher house, Esme stirred and raised her head. She was awake and wanted food. Armin looked at her blearily.

//Go downstairs and ask Rex to get you something,// he said. Once the fledgling left the room, he turned his attention to Dianne, unsure how easy it would be to get her up in this cold weather.

{Pythia just smiles as she watches Ryder leave.}

{Meanwhile, Dianne was still soundly asleep. She didn't seem any closer to waking up than she was a few hours ago.}

Armin sighed quietly, half amused and half exasperated. He would have happily stayed there indefinitely, but he thought she'd need to go and eat at some point, if nothing else.

He enfolded his arms around her to ward off the cold and lightly rubbed her back, trying to elicit some response.

{In response, she snuggled into him, muttering incoherently.}

Dianne: "Mmm...It's not my birthday...I don't remember when it was..."

'Yes, that's a problem. We should really find out when it was.'

Armin responded to her sleeptalking as if they were having a normal conversation. He rubbed her back a bit harder.

'Dam.n, I hope that heater gets shipped to us soon, or I think you're just going to enter hibernation...'

{Dianne stirred a little more, letting out a massive yawn.}

Dianne: "...I wish I could ride the pony...I'd just break its back...Mmm...roasted pony..."

Armin stifled a snort. 'Good to know...'

He shifted a little and lightly ran his nails down the back of her neck.

{At this, she sucked in a quick breath, clenching her fists and curling inward. She begins painfully squeezing a handful of his side.}

He winced a little bit at her grip.

//Huh, that really gets a reaction... even when she's mostly asleep...//

'C'mon, wake up before I bite you,' he said slightly louder.

{Dianne frowns at his voice, cracking her eyes open.}

Dianne: "...No....Too cold..."

{She then rolls onto her back, seemingly falling back asleep.}

Armin regarded her disbelievingly for a moment. Then he rolled on top of her and started poking her shoulder repetitively and annoyingly.

'Well, you're going to want food at some point, and I'm not bringing you breakfast up here.'

{She then starts to squirm restlessly, swatting at his poking fingers. Finally picking up her head, she looks him in the eyes.}

Dianne: "...Mmm....Wha's happenin'?"

'Morning. Cold?' said Armin sympathically, looking at her as he lay on top.

{A shiver passes through her frame as she lays there, blinking as she tries to wake up.}

Dianne: "Yeah....very....hungry too..."

'Mmm, it's a chilly morning... Take your time, just don't fall asleep again.'

He remained snuggled on top of her for warmth, slowly nuzzling into her neck.

{Dianne tenses slightly as he nuzzles into her. Bringing up a hand, she rubs her face.}

Dianne: "...Thanks for the extra warmth...Boy, we need that heater..."

'We do. But I don't know if it'll be shipped back today.

He held her tighter, smiling fondly.

'In the meantime, just let me know if you need any more help warming up...' he said suggestively.

{Dianne raises a brow, smiling flirtatiously.}

Dianne: "Well, I wouldn't mind a little help. I can't get out of bed if I'm freezing."

He lazily shifted off of her, yawning.

'Can you turn onto your front? Or on your side, facing away from me. Whichever.'

{Smiling, she turns on her side, away from him.}

Dianne: "Be gentle, and take it slow, ok, Amateotl?"

'Always.'

He wrapped one arm around her before leaning in to nuzzle the back of her neck. Controlling himself carefully, he started kissing and very gently nipping there.

{Dianne's response was immediate. Her heart rate quickened, her muscles tensed, her face flushed. Gripping on to his arm, she chuckled quietly.}

Dianne: "I still can't believe I never knew about this..."

'Well, I'm glad we found it...' he murmured, amused. 'I like being able to do something you enjoy that much.'

He nibbled along the back of her neck, starting at the top and working his way down.

{Arching her back, she groans, fighting the urge to squirm restlessly. Her grip on his arm tightens and her breathing becomes unstable.}

'Heh, I've barely touched you and you're already nearly squirming from it...'

He briefly moved away from that spot, shifting down to the crook between her neck and shoulder, where he bit down a little harder.

{Dianne gave him an annoyed, yet somewhat impatient look over her shoulder.}

Dianne: "I haven't done this stuff as much as you have, so I feel it a lot more strongly, ok? Quit being so smug about it."

{Feeling his teeth, she sucks in a quick breath, tensing up again.}

'Sorry. I understand that. The fact that you hadn't done anything in so long is why I enjoy making it good for you.'

He returned to the nape of her neck and resumed gently biting and gnawing there, holding her tightly as he did so.

{Dianne began to fidget, whimpering quietly. After only a few minutes, she speaks up.}

Dianne: "...Ok...time to move on...or this might not be as fun for you...as it was for me..."

Armin bit her a couple more times, then let go and rolled onto his back.

'OK... come over here and let's be done...'

{Dianne takes a moment to catch her breath, lying motionless. She then rolls over, getting above him, making sure she's settling her weight on the bed and not him.}

Dianne: "Alright...This, then breakfast..."

{Lowering herself, she kisses him passionately.}

(Skip?)

(Yee.)

----

When they went downstairs, Esme had already eaten. Rex had gotten out the building blocks for her and she was trying to build a fortress of sorts on the living room floor. Rex himself was sitting at the table, sipping coffee and reading a newspaper. All seemed quiet and peaceful.

{Dianne walked down the stairs in her winter coat. Without the heater, she found even the inside of the house too cold. Passing through the living room, she adresses rex and Esme.}

Dianne: "Good morning you two. Rebuilding castle Esme, I see?"

Rex glanced up, eyeing Dianne in her coat. He chose not to comment on it.

'Well, I assume that's what she's building. Never asked, but it looks like a castle.'

Esme barely acknowledged her parents entering the room, being too preoccupied with deciding how she wanted a wall to look.

Dianne: "That reminds me, you know what I forgot to get from Alexandria? Modeling clay. Guess I'll go out for it later."

{Walking into the kitchen, Dianne starts to make breakfast.}

(posting new room, already)