Merchants of Death

Imperious Dakar was angry. The leader of Imperious Industries was so angry he was speaking calmly and precisely to his subordinates in a measured even tone.



Things had gone so bad so quickly.



Dakar had been on the verge of launching an attack on the headquarters of the Crimson Legion with the assistance of the Vampire Slayer Alliance. A campaign he had not only believed would be successful but was confident would secure the Slayer Army as loyal customers for some time to come.



Perhaps most importantly, it would give him a chance to capture or kill Chrissy Lera. Thus eliminating the threat of the former dictator returning to Iberia and taking back the reins of government from Imperious Dakar and his allies.



Then Imperious had received word that his headquarters on this world, which served as the main base of operations for all his inter-universal trade, was under attack. Shortly after that his robotic scouts had informed him that the Crimson Legion bases they had recently learned of (including the Legion headquarters) were all but abandoned.



Over his objections the Slayers had decided to go ahead with their attack on the Legion headquarters. Though without the aid of Imperious Dakar and his security forces.



Using the Slayer Army’s spell casters to teleport the Vampire Slayers directly to the California mansion that Chrissy Lera had been using as her base of operations. However, Chrissy had left behind her most fanatical and hate filled follower at her HQ.



A vampire who had lost everything to the Slayers, a male who valued hurting the Slayers more than life itself.



Once all the attacking Vampire Slayers had entered the building the loyal Legionnaire had detonated all the explosives his Mistress had left behind. Instantly killing himself and all the nearby Slayers.



Buffy Summers still had hundreds of Vampire Slayers under her command, but Imperious Dakar knew it would take her a while to put together another force of Slayers big enough to challenge the Crimson Legion. Unfortunately Imperious did not have the luxury of waiting for how ever long that took.



So he would have to fight the vampires and other unnatural creatures attacking his base of operations with only his own forces.





~Its probably just as well…I didn’t want the Slayers to know where my base is anyway…and if they learned too much there those idealists might very well have turned on me~ Dakar thought as he surveyed his security forces.



The army had only one hundred and fifty fighters, but the living and robotic soldiers were well armed and armored. Either in large groups on foot or in powerful armored vehicles and military aircraft.



Dakar was reasonably confident that this professional force could defeat the relatively undisciplined and underequipped vampires the former ruler of Iberia commanded. Assuming that it could get there before Lera took full control of the base.



“How long until we have a clear path to Sunnydale?” Imperious asked. The expression on his scarred face showing that he would not tolerate much further delay.



Adora Belle was a Halfling wizard who specialized in dis-spelling illusions and breaking curses. The short wizard had taken on many difficult jobs before, but as Adora looked up at her current employer she realized that this might be her hardest one yet.



“I’m honestly not sure sir…who ever did this saturated the whole area in curses in a very reckless manner…some of these curses are barely strong enough to kill a regular human and some are destructive enough to destroy a tank…a lot aren’t even curses at all…they’re just illusions designed to look like destructive spells” Adora explained, hoping Imperious was not going to blame her for the situation.



~It’s not recklessness…Chrissy did not have the time or power to create magical defenses strong enough to stop this army around the entire area…so she covered the whole area like this…. betting I would not take my forces into a mass of apparently destructive spells…And she was right~ Imperious concluded. Revising his estimate of the necromancer’s intelligence and abilities upward.



“Work as fast as you can Miss Belle…keep in mind that this is literally a matter of life and death for MANY of my employees” the technomancer said ominously. His reddish eyes gleaming with a strange inner light as he spoke.



Adora looked away from her intimidating boss and his creepy seemingly ever present shadow the illithid Udragoth. Pretending to study the Imperious Industries tanks, helicopters, trucks, and other vehicles that were on or beside the road leading into Sunnydale. Hoping the rumors about Dakar feeding employees who disappointed him to Udragoth weren’t true.



~Mother was right…I should have gone into the family business…selling life insurance doesn’t sound so bad right now…God knows I could use some~ Adora thought as she replied in an unsteady voice “understood sir…I won’t fail you.”



*****



Buffy Summers studied the burning wreckage of the Frasier mansion, a massive ornate building that had served as the headquarters for the Crimson Legion. Which would now serve as the final resting place for over fifty Vampire Slayers.



Most of the young Slayers in the attack group had been very close to the bombs when they went off. There wasn’t even enough of their bodies left to bury.



“I should have been here Giles…I shouldn’t have sent these girls here alone,” Buffy said mournfully as she stared into the flames.



“They knew the risks Buffy…besides if you had come with them you would have died too…and the rest of the Slayers need you” Buffy’s mentor replied as he laid a reassuring hand on her back.



Ebony Freeman, a high ranking member of the Slayer Army who had come with Buffy, Giles, and all the other people in this rescue party when Willow had teleported them here, coughed nervously to get her leader’s attention. When Buffy and Giles were looking at her Ebony responded, “We still can’t find any survivors ma’am…it appears Strike Group Alpha was completely wiped out…but we did find Mister Frasier and his family…based on what he and his wife said it seems that Chrissy Lera allowed them to leave shortly before she left.”



“We must interrogate them immediately…do whatever you have to in order to learn everything they know about the Legion” Giles said earnestly. Knowing that they could not afford to keep underestimating the Crimson Legion.



Ebony didn’t like the idea of using such harsh interrogation techniques against humans. But when she looked to her leader for guidance, Buffy merely nodded.



The dark skinned Slayer walked off to do as Rupert Giles had said, thinking about how her training had not mentioned situations like this.



Giles’ own training as a Watcher had been designed to encourage a kind of ruthless pragmatism with regard to Vampire Slayers. Nevertheless he was saddened by recent events too.



“Are you sure about this Giles?…They might’ve been in cahoots with vampires but their still human” Buffy asked doubtfully.



“I know Buffy…but we cannot afford to make anymore mistakes like this…we must learn everything about the Legion that we can” the former Watcher replied forcefully.



Buffy started to say something when their conversation was interrupted by Willow, who rushed up to them followed closely by her group of witches, all six of the Wiccans showing obvious signs of excitement.



“Buffy we just figured it out…its SO obvious I can’t believe we never saw it before” Willow shouted.



“IT EXPLAINS EVERYTHING” said the warlock Rick excitedly.



“It all makes sense now,” squealed the plump magic using Slayer standing right beside Rick.



“Whoa guys…calm down…what did you figure out?” Buffy replied. Trying to make sense of the babble.



“We figured out where the Legion vampires went…and were pretty sure that’s where the Imperious Industries people went too,” Rick answered proudly.



~Oh no~ Giles thought. Having a horrible feeling that he knew exactly the place that they were talking about. Then Willow promptly proved him right.



“Sunnydale.”



*****



During Angelus and Selene’s attempt to take out Chrissy Lera the cyborg soldier’s forces had begun their counterattack against the Crimson Legion vampires. The dozens of human and Orc soldiers and the ten Epsilon robots had ambushed the Legion vampires from well-prepared positions inside the fortress.



Mowing down the bloodsuckers with bullets, lasers, flames, and beams of radiation as the vampires headed for the inter-dimensional portals. In the first few minutes of the counterattack over half of the Legion had been wiped out. The vampires’ supernatural strength and bullets achieving little against the heavily armored robots and living soldiers they faced.



At first Chrissy Lera had barely noticed, as she desperately used her necromancy to stabilize and preserve her beloved Marian. Employing all the power at her disposal to maintain a state of undeath in the blonde vampire’s battered and mutilated body.



Once the vampire was saved from immediate (true) death, though far from healed, Chrissy had finally registered the desperate cries of her followers. As the heavily outnumbered but extremely well armed and disciplined Imperious Industries troops did their best to annihilate the vampires.





The powerful and increasingly enraged necromancer didn’t pause to negotiate with, study, or even develop a strategy against these enemies. She simply attacked.



*****



Chrissy’s normally well-groomed white hair was a mess, her black skin glistened with sweat, and the dark elf’s usually immaculate suit was smudged with dirt, grease, blood, and other assorted materials. There were even a few drying tears left on her cheeks.



But her red eyes gleamed with fury, and her dark features were twisted into an expression of absolute hate.





When Chrissy appeared before a group of her beleaguered followers in a flash of light and magical power some of them were shocked at the appearance of their normally sophisticated and well-groomed Mistress. The rest were simply too busy struggling to survive in the long hallway they were all fighting in, to notice.



The robots and humans facing them had more presence of mind though, and immediately opened fire on the necromancer. But the ghostly things that were rapidly forming around Chrissy blocked every shot.



Then the necromancer made a violent gesture and all the human soldiers facing her fell over as they shrieked in agony. Twitching on the floor as their flesh quickly rotted from the inside out.



However, the spell did nothing to the two Epsilon robots with them. The armored infantry units unloaded every weapon they had on the necromancer in powerful explosions that visibly shook the watching vampires.



However, Chrissy’s ghost creatures blocked every shot. Then before the robots could react the furious female elf extended her hand and magically shoved the Epsilon units back. Her telekinetic blow hitting the two heavy robots with enough force to smash them beyond all hope of repair.



The vampires Chrissy had just saved rushed to greet their leader. Only to have the necromancer completely ignore them as she teleported away to the next closest group of endangered Crimson Legion fighters.



*****



Susan Zweller lay on the floor for what felt like a long time after the ancient Selene’s healing magic finished its work. Feeling more confused and disoriented than she had ever since becoming a werewolf.



Selene watched closely as Susan finally got up. Her expression one of self satisfied smugness. An expression that didn’t leave her even when the werewolf stood up straight and glowered down at her, baring her fangs in a fierce snarl.



The witch felt the werewolf’s desire to hurt her. Knowing that Susan had the strength to literally crush her head in the werewolf’s hand. Yet smiling all the wider as Susan proved unable to make her body attack.



Knowing that the shackles she had just placed upon the werewolf’s fragmented mind and spirit wouldn’t let Zweller hurt her.



~It is time to learn your place dog~ the witch thought as she begun to the test the limits of her new power over the werewolf.



Susan cried out in pain as her body was forced to transform. Rapidly losing mass and body hair as she reverted to her human form. Shocked that for the first time in as long as she could remember she had no control over the transformation.



The female that stood before Selene now looked very different.



In this form Susan was even shorter and more slender than the witch. With soft pale skin, few curves to speak of, and even less muscle tone. And big blue eyes that stared into Selene’s fearfully.



~This is the proper order of things~ the witch thought as she slammed Susan into a wall. Showing off her physical power the way she usually did her magic.



Lex knew that Selene was trying to prove she was the dominant female but she could do little to fight against it. With the werewolf in her human form the psychic vampire was stronger, besides when she tried to fight back her body wouldn’t respond. Held back by the ancient witch’s spell.



Although she hated to even think it, Lex was forced to conclude that Selene WAS the alpha female in their relationship now.



The witch pressed her body against Susan’s and kissed the werewolf fiercely. Sending her long tongue deep into the blonde’s mouth.



This was hardly the first time that the two women had kissed. But there was nothing romantic or erotic about it this time. It was a gesture of possession and an assertion of power and both of them knew it.



Lex and Cain felt vulnerable and violated. The more intellectual Lex wondering if this was how the people they had raped felt. Though such a question would have never even occurred to the bestial Cain.



“You are MINE now…mind, body, and soul…do you understand?” the witch said harshly, her fierce eyes roving over the werewolf’s body possessively.



Lex was in control of Susan’s body at the moment. But Cain was close to the surface and the intellectual could feel the brute’s anger at Selene’s actions.



~I’m sorry Cain…but we have no choice but to go along with her for now~ Lex told Susan’s bestial persona. Hating the words forming on her tongue.



“Of course Mistress…I’ll do better in the future.”



Selene smiled smugly and stepped back from the werewolf. Reveling in the power she now had over the former ally.



The witch would have loved to humiliate the powerful female further, until she forced Susan to submit with her heart and not merely her voice.



But she knew it would be foolish to linger.



Selene could feel Chrissy Lera rampaging through the base as she finished off what was left of Angelus’s forces. The necromancer’s aura a virtual inferno of rage and destructive power.



All things considered, Selene was hardly eager for a rematch with the deadly dark elf at this point.



“Do you have anything irreplaceable at this base?” the witch asked her new familiar calmly.



“Well no Sel..Mistress…but I don’t see what…”



Selene didn’t even let her finish the sentence. She grabbed the werewolf’s small hand and initiated one of her most practiced spells, teleporting the women away from the Imperious Industries base and the increasingly bloody struggle over it.



*****



Jeffry Goldman had never been more freaked out in his life.



Over the last few minutes the man in charge of base security had lost contact with all his units. Either being cut off from his troops without warning, or getting fragmented messages from the unit as the enraged Chrissy Lera wiped it out.



Now Goldman couldn’t get a hold of anyone, and the hardened human male suspected that all his soldiers were dead or destroyed.



“Goddamn you Angelus…I thought you were gonna kill that black bitch” Goldman swore. Cursing his superior behind his back the way he had never had the guts to do to the cyborg’s face.



Jeffry continued to fiddle with his handheld communicator as he futilely tried to make contact with other nearby Imperious Industries forces. Ignoring the voices of the increasingly panicked soldiers around him as he tried to come up with a way to salvage the situation.



Then Goldman cried out and clutched his torso as he experienced what felt like a powerful stomach cramp. When the sensation passed Goldman realized with a start that he could no longer hear the voices of his subordinates.



The increasingly spooked company man twirled around and saw blood…everywhere.



The room that they had been using as a temporary command center was drenched in crimson fluid. The bodies of his remaining soldiers weren’t even recognizable as humanoid anymore. Their flesh had been so thoroughly torn apart that the Orcs and humans looked more like shredded meat now than people.



And standing in the middle of all the carnage was Chrissy Lera. Staring at Goldman with the fiercest look of hate that the mercenary had ever seen.



When Goldman looked into those hate filled red eyes he thought it was all over. However he started to regain hope when he noticed that the necromancer’s protective entourage of pseudo ghosts appeared to be missing.





Thinking that against all odds he might be able to just shoot down Chrissy, the company soldier reached for the gun at his hip. Then moaned in pain and fell over as what felt like a million icy fingers touched his inner stomach.



~Oh no…oh God no…they’re inside me~ Goldman thought in horror. As he realized just what had happened to Chrissy’s ghostly servants.



“This is for Mary ANIMAL” Chrissy stated in a pitiless voice.



Jeffry Goldman had time for a brief scream of agony as the artificial spirits curled together inside him regained what little mass they could possess. Then his body literally exploded.



*****



“The spells keeping us out of Sunnydale are fading away…almost like someone else is ripping them apart” the warlock Rick reported to Buffy Summers.



“I think something IS stripping them away” the black Wiccan Slayer that Rick always seemed to be arguing with said crossly.



“WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SUCH A BITCH BETHANY!” Rick shouted angrily. Wishing that the overweight Slayer would stop giving him a hard time for once.



“Pipe down girls” Willow muttered distractedly. Her eyes shut as she focused her mystical senses on Sunnydale.



They were still by the burning wreck of Frasier mansion, all the Wiccans were sitting in a semi-circle while all the Slayers stood guard around them. The battered and unconscious Frasier family was lying on the ground a little way away from the main group. Ebony Freeman did her best to not look at them.



Rupert Giles walked over to the obviously upset Slayer and said consolingly “you did what was necessary…we can’t afford to underestimate the Legion anymore.”



Ebony scowled and started to say something, and then she simply shook her head and stormed off. Giles sighed and took off his glasses (without consciously thinking about the nervous tick).



When the former Watcher turned around he found that Buffy and Willow were discussing something excitedly. As Giles listened to their conversation he grew increasingly disturbed by what he heard.



“Buffy we CANNOT go straight from here to Sunnydale” Giles said firmly as he stared at the Vampire Slayer who had once been his student.



“Of course we can Giles…now that most of the magical interference is gone me and the girls can easily take everyone to Sunny D” Willow explained. Completely oblivious to Rick’s wince as she once again accidently referred to him as a girl.







“You’re not counting me Giles” Buffy said as she stared at her former Watcher stubbornly.



“Buffy you need to understand…” Giles started to say, but the Summers Slayer interrupted him with seeming anger.



“No YOU don’t understand Giles…I’m SICK of sending girls to die in my place…how can I expect these Slayers to fight someone like Lera if I’m not willing to face her myself.”



“To be honest Buffy I think Giles has a point…we don’t have enough people right now to go after the necromancer…we need to put together another strike force before going after the whole Legion again” Willow said reluctantly.



“That could take WEEKS Will…who knows what Lera could do between now and then…besides I don’t intend to fight them all right now…I just want to take down that skank Chrissy Lera” Buffy replied.



“We can do it Miss Rosenberg…you’re the most powerful witch alive…no one can stand up to you” one of the Wiccans said cheerfully.



~Suck up~ the warlock Rick thought.



“She’s right Will…we can DO THIS…we’ve gone up against tougher odds and won before” Buffy said confidently as she laid a reassuring hand on her friend’s shoulder.



Giles was disappointed but not surprised to see Willow give in and agree to take them all to Sunnydale. Then Buffy turned back to him.



“What about you Giles?…I could really use you on this…but I’ll go without you if I have to” Buffy stated as she looked steadily into her mentor’s eyes.



Rupert Giles still thought this plan was a bad idea, prompted by Buffy’s desire to avenge her fallen fellow Slayers and keep the Legion from killing any more. He also knew that his skills left him far more suited to strategizing and research than fighting on the front lines. But as Giles looked at the Vampire Slayer who had become like a daughter to him, he found that he didn’t have to think about his reply at all.



“Of course Buffy…where else would I be?”



*****



The zombies and skeletons Chrissy Lera had stationed outside the Imperious Industries base were nearly mindless. But they did have something like instinct to influence their actions, at least when they had no immediate commands to fulfill.



That instinct had led over a dozen zombies to the hole Angelus had made on impact, wondering if the wreckage of the cyborg was something that they could eat.



The undead scavengers clustered around Angelus, sniffing the air as they tried to decide if the wrecked elf was alive or dead. One of the zombies picked up a large metal piece of Angelus’s broken right leg and bit down on it. Seemingly not noticing as its rotten teeth chipped away against the jagged metal.



The damaged cyborg did not react to this violation of his person, apparently dead to the world.



The zombies continued to mill around the ruined elf, seemingly conflicted regarding whether or not Angelus was food. Taking no notice of the cloud of dust in the distance just becoming visible, but which was getting closer with every second.





Only reacting when the Imperious Industries vehicles got close enough to open fire.



*****



Adora Belle had finally cleared a path through Chrissy Lera’s spells for Imperious Dakar’s forces. Now the robots, living troops, and military vehicles were racing towards the Imperious Industries base amidst the ruins of Sunnydale.



But Dakar sent the Omega Squad ahead of all the rest.



They were Angelus’s elite shock troops, and the most feared unit in the cyborg’s forces. If Lera’s zombies and skeletons had had any sense at all they would have been afraid.



*****



Chrissy Lera had left little more than a dozen vampires to oversee an army of animated skeletons and zombies that numbered over a thousand. If the necromancer had paused to think about it she probably would have left more vampires to guard the outside of the fortress. But Chrissy’s assault on the Imperious Industries base had been a very spur of the moment thing.



Now the few vampires guarding the perimeter of the base were feeling very overwhelmed.



“No you morons…get the big one THE FUCKING BIG ONE” the female vampire cried in frustration and anger to the nearby skeletons and zombies.



Over thirty enemy soldiers had appeared seemingly out of nowhere less than a minute ago. They all wore brown body armor that covered their whole bodies, and most of them were basically human shape and sized. But one was at least fifteen feet tall, and wielded a massive firearm that shot a burst of green energy strong enough to leave man sized holes in the walls of the base.



Every moment the giant figure wiped out a score of zombies or skeletons with a blast of her gun, or simply crushed any nearby beneath her huge armored boots.



The other members of the Omega Squad were also well armed, with guns or energy weapons that destroyed a skeleton or zombie with every shot. But the armored giant was quite literally the biggest threat, so the vampires and their rotting and skeletal minions focused most of their attention on her.



Unfortunately while the zombies and skeletons were completely obedient to their vampire handlers, for that was what Chrissy Lera had commanded them to be, they had no weapons, and lacked the sophistication to use most weapons even if they had possessed them. So all the zombies and skeletons could do to attack the giant and her companions was run at them (although some of the zombies were so decayed that they could manage only a fast walk at best) and try to maul the armored figures with their fists and teeth.



Most of the mindless undead were shot down before they could even get close to the Imperious Industries people. But they still managed to overwhelm two of the shorter soldiers through sheer weight of numbers, as hundreds of zombies and skeletons began to converge on the Omega Squad.



“NO…IGNORE THOSE STUPID MIDGETS…GET THE FUCKING GIANT” the female vampire called out. Trying to direct all the zombies and skeletons against the huge armored figure again.



Unfortunately some of her fellow vampires were giving conflicting orders. So many of the skeletons and zombies were standing around in confusion, uncertain concerning which orders to obey.



The angry female vampire did succeed in getting the giant’s attention though.



“Oh shit” the vampire swore, just before the giant aimed her radiation cannon at her and obliterated the vampire and all the skeletons standing behind her.



*****



“Sergeant Boris says that the Omega Squad has secured an entrance on the south side…Boris urgently requests reinforcements though…stating that he ‘doesn’t have enough fucking people to hold back all the damn zombies” one of Imperious Dakar’s subordinates reported to the technomancer.



“Tell him reinforcements are coming his way now” Dakar told the man, then he turned to an impatient looking Half-Orc standing beside him.



“Conrad I need you and your Armored Division to deal with all these undead outside the base…keep them off the rest of our forces and wipe them out as soon as possible.”



“Very good sir” Conrad replied stiffly, before heading back to his tanks, eager to start fighting now that they were so close to the action.



Adora Belle looked around nervously as most of vehicles and troops that had not already moved into the ruins of Sunnydale began to quickly drive, walk, or fly there. Wondering if she would have to fight.



~That’s not in my job description goddamn it~ Adora thought resentfully as the road into Sunnydale and the area surrounding it quickly cleared of people and machines.



Then the Halfling realized that Imperious Dakar was staring at her, and gulped nervously at the even more frightening realization that she had been ignoring her dangerous boss.



“Did you bring what I asked for Adora?” Dakar asked calmly, his strange eyes watching her intently.



Adora had picked it up shortly before reporting to this location. Though she wasn’t sure she wanted to know what Dakar was going to do with it.



“One adult human…magically unaltered” Belle replied before she brought the middle aged woman to Imperious.



The frightened and confused woman pleaded to be let go, but Dakar ignored her cries and gently put one of his hands on her face. Then the skinny woman began to scream.



Like Selene the technomancer Imperious Dakar had consumed a demon and taken its power, moreover like the ancient witch he could increase his power by consuming the souls of humans and similar creatures. But unlike Selene, Dakar did not need to eat souls in order to maintain his youth and strength.



However, it was only right after Dakar had eaten a soul that he could use the full power of the demon lord he had consumed. He still seldom ate souls though, because of the side effects.



But Imperious Dakar suspected that he would need all his strength when he confronted Chrissy Lera again.



Adora Belle watched as the woman fell at Dakar’s feet. Not merely dead but soulless, a look of absolute horror still on her face.



~Momma was right…I should have sold insurance~ Adora thought as she looked at the disturbingly unmarked corpse, before turning her attention back to her boss.



Imperious Dakar’s entire body seemed to quiver for a moment, and then his eyes turned a vivid glowing pink.



Except for his eyes his appearance seemed unchanged, but something about the way that the demonically enhanced man was looking around seemed indescribably feral to Adora.



Predatory.



With a start Adora realized that Dakar was staring right at her. It felt like he was boring into her with those weird eyes of his.



“I’ve got things and stuff to do sir…I got to go” Adora babbled before scurrying away.



*****



After wiping out what remained of Angelus’s security forces Chrissy Lera had gone back to Marian Casta’s side. Doing her best to heal the wounded vampire despite her growing exhaustion.



But once again the necromancer’s attempt to restore the vampire to health was interrupted.



“Mistress the Imperious people are counterattacking…they’re wiping out all the zombies” one of the Honor Guard told Chrissy, a shrill note of panic in her voice.



The necromancer immediately used her magic to spy on the opposing force. Then her eyes widened in horror at how badly they were outgunned.



“He put a GIANT in bulletproof armor and gave her a NUCLEAR POWERED weapon” Chrissy said in disbelief.



~NO…I can’t lose AGAIN…not to Dakar…not like this~ the dark elf mentally cried out.



“WE CANNOT GIVE UP NOW SO CLOSE TO VICTORY…WE WILL PERSEVERE NO MATTER THE ODDS” Chrissy loudly told herself as much as her watching followers. Completely oblivious to how dirty and sweaty she was, or how her body was literally beginning to tremble with exhaustion.



The Honor Guard present exchanged nervous glances with one another. Their leader was visibly drained and starting to look a little deranged. Moreover, all of them that had any experience with military strategy or tactics thought the situation looked increasingly hopeless.



They knew one of them should say something. That one of them needed to get their leader to see reason, if at all possible.



None of the unwounded vampires spoke up. It was the one armed member of the Honor Guard who had destroyed an Epsilon robot that stepped forward.



“Mistress Lera…we all respect your power and judgment…but if we stay here…we’ll die” the maimed vampire said solemnly.



“NO!…WE CANNOT LET THEM WIN!” Chrissy replied angrily, a note of hysteria in her voice.



“Chrissy…please…please…let’s go…I don’t want us to die here.”



The dark elf turned away from the one armed Honor Guard and went back to her wounded friend. Saying softly as she did so “you should rest Marian…you need your strength so you can get better.”



The master vampire was no longer close to true death. Thanks to Chrissy’s efforts Marian now looked like a horribly burned woman instead of a human shaped hunk of charred meat. But she was still very weak, and would be more of a liability than an asset in any fight until she regained more of her strength.



Chrissy gently caressed Marian’s burned cheek, gazing down at the vampire with concern. She started to say something when the vampire interrupted her, Marian’s voice weak and hoarse.



“Chrissy I know you’re strong…ahh…but we can all see you’re tired…you can’t defeat all those damn robots and soldiers by yourself…and these kids are no match for those things…they’re certainly no match for…Imperious and his gang…if we stay and fight them like this the Legion will die…I will die and you will die…I DON’T want to die Chrissy…please don’t condemn us all to death.”



Chrissy Lera was a very arrogant woman. Moreover she really wanted to defeat Imperious Dakar here and now not only for revenge but to prove to herself and everyone else that Dakar’s victory over her had just been a fluke.



But for all her arrogance she wasn’t stupid, and she truly loved the vampire who had been her friend and lover longer than anyone else. Marian’s words reached Chrissy the way no one else’s would have, and the necromancer sighed heavily and sagged against a nearby wall as she tried to realistically look at their chances for victory here at this point. And all that she would lose if she were killed or captured here.



“All right Marian…we’ll leave” Chrissy murmured softly as she closed her eyes. Feeling the full weight of her exhaustion and weariness as the necromancer conceded (temporary) defeat.



Then Chrissy Lera stood up straight, forcing herself to stop trembling, doing her best to project her customary image of strength.



“Order all Legionnaires to fall back to gate room A5…we shall advance to world Terra 9 and exploit its resources for the good of the Legion.”



None of the Honor Guard responded at first. Too surprised that their leader had ordered a retreat in all but name so quickly.



Chrissy glared at her slow to respond underlings and said irritably “what are you waiting for…go before more of the Legion dies.”



The embarrassed Honor Guard rushed to obey, as Chrissy turned back to her wounded lover.



“I’ll slow down and distract the Imperious forces while everyone else retreats…then I will meet you at the gate room and we can leave together.”



Then Chrissy softly kissed Marian and said in a gentle tone “never forget that I love you Mary.”



“I love you too Chrissy” the vampire replied sincerely. But inside she was thinking ~please don’t do anything stupid Chrissy…I know you may not want to believe it but you’re not invincible.~



*****



Despite their vast numbers the zombies and skeletons Chrissy Lera had created could do little against the helicopters and armored vehicles commanded by the Half-Orc Conrad.



Hundreds of them were blow apart by missiles, shredded by machine gun fire, or simply crushed beneath tank treads. But the mindless undead were without fear, and outnumbered the Imperious Industries forces over four to one, so the zombies and skeletons just kept coming.



“DAMN IT…THESE NASTY LITTLE THINGS JUST WON’T GIVE UP” the Giant member of the Omega Squad roared in frustration as she shook off some zombies that had been clawing at her boot, crushing the decaying undead under her heel.



However the zombies continued to swarm the area around the Giant’s feet. Trying to bring down their much bigger and stronger foe through sheer weight of numbers.



For a brief second it seemed like they might actually succeed, as hundreds of zombies and skeletons tried to grab her armored feet. Attacking her with a reckless abandon only the mindless or insane could achieve.



But before Chrissy’s creatures could pull her down, seven of her Squad members came to the Giant’s rescue. Mowing down the attacking undead with machine guns and flamethrowers.



“Thanks guys” the Giant said gratefully as she stepped away from the shattered corpses. Only to be knocked on her back by a massive burst of lightning.



The entrance to the Imperious Industries base that the Omega Squad had been guarding was shrouded in smoke, shrieks of agony and flares of light coming from within.



Then the smoke cleared and they saw Chrissy Lera standing directly in front of the entrance. Her crimson eyes alight with hate and her entire body glowing with arcane power.



*****



It had taken Chrissy Lera little effort to destroy the living troops and robots that were coming through the entrance after she had teleported there. But she knew that many more had already gotten past that point and were deep within the base by now.



The necromancer just hoped that all the Imperious Industries forces inside and outside the building would be too distracted by her to mount a decent pursuit of Legion vampires. Chrissy knew that in their position she would certainly consider the necromancer the main threat.



However, as Chrissy Lera looked outside at the approaching Imperious Industries forces she felt a glimmer of doubt.



She saw ten attack helicopters, thirty Epsilon robots, at least seventy-five heavily armed and armored human and Orc soldiers, dozens of modern and old Soviet style tanks, hundreds of flying spheres that looked like modified A.S.R. robots, and a few large armored figures like the Omega Squad Giant whose species and nature Chrissy could only guess at.



The angry necromancer was trying to decide what to focus her destructive spells on first, when she felt an all too familiar presence near her. She turned around just in time to see a Mind Flayer and an armored figure materialize before her.



Chrissy recognized the illithid as Udragoth; the man’s features were concealed behind thick black armor that shimmered with mystic and technological power. But Lera didn’t need to see his face to know who he was.



“Dakar” the necromancer hissed hatefully as she prepared to cast her most destructive spell.



The technomancer did not bother to reply, Imperious Dakar didn’t even launch an immediate attack. Instead he merely made sure that Chrissy’s Lera’s attention was firmly on him and then used the communications gear built into his helmet to give his forces a simple command.



“Now.”



Chrissy Lera screamed in pain and shock as every Imperious Industries soldier, vehicle, or robot that could target her shot at her exposed back. Pushing her shield of artificial spirits to the breaking point.



Then Imperious Dakar hit her with a wave of pure demonic energy (which looked like a burst of dark flame) while Udragoth used his telepathic powers to assault the necromancer’s mind.



*****



Imperious Dakar had suspected that Chrissy Lera would try to take on his army alone to save her Legion, but he was still disgusted at how easily he had been able to maneuver the dark elf into getting between himself and the bulk of his forces, so that both could attack her at once.



If there was one character trait Imperious truly despised it was acting without thinking, and Chrissy had just proven herself very capable of that flaw.



The necromancer was on her hands and knees now, her shield of pseudo souls all but gone. Chrissy’s suit was now so filthy it appeared more brown than white, her black skin was dirty and sweaty, and her eyes were full of panic. But Dakar could sense through his familiar Udragoth that she hadn’t given up yet.



However, Imperious didn’t think it really mattered. His spells prevented Lera from fleeing, and the necromancer was so overwhelmed simply trying to defend her mind and body that she couldn’t mount a serious attack at the moment.



The arms dealer knew that Chrissy Lera couldn’t keep this up much longer. Soon the mystic defenses protecting her body or consciousness would shatter, and she would die or surrender her mind to him.



Imperious would prefer to take her alive, but he would settle for dead if taking her alive proved difficult. Unlike Selene he had no intention of underestimating the necromancer.



Then an unexpected arrival grabbed Dakar’s attention.



*****



The senior Vampire Slayer Buffy Summers, the witch Willow Rosenberg, the former Watcher Rupert Giles, and the six Wiccans and ten Slayers that formed their entourage appeared in the ruins of Sunnydale in a flash of unearthly light.



By chance or some strange quirk of fate they appeared not far from the entrance that the Omega Squad was guarding. Unfortunately for Buffy and her companions the Squad leapt to the perfectly reasonable conclusion that the unknown armed women who had just appeared beside them without warning (in a combat zone) were enemies.



The two Dwarven Squad members who were closest to the Slayers immediately opened fire, their bullets striking the Slayer in the lead multiple times. Then their Giant squad mate shakily got to her feet and aimed her huge weapon at the Slayer Army group.



Shooting a burst of radiation at the humans and then watching, as they seemed to simply vanish in a flash of bright blue light.



“Huh…this thing can’t do that,” the Giant said in confusion as she looked down at her gun in amazement.



*****



For the briefest of moments Imperious Dakar paused his attack on Chrissy Lera. Caught off guard by the speed, boldness, and stupidity of the Slayers move.



Automatically thinking through the full ramifications as he watched the Vampire Slayers fall.



Dakar began to resume his assault on the necromancer almost immediately. But by then it was too late.



Chrissy used the brief reprieve to target Udragoth with her most devastating spell. Correctly guessing that the Mind Flayer was less well protected than Imperious himself.



The dark sphere of destructive energy went through Udragoth’s protective force field like it wasn’t there. Eating away at the illithid’s grotesquely twitching body until nothing was left within seconds.



This ended the telepathic assault on Chrissy’s mind and allowed the necromancer to focus most of her attention on Dakar.



~God damn it~ Imperious Dakar mentally swore as Chrissy screamed in fury and simply charged at him, her rapidly strengthening shield of souls crashing against his own protective energy barrier in a violent shower of sparks.



*****



Only the quick thinking and even quicker spell casting of Rick the warlock saved the Slayer Army group from complete destruction.



Once his companions began to fall around him Rick immediately used a mass teleport spell. Not even bothering to pick a particular location for the spell, just focusing on getting them away from there.



Fortunately they appeared in an open area in some sort of forest, although they could have just as easily reappeared in the middle of the ocean or inside a rock. However, Rick didn’t really know where they were and neither did any of the people with him.



But at the moment, none of them cared.



When they examined the bleeding forms of Rupert Giles and Ebony Freeman the Slayers and Wiccans soon realized that the former Watcher and the Vampire Slayer were beyond their help. A quick look soon confirmed that two other Slayers had died, another was suffering from a nasty leg wound, and one of the witches had received several shots to the head.



The two most wounded people in the group who were still alive were Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg.



Of the two, Buffy was by far the most wounded. She had numerous bullets wounds in her torso, legs, and one in her shoulder. She had also lost a lot of blood. Willow had received a nasty shot to the stomach, and like the Summers Slayer she was unresponsive, but the witch’s wounds still didn’t seem nearly as bad.



Most of the Wiccans immediately tended to Buffy and one went to use her healing magic on Willow, but Rick simply watched the scene with uncertainty for a moment.



He knew that Buffy and Willow would die if they didn’t receive immediate healing. Rick also knew that the other witches probably weren’t powerful enough to fully heal Willow or Buffy before they died. So who ever he didn’t focus on almost certainly wouldn’t survive.



~Willow’s got the better chance of survival with immediate healing…I’m not even sure that I CAN save Buffy before her heart stops…besides if they come after us were going to need Willow a hell of a lot more than another Slayer~ the warlock finally concluded as he moved to Willow’s side.



Rick impatiently pushed the witch trying to heal Rosenberg aside. Telling her rudely “get out of here and work on Buffy…I’ve got this.”



Then the world around him seemed to fade as Rick focused on his magic. Channeling healing energy into the wound, hoping it was not too late.



For a long moment he thought Willow wouldn’t make it, that the damage was too great, but just as he was giving up hope she opened her eyes and mumbled a question.



~She’s going to make it~ Rick thought, feeling a wave of mental and physical exhaustion hit him as the adrenaline began to wear off.



The warlock was just about to answer Willow’s question when he remembered Buffy. Then he rushed over to the senior Slayer.



“Oh god…I’m too late” Rick muttered as stared down at her, one of the witches who had been attempting to heal her weeping beside him.



Buffy Anne Summers stared sightlessly up at the sky, her seemingly delicate features forever frozen in an expression of surprise.



*****



When Chrissy Lera charged at Imperious Dakar his security forces had to stop firing at her to avoid hitting their leader.



Whatever his faults as a person Dakar was still the man who signed their paychecks, and he was surprisingly good about giving out bonuses too.



As for Chrissy Lera, she desperately wanted to destroy the technomancer who had hurt her and those she cared about so much. Focusing all her energies on obliterating Imperious.



Dakar wanted to get away and regain the advantage, but a quick spell from Chrissy thwarted his attempt to teleport. Then she simply continued to batter away at his force field with her shield of souls, the artificial spirits repeatedly ramming into the energy barrier surrounding him.



This battle had become the last thing Imperious Dakar wanted.



A brutal brawl between opponents of roughly equal power and skill, the kind of battle Dakar might be able to dominate but never control. Because it all came down to raw strength and luck, not planning and ruthless cunning.



The next wave of artificial spirits knocked Imperious Dakar back through a wall. Chrissy followed Dakar into the new room without hesitation, thinking that she could finally score the kill.



*****



A woman miles away from the Imperious Industries base, watched the battle between Imperious Dakar and Chrissy Lera with keen interest. Using her own unique powers of perception to observe every move of the two magic users.



She was not surprised that Chrissy was doing so well, for she had seen how deadly the necromancer could be firsthand. But she was a little surprised that the normally sophisticated dark elf was attacking so savagely.



However, what particularly intrigued her was the way that Imperious Dakar was reacting to the battle.



*****



Imperious Dakar was a man obsessed with controlling himself and his environment. But when he consumed a soul things were a little…different.



Doing so allowed Dakar to temporarily use the full power of the demon lord whose energy he had absorbed, as well as strengthening his ability to telekinetically manipulate metal (a power Imperious had gained upon eating the demon lord). But it also made the technomancer more passionate and emotional.



Even with the aid of his neural implants Imperious Dakar found it much harder to control his emotions at such times. Particularly his anger and rage.



So when Chrissy Lera followed him into the employee lounge she had knocked the technomancer into, instead of trying to hit her from a distance with carefully aimed ranged attacks the way he normally would have, Dakar did something very different.



“DIE ABOMINATION!” Chrissy screamed in fury as she stepped into the room, her hands glowing with power as she began to cast another spell.



Imperious Dakar turned off his force field, walked over to the necromancer and tried to punch Chrissy in the face. The dark elf thought that such a base physical attack could never penetrate her protective barrier, but Imperious had the strength of a demon lord and the fake ghosts could only briefly resist the blow.



Dakar smirked beneath his helmet as his fist made contact with Chrissy’s head, the force of blow knocking out two of the necromancer’s front teeth.



“YOU BASTARD” the vain necromancer shrieked, as she realized that Dakar had ruined her perfect smile. Chrissy’s eyes blazing yellow as she drew on the power of the Negative Energy Plane to strengthen her own body.



In one quick move Chrissy kneed Dakar in the groin with super elfin strength, and then violently pushed him away.



Only the magically enhanced toughness of his armor had prevented the super strong necromancer from crushing the arms dealer’s genitals completely, nevertheless it still hurt like hell. But Dakar welcomed the pain.



It helped clear his head, and show the technomancer just how foolish he had been acting.



Dakar stood up and activated his force field just in time to prevent Chrissy Lera from crushing him beneath her artificial spirits, their transparent forms repeatedly smashing into the energy shield.



Then the technomancer channeled a powerful ice spell through the nearby machinery in the room. Streams of ice and frost emerging from the employee lounge television, vending machine, toaster, and digital clock to strike Chrissy from all sides. Just as that spell was hitting the necromancer Dakar pulled a large weapon off his hip and aimed it at Chrissy.



The flamethrower fired a little fireball at the dark elf. The temperature change and multiple attacks from different directions were too much for the fake ghosts to handle, and the fireball struck Chrissy in the stomach with little resistance, the impact knocking her off her feet.



But when the smoke cleared Imperious was disappointed to see that Lera was still alive. She wasn’t even seriously burned, the magic armor beneath her now tattered and charred clothing had shielded her body from the worst effects of the fireball.



However, as Imperious Dakar gazed at the beautifully crafted armor, he grinned. For even though it was mostly made of human and animal bone, it was held together by metal.



*****



Despite the rage, adrenaline, and (though she would never admit to it) fear coursing through her system, exhaustion was beginning to take a serious toll on Chrissy Lera.



The dark elf necromancer had been fighting all night. Throwing destructive spells around with an abandon that struck even her as a little reckless. Pushing her spell casting to its limits.



For the first time in her life, Chrissy had over used her ability to channel Negative Energy to the point that casting spells was starting to hurt. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could do it.



But as Chrissy gazed at the figure who had just knocked out her teeth and tried to burn her alive, she found the thought of giving up unbearable.



“I will make you pay for ALL your crimes MONSTER…you will BEG me for mercy before I am done” Chrissy promised. Her words slightly slurred by the gab in her front teeth.



Even though his helmet concealed his features, Chrissy somehow knew that Dakar was smiling at her. She opened her mouth to scream at him again, only to gasp in shock as her armor began to squeeze into her flesh.



“You need to spend more time focusing on the person you’re fighting and less time thinking of clever one liners girl” Dakar sneered as he tried to telekinetically squeeze the life out of Chrissy.



The dark elf’s eyes widened in fear as the metal and bone pressed into her flesh, knowing that she was only seconds away from a grisly death.



“NO!” Chrissy screamed defiantly as she cast a disintegration spell. Channeling the magic through her skin to vaporize her armor and remaining clothing, feeling as though she were pumping liquid fire into her veins in the process.



Then Chrissy stood naked before her enemy, her shapely form glistening with blood and sweat, tears of pain running down her cheeks. Struggling to stay upright as she told herself that it wasn’t over, that she could still beat the monstrous technomancer.



In Imperious Dakar’s position many men would have paused to gloat, or at least leer at their naked foe. The pragmatic former mercenary reacted by hitting Lera with another wave of demonic energy.



*****



The necromancer’s body recovered quickly from the physical wounds Imperious Dakar was inflicting on Chrissy Lera. The permanent spell of regeneration Chrissy had cast upon herself years ago healing her with supernatural speed.



But that spell couldn’t restore Chrissy’s energy or magic. Even a powerful sorceress like the dark elf could only cast a finite number of spells per day, and Chrissy was dangerously close to that limit. Soon she wouldn’t be able to use any more spells, then Lera would be all but helpless before the technomancer’s power.



Imperious Dakar suspected as much and kept his distance from the necromancer. Channeling destructive spells through the technology around them as the weakened dark elf retreated before him. Using his teleportation (which Chrissy no longer had the magic to stop) to always stay one step ahead of the necromancer.



~As soon as she runs out of spells the bitch is mine~ Dakar thought as he watched Chrissy run down a hallway. Growing sexually excited in the face of his enemy’s obvious weakness and vulnerability.



Imperious Dakar had never raped a woman, considering such practices beneath him. But as he watched the beautiful naked black elf flee before him and felt the demonic power flow ever more fiercely through his veins, Dakar couldn’t help imagining using the pretty and proud Chrissy Lera for his pleasure.





This would have surprised the few people who knew Imperious well, but consuming a soul stimulated far more than the technomancer’s capacity for anger.



~No…the important thing is killing or capturing Lera first…then I can focus on what I want to do with her~ Dakar told himself as he used his neural enhancements to mechanically suppress his lust. Then he channeled an explosive spell through the electrical system beneath Lera’s feet, smiling with satisfaction as the powerful explosion threw the dark elf through the air and into a wall.



Lera’s shield of souls softened the impact and prevented any fatal or crippling damage to the necromancer, but after that the ghostly forms faded away. Chrissy simply didn’t have the energy to maintain them any more.



The necromancer immediately collapsed to the floor. Naked, exhausted, and virtually out of spells.



Imperious Dakar’s mechanically enhanced and demonically tainted mind analyzed the scene in seconds. Calculating how many spells Chrissy was likely to have, considering her ability to resist deprived of followers or immediate magic, and estimating the trouble she could cause if he captured her but left the dark elf with the capacity for independent thought.



~Alive but mindless then~ Imperious decided.



Of course Chrissy Lera’s abilities would be severely decreased once he destroyed her mind, but she could still serve as a useful figurehead for him. Which would put the leader of Imperious Industries in a much better position when he finally dealt with Charna and the other scheming Mind Flayers in the Iberian Ministry of Security.



“Is that all you’ve got girl?” Dakar said contemptuously, though inside he was wondering if Chrissy was merely feigning helplessness to catch him off guard.



The proud dark elf remained uncharacteristically quiet, moaning unhappily as she lay on the floor. But Dakar still wasn’t completely convinced, so he took a conventional gun out of a holster in his armor and shot her in the left leg.



The necromancer shrieked and writhed in pain, but made no effort to defend herself, retaliate, or escape her tormentor. Showing little sign of her usual power or pride.



~She really cannot fight any more~ Dakar thought.



The technomancer teleported to a spot directly in front of Chrissy Lera, immediately leaning down with a hand outstretched as he attempted to infect the dark elf with the nano-machines in his bloodstream. Knowing that her mental death was all but guaranteed once that happened.



But the sorceress had one spell left, and it was one that Chrissy had created herself.



A sword of ice, bone, and shadow rapidly took shape in one of Lera’s slender black hands. Possessing a kind of weird beauty as it both radiated and absorbed the light in the room.



Chrissy immediately thrust it at Dakar as she screamed defiantly “I will NEVER surrender to YOU monster!”



The technomancer used his implants to raise his force field before the weapon of magic could strike him, but it pushed its way through in a violent shower of energy and light. Propelled by Chrissy’s remaining magical power and determination to never submit to anyone.



Imperious Dakar’s helmet offered even less resistance than his force field had, as the necromantic blade pierced his head and came out the other side. The damage knocked the remains of the helmet off, and revealed the face of Dakar to Chrissy for the first time since their battle began.



~Its over~ the dark elf thought as her temporary weapon faded away, feeling more hurt and exhausted than she ever had before in her life. Wondering if she could even stand up with her wounded leg.



But Imperious Dakar didn’t fall down.

The technomancer showed no signs of expiring and didn’t even make any sounds of pain. Despite the bloody hole in his forehead.



Instead his entire body quivered for a moment as his eyes turned red. Not a healthy crimson like Lera’s eyes, but a blazing bright red that reflected the fires of the Nine Hells.



“What ARE you?” Chrissy murmured in disbelief as she stared into Dakar’s demon eyes, which were now a pure fiery red.



Imperious didn’t in reply in words, he couldn’t. The necromancer’s blow had reduced him to what Dakar despised most.



An un-thinking brute.



The demonic beast growled and reached down, intent on destroying the little creature that had hurt him.



Exhausted, bleeding, and out of spells, the dark elf could do little to resist as Dakar wrapped an armored hand around her slender neck. Choking Chrissy as the demonic beast began to strangle her with monstrous strength.



“No…no…it can’t end like this” Chrissy said pitifully in a strangled voice, unable to believe that she could die like this. Alone and at the hands of a monstrous beast like what Dakar had become.



The demonic cyborg tightened his grip. Trying to squeeze the life out of his helpless foe. The dark elf cried out in agony as her image became smoky, then it faded away entirely.



Deprived of his prey, the bestial Dakar roared in fury. The cry of rage echoing throughout the base and disturbing the Imperious Industries personnel within.



*****



Selene and Susan Zweller stood inside the half collapsed house that they had taken shelter in after leaving the Imperious Industries fortress. Using the witch’s magic to watch the battle five miles away.



The werewolf was silent as she watched Chrissy Lera limp over to her followers. Joining Marian and the few other vampires who had not gone through the inter-dimensional portal yet in front of it, walking through the portal after setting down one of the many explosive devices they had found in the arms dealer’s base.



Once she saw the bomb go off Susan could remain silent no longer.



“Why did you teleport her away?…we almost had her!…Dakar was going to kill her!”



Selene smiled indulgently at the short blonde woman and answered in a patronizing tone “its not that simple Susan…Dakar and his pet wizards have all but mastered the magic of the portals by now…when they do they may believe in their arrogance that they no longer need me…unfortunately I still have need of the resources of Imperious Industries to bring about my vision of universal harmony.”



Lex was a cunning female who was very experienced in the area of intrigue. So she was able to follow Selene’s train of thought easily.



“But if Chrissy and her gang are still on the loose he will need you’re help to deal with them…and he will continue to give you the things you need to expand your cults.”



The ancient witch reached out and ran a hand along Susan’s heart shaped face. Pleased with the cleverness of her newest familiar.



“Exactly my pet.”



Susan scowled at being referred to as a pet. Imperious Dakar sometimes called her Kitten, but that was more an expression of his twisted sense of humor than any lack of respect for her.



“Dakar’s a smart man Selene…as soon as those little robots in his blood finish fixing his brain he may figure out what you did” Susan said in an almost accusing tone. Adding a mental BITCH to the end of the sentence.



“Eventually…but by then I will not need him any longer” Selene said complacently. Her arrogant tone reminding Susan of the just vanished necromancer.



“When that happens you will help me bring down Imperious Dakar….or face the wrath of us both when I make sure he learns of all your betrayals” the witch continued in a harsh tone.



Susan gulped nervously, not wanting to contemplate the prospect of facing the fury of Selene, Dakar, and ALL their minions. Eager to change the subject the werewolf said, “this has been a profitable day for you hasn’t it?”



Selene could see what Susan was doing, but she would hardly turn down an opportunity to gloat.



“Of course…the two organizations most likely to limit the spread of my faith were the Slayer Army and the vampire Legion…now the Legion is gone…Dakar will have to depend on me to help him reestablish normal operations here…and the Slayer Army will most likely attack Imperious Industries once they find out how their leader fell…forcing Dakar to destroy them.”



~So she thinks that with them gone her cult can expand across the entire planet…she might be right…the other religions on this world don’t have gods that are in the habit of making personal appearances and demonstrating their power…hers does and that’s got to help~ Lex concluded. But the intellectual persona still thought there was more to it.



A familiar, especially a new one like the blonde werewolf, should not be able to use the mental link with her Mistress against that witch. But Lex had years of practice navigating and even manipulating the twisted landscape of her own fragmented mind. It was relatively easy for the intellectual to use the link to reach into Selene’s and find the information she was looking for.



“But that’s not all is it?…you did something to Chrissy when you saved her” Susan said as though she were having an epiphany.



If Selene realized what her familiar had just done she gave no sign. Instead she merely smiled in predatory way that would have done credit to Susan’s wolfwoman form and stated ominously “when the necromancer and I meet again she and her followers will realize that Chrissy is no longer as free as she believes.”