Sweet Alice

By Willow Taylor
with Jenny Dickinson

The cat eyed blond soon caught up with Victor, mostly because unlike his sibling, André preferred night steeds to normal horses. But partly because, unlike Victor, he knew what Sweet Alice was, and Rakaasha only killed this frequently when they had a breeding male, and young on the way. He also knew they denned in dark damp places where fogs and mists were frequent, and that Victor's Cross inscribed silver bullets wouldn't so more to her than cause momentary pain. André hoped Victor would let him help, as he trotted up along side the other hunter. "I beg your pardon, but is your gun loaded with Silver bullets?"

"No, it's loaded with Grey Poupon. Why?"

"They won't kill her. She's rakaasha, a shaper spirit. Only old holy water, or a Hindu blessed weapon will do so. I have the water, and thank my god I chose a Falcata instead of a rapier like Dom. I have a katar dagger if you'd like it...."

Victor cut him off. "Look you arrogant son of a bitch, I just decked your friend, why are you trying to help me?"

"He deserved it, and Dom's my older brother. Besides, killing things like Alice are part of my job. Oh... uhm... your fangs are showing..." André turned a shy wolfish grin to Victor, showing he was just as dead.

Victor looked at André critically.

"I'm not a vampire," he said smoothly. "And if you'll forgive me, I don't agree with your opinion of Sweet Alice's race."

"I did my research," André replied. "That is what it looked like to me."

"And I know what makes her scream," Victor said, with a tight mouthed grin.

"I'm only trying to help," the cat-eyed vampire said slightly sulkily.

"Fine. But understand this: I know what I'm doing," Angel said. He turned his head and looked down to the ground, following the blood trail with his eyes, "Shit," he said, Angel's head whipped about and he shouted at André. "Kid, look..." Fog condensed on André's horse, and Sweet Alice, still bleeding, carried him to the ground. André rolled, drawing the katar dagger he'd spoken of, and slashed at Alice. She screamed and rolled as well tossing him off then pinning him to the ground.

'I guess I could be wrong...' André thought, as a wave of Sweet Alice's blood crashed over his face, and she lowered her lips to his. The cat-eyed vampire tried to struggle, but it felt like the creature on top of him was sucking his breath out. Angel crashed into Sweet Alice, kicking her sprawling and setting André free of her passionate embrace. André heard her scream again, as the dark haired hunter's dagger plunged into her ribs. Angel was sent flying, as shakily, André drew his sword.

"Come now...." simpered Sweet Alice, bloody robes flowing about her. "Why violence? I only want to love you."

"Yeah right!" yelped André and attacked.

André slashed at the monster, missing. Alice raked at his face with sharp claw-like fingernails, and tossed him into Victor, who'd just regained his feet. The two hunters rolled out of he way just as Alice hit the ground, claws first, where they had been a moment before. The pair looked at each other over Alice's back, wide-eyed.

"SHIIIIIT!" they yelped in unison. Then in equal synchronization, they reached for their weapons, striking as Alice dissolved into the mist. André and Angel regained their feet and stood back to back in the swirling mist.

"I never thought this was going to be easy...." the dark haired supernatural hunter said.

"Well I thought it was going to be easier than this!" André said, eyes wide, cat-slit pupils dilated. "We're in trouble, we don't know from where the attacks going to come from next."

"Just know it's coming..." Victor tilted his head aside staring into the mists. "Kid - hit the deck!" Unthinking, André flung himself to the ground as Sweet Alice began to reform, and Victor emptied his clip into her half-formed body. The mist-creature screamed, then fell to the highland's now blood richened earth. André regained his feet, as Victor wiped blood from a split lip that had happened when he'd been thrown to the ground.

"'kay, shadow-freak, last bit to do." He gestured to the still twitching figure's neck, and André's sword. André raised it, and brought it down, separating the head from the body.

"Adenan," he panted, kicking the monster¹s body. "Calling me a 'dancer's a fighting offence." Victor smiled weakly, then reached down and hauled Sweet Alice's head up to their eye level by its hair.

"Could I give you as much a fight as she has?" he asked, dark brown eyes sparkling. André shook his head, causing soft gold curls to fall in his eyes, and whistled for his night steed. "WAIT!" Victor called, as André started to climb up. Victor held the bridle of Domenic's horse. "You gonna leave me to face the mate alone, kid?"

"Hmmm..." said André. "I suppose not. But how are we going to find the den." Angel closed his eyes and concentrated.

"That way," said the dark haired investigator. "Trust me!" he said, as André opened his mouth.

"Alright, alright, I'll trust you, damned if I know why, but I'll trust you."

"So, we're walking?"

"Uhm, yeah, Alice spooked the horses, you want to ride them?"

"Okay, let's get going."

The pair walked through the mists, changing direction occasionally as Victor reoriented himself. The cave that they found was filled with half-rotted flesh, but no mate.

"Do you think the horses are calm enough to ride now?" Victor asked. André examined them.

"Yes, why?"

"Because it's gonna be a hell of a long walk back to town, and I was hoping to ride at least some of it."

It was almost dawn when they arrived back in Sunsweet Rest. While Victor and André rested, the news spread like prairie fire. Sweet Alice was finally dead.

Victor threw his knife up into the air and caught it, then repeated the motion. André watched with interest. Neither of them were interested in dealing with their adoring public. Mary Shelly stood on the other side of the room and watched both of them. Domenic was out talking to the townsfolk. If he was nothing else, he was a charming bastard. The blond, emerald eyed hunter came in.

"Alright, they've been talked out of naming a town-wide celebration after you two," he grouched. "Now I want to hear what happened."

"We came, we saw, we kicked ass," Victor said. "Your brother was quite useful in that."

"Victor has remarkable tracking abilities," André commented.

"Who are you Victor?" asked Mary.

"I'll tell you later," said the supernatural hunter lazily. "Right now I'm hungry. What say we all go down to dinner? I'll tell the story then."

Dinner was a grand affair. A true celebration. André sighed. He liked the hunting and heroing, but not the hounding and partying after. He pushed his peas around on his plate and sculpted a small mesa out of his mashed potatoes. 'sigh' He looked up and Victor caught his eye and smiled. Then disappeared through the door he'd been standing next to. At his next opportunity André followed.

"Psssst," came a hissing voice as André entered cool night air, glad to be away from the loud party inside. André turned and saw the glow of what was plainly a cigarette. "Victor?"

"In the flesh. You saw me leave... did'ja think the bogie-babe had gotten me?"

"No. It's just best to be cautious."

"We'll make a good hunter of you yet, 'dre." From the shadows emerged Mary, who smiled broadly with both sides of her mouth.

"Yah!" André said, "you move quiet for a large woman."

"Thanks. I think." Mary smiled again, and ruffled André's hair.

"Where's my brother?" André asked nervously, looking around.

"Last I saw, he had a girl on each arm, and was offering to show them his hunting scars." Victor snorted and took a drag. "It's men like that that give men like me a bad name."

André chuckled. "My brother always gets a girl out of these kind of situations, all I get is miserable." The blond pouted adorably. "I always feel like I'm missing out on something good too."

Mary stifled a choke of embarrassed laughter, and Victor grinned broadly, displaying baby fangs.

"You have no idea how good," the supernatural hunter said, exhaling smoke. "We gotta get you a babe." Mary had to stifle another laugh at the expression on André's face. "Okay, never mind," Victor amended.

Mary wandered into the stables to check on their horses.

"Look I wanted to talk to you before I left."

"Before you left?" André asked confused.

"Yeah, I'm looking to be out of here early tomorrow morning."

"Oh why?" André asked. "And what was it you wanted to ask me?"

"I'm like a summer storm, André," Victor said, inhaling the clove smoke deeply. "I blow into towns, maybe water the crops, perhaps quenching a field fire... then I blow out again before they get to resent the rain." André hadn't expected such a flowery metaphor from the earthy hunter. "Anyhow, I wanted to ask you this: What is it you want to do?"

André thought a few moments, then fixed his azure cat stare on Victor.

"I don't know Victor, I just don't know." Victor laughed.

"At least you're honest," the pale man smiled. He ran his fingers through the thick mop of hair that crowned his head thought for a moment. They stood in silent tableau, and Domenic came out of the tavern.

"What you doing out here?" he asked. "The party's inside." Mary came out of the stables, looking bemused. Victor gave Domenic such a look, then went over and gave Mary a kiss on the cheek.

"See you later, Mary," he said, and lit a clove, then started off down the road that led out of town.

"What was that?" demanded 'Nic.

"You don't ask about my relationship with my brother," Mary said softly, "and I don't ask anything about your sister."

André smiled.

"Why," he whispered, watching Victor go. "Do I think I'll see him again?"

Boots hit the ground in a comfortable rhythm. The creaking of his coat in time. Victor whistled tunelessly to himself and lit a clove as he walked down the road. The delay had cost him some real time. He wondered if he'd ever get out of these blasted Highlands. He tucked his head down against the wind and rising dawn, and kept going.