"Knox to Wren, do you copy?"
Wten's voice now crackled over the radio, replying to Knox as they quietly crept through the abandoned hospital. After months of pursuing leads, Agent Billy Knox had finally tracked down the Mad Queen Vanessa. "Target has taken refuge in the northeast tower," Jennifer Wren stated. "Fire team is positioned by the adjacent chapel. Awaiting orders."
"Prepare for breech," Knox stated. "I'll be there in five." Wren copied, as Knox now directed his team towards the northeast corner. This entire mission had been arduous for Knox. Over the past couple of months he had seemingly exhausted every possible lead.
After Vanessa the Mad Queen had murdered several S.P.E.A.R agents, Knox made it his mission to hunt the rogue vampire down. This was personal for the former DHS Agent. Vanessa had killed his protégé, torturing the woman before taking her life. Knox had felt guilty about her death, blaming himself for talking her into joining the agency. When Director McMillan had approached the seasoned agent, he jumped at the opportunity, eventually convincing some of the younger agents he knew within DHS to join him. Then some of those very agents died by Vanessa's hands.
Knox became obsessed, focusing all of his abilities on finding Vanessa and taking her down. Despite Director McMillan encouraging him to take some time off, he refused. Throughout his tenure at DHS, he had prided himself on not only training exceptional agents but having those agents survive. Many that were tutored by the man, knew how to take care of themselves. No Agent had ever died under Knox's tutelage and that one did was a personal insult. Running a hand through his greying blonde hair, he now motioned for the team to proceed with caution.
As the two groups now converged on the northeast corner, Knox could see Wren position her team. Jennifer Wren was an excellent field agent. A former CIA operative that had logged numerous assignments in the Middle East, Jennifer knew how to handle herself. Furrowing her brow, she now brushed a stray blonde hair from her face as she narrowed her dark brown eyes. "Shes in there," Wren whispered, pointing towards a doorway. Knox nodded, withdrawing his sidearm as he now motioned his team forward.
Vanessa winced in pain, holding her side. How had this happened? She was stronger than almost all vampires yet these humans had somehow wounded her. Glancing at her side, she could see the bullet hole that now oozed blood. Obviously these humans had learned from the Moreland. How else could they not only hurt her but back her into a corner like this. If this was indeed her final moments, she would make these humans earn it.
From the shadows, Vanessa now watched as over a dozen humans now advanced. Unlike her last encounter with S.P.E.A.R. these agents seemed well prepared. Trying to take out a target quietly would not be possible, considering their formation. If she were to escape, she would need to fight her way out. Leaping from the shadows, she now tackled an agent in the middle of the formation. Looking to tear the man's throat out, she now howled in pain as she felt her body riddled with bullets. Surprisingly they weren't silver but they were coated in something that would slow the vampire down. Obviously they wanted to capture her or torture her. Vanessa now slumped off of her intended victim, snarling like an injured animal as she backed herself into a corner.
Knox smirked, they had done it, he had done it. The fearsome Mad Queen was at their mercy, leaving Knox with two choices. Capture the vampire per Director McMillans instructions or terminate the subject. Knox now leveled his weapon at Vanessa's head, he could explain Vanessa's death to Sarah. "Wren contact HQ."
Wren nodded, as the woman now looked to radio HQ her eyes went wide. Knox confused as she inhaled sharply, her body tensing. Before he could even ask what was wrong, a furry hand tore through her chest from behind holding the womans beating heart.
Vanessa watched as chaos now ensued. Random, panicked firing, men screaming, and in between all this two figures. Vanessa immediately could see one, an adult female vampire with red hair dressed in a black body suit. This vampire was obviously a skilled assassin, eliminating these humans with little effort.
The other surprised Vanessa. A kumiho, Vanessa had thought this cousin of the kitsune was extinct, wiped out centuries ago by the kitsune. Now though, this nine tailed kumiho tore through these humans with ease, useing her tails as a weapon before tearing out her victims hearts. In moments it was only the man who had held a gun to her head left standing, his eyes wide as he roared with anger. Vanessa could tell he felt cheated, robbed of his moment of glory by these two interlopers. As he tried to now wrench victory from the jaws of defeat, it was the redhead vampire that ended his life, slitting his throat before bathing in his blood.
"Ah," the kumiho sighed as she dropped the heartless corpse of her last kill. "Human hearts always a treat." Turning she now smiled at an obviously confused vampire queen. "Who are you," Vanessa asked. "Oh where are my manners I'm Choon Hee," she said, extending a furry hand coated in blood. "And this is Blackbird. We represent an organization that would love to work with you."
"I work alone," Vanessa scoffed. "And while I appreciate your help, I doubt there is anything you can offer that will change that."
"Not even providing you with an army to get revenge on the Tepes family," Choon Hee asked. "You do know that the new Tepes lord is a young vampire. One who has yet to truely establish himself within the realm of the vampires. Whose to say with a little help from us you couldn't claim that role that you so rightly deserve."
Vanessa paused, a new Tepes? This was something she hadn't known. It often took a new lord sometime to establish themselves amongst the old Bloods. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity for the Mad Queen to have her revenge on the descendents of Dracula. "I'm listening," she said softly, the vampire now taking a moment to hear what Choon Hee had to say.