The Immortalized Heart (Book 2 Original version)

Those loyal were to amass the entire force of the Association from the three imminent cities near London. Two hundred and thirty-two Investigators and seven hundred and sixty-six soldiers prepared for the Association’s largest modern-day assault. Ian was a First-Class Investigator now, in charge of Company Alpha; they were to infiltrate the base and eliminate the Syndicate Commander. No prisoners.

Once the brief was completed brother slipped away and found his way to the building the they kept themselves in. It was the first time the queen had been seen in battle wear for many centuries. Ian hardly recognized her outside of a dress. The plan was for the Nation to weave their way in ‘before’ the Association began the assault, taking out as many as they could then withdrawing in time for the humans to clean up the leftovers. Working from the shadows just as things were in the past. To take two steps forward one must take a step back. Ian just hoped there would not be too many casualties on either side, but reality is different from the dream.

“Wolfgang can we talk?” Ian motioned for the vampire to follow him to the roof.

“My sister isn’t the most honest person at times and she likes to hide things. She’s stubborn and tends to be selfish when wanting to help others, but she’s very sensitive surprisingly.”

He thought a long time about what to write. Every time there is a big operation like this every person is advised to write a will. In the years before he never thought much about it--he didn’t have a girlfriend, all his family was dead or missing and the friends he have knew nothing of his work. Typically he would fold the paper up and watch it sail away with the wind. Things were different now, they changed as things always do when time passes. It wasn’t a will necessarily as it was a letter, one which he would not give because he would be unable to.

“If I die, could you give this to my sister?”

“Why not ask the queen? She’s closer to her than I ever was.” Wolfgang never got along with Kira because he was tied down to the fact a short-lived human could bring the queen more happiness than near three-thousand years of his hard work.

“From one warrior to another, please grant me this request.”

The old-man took the letter into his hand and slipped it into his pocket, “From one brother to another.”

She greeted her prisoner like an old friend. Talking of the day: news, latest movements of Syndicate, and a surprise visit from the Association. Its a shame all of Kira’s efforts to keep her precious brother out of harms way will be for nothing. How unfortunate, her human mind no longer responds to any sort of pain; they must have broke her.

How dull, even for a moment she wanted to capture a sample of the subject’s blood while exhibiting those limitless abilities to discover the key. Mentally she held out for a good forty-three days, but the limit of her mental capacity was not the concern--her body has yet to give out, a very positive sign meaning more tests could be run in the next facility. Such a shame though, Catherine would have enjoyed seeing just how strong Kira is and how she reacts to having that strength mean nothing in the face of a higher power.

A shake above them has the woman give a heavy sigh, I suppose I should take care of those pesky insects. She left again, unaware of the grin that her first-born had made behind her back--enticed by the sweet scent of blood.

A flick of black came from Kira's neck, an action too quick for any too notice: The restraints broke, “I have to save them.”

Kira chuckles darkly when licking a half-dried splatter of blood on her arm. Her mouth was dry, her throat was on fire, yet there was no feeling of being driven insane by the thirst. She felt focused rather, on the edge, but in control of her body’s craving for relief. Her sense had dulled, but they would not remain so for long. Kira had this twitch on the back of her neck, nothing like a desire, but a strong emotion she had not felt before. Ah... She cracked her fingers one by one when breathing the freedom she achieved, This feeling...is rage.

There was no need to find a change of clothing, the sports bra and shorts sufficed until she happened upon a t-shirt and her tattered mask. For a moment Kira stared at her mask, seeing that despite its appearance it was oddly now black with a white skeleton. She chuckled, Hei must have it color treated to change with water. The mask was pulled over her long hair then brought up to its rightful position. Finally she rose from the depths of the base, finding the entrance hall barracked by desks, chairs, and Syndicate vampires.

“Catherine.” Kira sang for the attention of every vampire. They all jumped at the sound at the center, Catherine of all was in shock at Kira’s sudden conjuring. She leaped from her position and landed on the ground floor across from her spawn.

“Such a naughty daughter to disobey her mother.” The elder said sarcastically.

Those under Catherine’s command were motioned to ignore the skirmish inside, for this was no concern. Kira’s head twitches at the phrase ‘mother and daughter’ because for once she felt this was the closest she had gotten to a blood relative. She clenched her fingers cracking them in a single motion before vanishing. Catherine caught the leg that came from behind, but the backlash sent her thru a pillar near the check-in desk.

Kira landed softly on her feet unfeeling of the glass that slices her rapidly-healing soles. The vampire emerged from the cloud of dirt and rubble, clapping off the dust. That was unexpect-- Kira fronted her again, this time jumping on top, ripping her fangs thru Catherine’s shoulder then appearing on the other side with a mouthful of red water dripping from her jaw.

“You--!” She grabbed her shoulder, “Bit me?”

Kira swallowed what was in her mouth then wiped the rest, licking her arm until none was left to take in.

“Disgusting.” Kira said, “They say the taste of someone’s blood reflects their personality--you taste like spoiled fish, left to rot in a dumpster full of vomit and shit.”

Her evil eye shun like the a beacon in the darkness. Catherine took the offensive now, Kira was far more dangerous--she could be a fully-empowered Insane! The younger caught Catherine’s fist without so much as batting an eye and held the frightened woman in place. She proceeded to scratch at her neck then slowly dropped her hand.

“You know--it bothered me, how anyone could have known where Emily and I were. I mean, the vampires we were around were all Syndicate, but they didn’t do anything because Tris and Emily were best friends.”

The sinister aura coming from Kira froze Catherine and for a second she felt the gaze of Death upon her. Everything in the room rose in temperature and for a great, agonizing, deal of time Catherine felt she would be burnt alive.

“The only one who didn’t seem to know was you.”

Catherine’s hand is crushed, followed by a loud yell, “I remember now.” Kira’s gaze darkened, “You're ability--the time at the Senate meeting, fighting those vampires at the construction sight--your ability is to create illusions.”

Kira cracked her hand, "I remember now." She repeated, "It was you, you dropped those beans on us; you killed Emily."

The once noble and proud vampire panicked, she tore her own arm off and withdrew far from the demon. Kira tosses the arm back she dashed forward, blocking every attempt at offense and breaking any at defense. When she called for aid none answered, they all watched knowing the rules: weakness will not be tolerated, a rule Catherine herself instilled. Kira laughed hysterically at how little she mattered to her own troops. Karma has finally caught up to her in the form of the demon she gave created.

A child born into darkness; thrown into Hell; pulled out by righteous hands into the light; once again falling into the darkness she only this time becoming one with it. Such was the cycle of her life and that cycle she would break with the order of this fucked up world. There are no strings attached to her now. Catherine cast an illusion, a trick of the mind, while tricks are all she is good for. She circled Kira, creating a vortex of dust that clouded all sight.

This game had gone on long enough, Kira folded her arms then threw them out, causing a wave of force to destroy the illusion. Catherine flew, hitting another pillar and landing on the ground. How is she this powerful--? She hesitated. The demon walked closer, this was not over, not until she suffered even more!

“Its ironic.” The young immortal dashed forward retaining a calm demeanor, “You, who threw me away, who used me just because I was human; experimented on, tortured--how poetic that I'm the one who will kill you.”

Kira was grabbed by the back of her shirt, spun around then hurled into the next floor’s wall. For a brief moment Catherine was able to rest and recover her arm. It was a short time before the gunfire sounded, before glass shattered from the rear of the building. Damn it...Vale will get involved if I can’t control the situation. She reattached her arm rotated it a few times, setting it so her body would connect the bones, muscles and nerves.

Catherine would not escape. She would not be allowed to live, to threaten Eona’s life more than she already has.

Kira thought she would allow Catherine this chance, more that, she too needed a moment to understand what had occurred. She stares, surprised at what came from behind, at what emerged from nothing and yet has always been there. It felt warm, welcoming, like the heat from that caused her pain more than once was now something that felt a part of her. That which had once hurt her, now she could create. Kira grinned humored, The very thing I’ve hated all my life. From the hole her body created was born a burst of light and flame.

Catherine’s eyes watched as the demon emerged from those flames untouched, but rather saw the fire, mistaken as light at first, breathe as a single wing from Kira’s back. Kira’s hair followed the wind and her raven blew away fluttering white. To the unknown she would be mistaken as an angel of light, but another glance and you would find this holy knight to be a most sinister reaper. Her crimson eye overwhelmed the small part that showed she was human once; blood splattered across her face; the smile she cracked was not that false persona--this was a whole Kira, the real Kira.

She glided down to the first floor, “It must be cruel joke.” Kira whispered, “That this would be my power.”

Catherine felt a cold dread in her spine, the pressure exerted by this person was enough to keep the immortal frozen in place. The wing fanned out by Kira’s will aimed directly at Catherine.

A sinister grin curled on Kira’s face, “Karma’s a bitch isn’t she?”

She moved faster than sound, Kira grabbed Catherine by her throat, lifted her up then into the ground. Her throat was stepped on and harder and harder AND HARDER until anymore and Catherine felt her head would be lobbed off.

‘Please! Don’t--kill--m-e!’

She begged and pleaded and cried her eyes out like a scared child. Kira didn’t even know this woman was capable of this emotion, rather as humorous as this was to the demon she felt a sense of pity--pity this could not last any longer. Catherine’s second of motioning to Kira’s human heart turned to taunting.

‘I should have killed you when you were an infant! No! You should never have been born!’

Kira removed her foot from Catherine’s throat then crouched down to her level. She grabbed the vampire’s shirt, “Yes, you should have...but you want to know what the best part is?”

The flames from Kira’s back expanded and flared upward, twisting and solidifying into a terrifying figure: Death. Kira and Death wore the same, bone-chilling grin as she spoke once more, “Even when you die, no one will miss you.”