TheRaven: The Tragedy of Ashley Bilefoot

Chapter 9

Jake flew from the rooftops with his grappling gun pulling him from one place to the next. He had added some additional pieces of equipment to his usual attire courtesy of Goth that added some extra weight to himself. A heavy black trench coat over hsi armored suit, a set of crossbows with silver bolts dangled from the inside of it, a set of bandoleers adorned his chest with stakes in the place of bullets, and finally he was loaded down with blessed birdarangs. His staff was still tucked away, but he doubted that he would be needing it this time around.

He landed outside of Beth’s apartment and pushed the door open. The place was strangely quiet, eerily so considering when he had left Beth had been all but howling from her room. Pam wasn’t anywhere to be seen either. It had him more than a little on edge even and he called out, “Pam, we need to move out. Beth doesn’t have much time and I’m ready to bring this to an end.”

There was no answer. He was beginning to grow more and more worried by the second. FInally, he heard the door to Beth’s room open. He put a hand on one of the stakes and prepared for the worst, but he relaxed slightly when he saw Pam walking towards him with her hair down. “Jake, you were gone longer than I expected you to be,” she said, “Everything alright?”

“Problems with Goth, I’ll tell you about it on the way,” he said, “Ready to go?”

She looked away from him for a moment and bit her lip. She shook her head and finally admitted, “I can’t.”

“What do you mean you can’t?” he asked, confused until she moved the hair that covered the side of her neck to reveal two bite marks, “No, you didn’t. Pam, what the hell were you thinking?!”

“I couldn’t stand to see her suffer any longer, Jake,” she replied, “She was hurting and begging me to kill her, she wouldn’t have made it through the night. Even if you had made it back sooner then we would have lost her forever.”

“You don’t know that,” he tried to argue, “Do you have any idea how reckless this is?!”

“Lower your voice,” Pam threatened, “She is sleeping and she needs her rest. I am well aware of the risks of it all, but what kind of person would I be if I let her die?”

“You might have just doomed us all,” he replied.

“Do you really have so little faith in yourself?” she asked, “You were a hero once, deep down you still are. I need you to understand, I love her and sometimes love makes one do crazy and irrational things. She begged me not to let her feed, but I’ve lost her once and I won’t do it again. I did what I did to save her, yes, but I also did it because I know that you don’t need me to win this fight.”

“Pam, I am nothing more than a shadow of my former self,” he said, “In all of my past lives I have failed and I have died. What makes you think that this will be any different?”

“You survived against Goth,” she answered, “All was lost, but you continued to fight just as you always have. I may not have known you very long, but I have come to learn that in the defense of your friends you are more than formidable. No one other than you can finish this.”

“What’s going on?” Beth’s sleepy voice cut through their conversation.

“Kitten, what are you doing up?” Pam asked as she moved over to embrace her beloved, “You should be sleeping, you need your rest.”

She rubbed her eye and shook her head, “I heard you two arguing and I know it was about me,” she said.

“Hush now, return to your bed and go back to sleep,” Pam said.

“Please, mistress, let me speak with Jake first, then I promise to do as you say,” Beth said, “I can’t bear to sleep without you anyways.”

Pam gave her a gentle kiss before sighing and preparing to leave, “Very well, but don’t keep me waiting,” she said before turning to look at Jake, “Do not blame her for this, it was my choice to let her turn me. Make sure Ashley suffers for what she's done to my pet."

"Count on it," Jake said as Pam left him alone with Beth, "How are you feeling?"

Beth looked down and shook her head, "Guilty, better, but guilty all the same," she answered, "This is all my fault, you shouldn't have to do this alone. I'm sorry, sorry for attacking you two and sorry for getting myself into this in the first place."

"Don't blame yourself for this," Jake said, "Ashley did this to you, and she's the reason you attacked us. She starved you, didn't she?"

Beth nodded and tried to explain, "I'm not defending her, but the night you two saw me was my one chance to feed. When you two showed up and wrecked whatever they were planning is when Ashley forbade me from eating unless it was from one of you. By the time she released me I was already too far gone."

Jake placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile, "I know, like I said it isn't your fault."

She shook her head, "You don't understand, Jake, if I hadn't gone to confront her alone then none of this would have happened! We could have worked together to stop her, but instead I-"

"You did what heroes do," he interrupted, "Nothing more, nothing less. Pam was training and I've been a wreck, you did what you thought was best. Maybe control your temper a little better."

He laughed at his joke and she couldn't help but smile at him. He sounded almost like his old self, almost. She playfully punched him in the arm and told him, "Shut up, stupid."

"You sound more like Pam every day, or maybe she's sounding like you," he said, "Go get some sleep. Pam may not say it aloud, but she's been worried sick about you, hell I thought she was going to throw Goth out of our apartment window!"

"She's told me in her own way, but I wish I could have seen that," she replied, "Please be careful, Jake, Ashley is a lot stronger and faster than anyone we've faced so far. She's cunning to, odds are she's expecting with you or Pam to show up."

"I know," Jake said, "She's probably expecting me, she saw how much you meant to Pam and probably expected her to give in and let you turn her."

"How could she possibly have known-" Beth started.

"Pam almost killed like fifteen vampires in front of Ashley then threatened to tear the whole place down," Jake explained.

"Shit," Beth said.

"Yeah, like I said, she was worried sick about you," he said, "Apparently that means testing apart a city to get to you, not unlike when Goth took her from you. You two are weirdly good for each other."

"Yeah, I guess we really are," Beth said with a soft smile, "Be safe and keep your guard up. This isn't a time for mercy, Jake, they've got to be put down once and for all."

"Trust me," he said as he pulled back his coat to reveal a small arsenal of archaic buy efficient vampire hunting tools, "I'm not taking prisoners tonight. I'm going for Ashley, but if any of her family get in the way...well, then they've made their choice."

Beth gave her friend a small smile and commented on his arsenal, “That’s almost enough to make a girl envious. Give ‘em hell, Jake.”

“Go lay down with your girlfriend,” Jake said as he turned to leave, “I’ll see you two when I get back. Tell Pam I’m sorry for getting heated earlier, it’s been a long night and a rough few days.”

Beth nodded and watched as her friend left. She waited for the door to her apartment to be shut before turning to head back to her bedroom. Pam was sitting up by the headboard of her bed waiting for her. Those dazzling amethyst eyes turned to her and she asked, “Everything alright, Kitten?”

Beth nodded and removed her coat, boots, and pants before climbing onto the bed. Pam opened her arms and she didn’t waste a second before she nestled herself into those waiting arms. There was something that was on her mind, something that she needed to get out before it was too late. She didn’t have the time to tell Jake before he left, but Pam was stuck here with her until the end. She looked up and said, “Mistress, I need to tell you something…”

This was curious. Pam could sense that something was amiss with her pet, but for the life of her she couldn’t place what it was. Whatever it was, she was sure that she was about to find out. “I’ve got nothing but time.”

“Everything that’s happened is because of me,” she said, “I’m not saying this to get pity or because I feel sorry for myself, I’m saying it because it’s true. I need to tell you the truth about what really happened. It started shortly after you left to train with Dilatrix…”

Pam listened to Beth’s explanation from start to finish. She never interrupted her and took in everything with as an impassive expression as she could muster. The last thing she wanted was for Beth to shut down in the middle of their reunion, and she really did want to understand as much as she could about Ashley and everything that had happened. By the end of it, she pulled her pet closer and kissed her forehead, “Whatever happens, we will be together at the end of it. Now, why don’t we get some sleep while we can?”

Beth’s eyes were heavy as she finished telling her side of the story. She settled in closer to her girlfriend’s heat and let herself start to drift off. She nodded and tried to muster up a reply, but she settled for laying her head down. The gentle stroking of her hair helped her relax and eased her into a sense of safety. Her eyes closed and Pam’s other hand found its way to her lower back and began gently rubbing it. Her final thoughts were of Jake and the battle that was about to happen. She hoped that he would be strong enough to fend off Ashley and her growing family, her fate and Pam’s were now in his hands.

For the first time in a long time Jake felt like himself. He was driven by the fact that his friend's lives lay in his hands, and for once Goth wasn't in the back of his mind. He flew through the air with a singular purpose in mind: ending Ashley once and for all. It wasn't just his fate he had to worry about this time; if he failed then both Beth and Pam would be trapped as vampires. He landed on a rooftop and rolled into a sprint. He would have been lying if he said that it didn't feel good to be back in the field in earnest.

He perched atop the building adjacent Clove and studied the defenses. Surprisingly, there didn't seem to be any additional security on the outside tonight. There was a line of people standing outside the door, and if he didn't know better he would have thought it was just another average night. He frowned as he looked around. Ashley had to have been expecting him, but did she really think he was going to hand himself over? He remembered how she had commented on his fragile state of mind and realized that that was probably the case. She had to have known that Beth would get to Pam, and she probably thought him too broken to fight back. He clenched his fists and felt a surge of anger run through him. He was tired of being overlooked and underestimated. Hell, he was probably the laughing stock of the underworld thanks to Goth.

He fired his grappling hook and soared across the road to land amongst the people in line. Many of them were startled by his sudden appearance, but none of them scattered. A large man in a three piece suit stood guard outside the door and he could feel his glare behind the shades he wore. Jake didn't care, and he shoved his way through the line to confront him, "Out of my way, I'm going in."

"Thar right?" the man said in a thick Citiville accent, "You ain't exactly in the dress code, and I'm not keen on letting costumed freaks into the club."

"Move or be moved," Jake said, "I won't tell you again."

"Listen here, freak, get lost before I-ugh!" the man had stepped forward to impose his will, but he'd been cut off by a stake to his chest.

The air was still for a second as those that looked on froze in disbelief. Jake twisted the stake before yanking it out and spinning to face the crowd. A woman screamed just as the bouncer turned to dust and was swept away by a gust of wind. Jake's voice cut through the shock with a bellowing command, "Get out of here, now! Clove is closed for the night. Find another place to waste your money."

The people in line scattered at his words and bolted into the night. Once he was satisfied that he wouldn't be disturbed he turned back around to enter the club. The doors hadn't even closed when a hand shot out to grab him, but he was prepared for resistance. His left arm shot up and wrapped around his attacker's arm. He twisted his torso to the right and there was a loud snap that echoed behind the thundering music. Before his opponent could even cry out in pain, he'd driven the stake into his heart and released his arm. He watched as the man fell to his knees before turning to a pile of dust on the ground. Another man had been about to move in, but he stood there frozen in fear and staring at Jake and what had once been his friend.

Jake reached out and snatched the man's shirt to pull him in, "Run and tell your queen that I'm here and that this ends tonight."

He shoved the man backwards and he fell on his ass. He stared up at Jake for a second before scrambling as he took a step forward. The man rushed off into the crowd and disappeared. Jake holstered his stake and exchanged it for a hand crossbow. He checked the bolt that was loaded inside of it and strode confidently into the den Ashley had so cleverly disguised as a club. The music grew louder as he made his way into the crowd, and he couldn't help but wonder just how many of these people were part of Ashley’s family and how many were just innocent civilians. A cursory glance around the mob of people told him that the majority were indeed vampires. It was good to know; it meant he wouldn't have to hold back when the time came.

Ashley had been sitting in her private box watching the clock carefully. She was expecting Jake any minute now. She was certain Beth wouldn't have been competent enough to turn both of them, and honestly she doubted the girl could have managed to infect even one of them. Had she not entered into a starved rage then maybe she would have stood a chance, but the girl was on the verge of turning into a complete feral. Still, from what she had seen of the mage it was apparent that her feelings get the better of her. Love was both a strength and weakness, something she knew all too well. Fortunately for her, she had lived long enough to know how to exploit it. Part of her was relieved to know that by now the girls were likely together again, but a larger part was glad to know she wouldn't have to contend with the mage. The woman was obviously a former student of the Witch, but she'd both proven herself capable and it was evident that she had separated herself from her old teacher. She would make a useful addition to her ranks and despite the difficult start she would honor her word to Beth. This would, of course, extend to the girl's lover.

The sound of frantic footfalls on the stairwell caught her attention. One of her newer turns, she couldn't recall the boy's name, looked absolutely terrified as he burst into her box, "Mistress!" he exclaimed.

"Speak plainly and concisely, boy," she said with a curious gaze.

"He's here," the boy replied, "Your first turn is here and he's killed one of our own!"

One of her brows rose, "Killed you say," she said, that was interesting, "I'm assuming that he let you live to give me a message. Well, out with it already!"

"Y-yes mam," the boy sputtered out, clearly intimidated by her presence, "H-he said to tell you that he has arrived and that it ends tonight."

Ashley chuckled at Jake's attempt to sound threatening. She knew her love was formidable, but he was still a mere shadow of his former self. She rose from her seat and walked over to the railing of her box that overlooked her home, "Is that so?" she asked, "Yes, I believe he's right, this little game of ours shall finally come to a close. Head back downstairs and prepare yourself, I suspect that my beloved still has some fight left in him."

"Y-yes mam," he said and nearly tripped over himself as he headed back the way he'd come.

Ashley walked back to her table and grabbed a small microphone that looped around her ear. She'd anticipated some resistance tonight, and she had made it a point to ensure that there were no mortals wandering below. If Jake wanted a fight, then that was exactly what he would get. She would allow him one chance to turn himself over, but she wasn't going to take no for an answer this time. She had warned him that coming back meant that he would join her, one way or another.

Jake shoved his way through the crowd looking for Ashley when suddenly the music stopped. The lights went out and were replaced by a large spotlight that he found himself encased in. The familiar sound of Ashley's almost hypnotic voice came over the speakers, "My darling has finally come to his senses. Come to me, my beloved, and I will overlook all that you have done."

Jake narrowed his eyes and looked towards the box he'd sat in only a short time ago, "Forget it, not after what you did."

She placed a hand on her chest in mock surprise, "Did you and your friend not like my gift?" she asked before a wicked smile spread across her face, "I did as promised and returned her to you. I never said she was well fed, though I'm sure she's quite satisfied now. Ms. Pam is with her little pet now, I assume, seeing as how you've come alone."

"You turned her against her will, abused her, and starved her, Ashley!" he fired back, "Now you have the nerve to call sending her to us like that a gift?! Come down here and face me!"

She threw her head back and laughed, "I do love that fire that you carry, Jake, but I'm afraid if you want me then you'll have to come up here," she said, "I will give you one chance to surrender your weapons and come willingly. Refuse, and I will have my family take them by force and bring you to me."

"Go to hell," Jake spat.

"That tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble, my dear, but I'll put it to good use later," she said.

Jake balked at her overt innuendo, but he quickly shook it off, "I'm not in any mood, Ashley, call off your dogs and face me."

She frowned and looked him over, "Between that scathing tone and that ridiculous getup you remind me of a Helsing," she said, "Do you know what happened to the last one who tried to slay me, darling?"

"Seeing as how you're still standing, I'm going to say he failed," Jake deadpanned.

"I made him into a thrall who spent the rest of his miserable life licking the soles of my boots," she said coldly, "A fate that I'm sure you wouldn't mind, but one that he detested. I made sure to keep his mind in tact, but his body was unable to resist so that he knew how wrong he was to challenge me. Don't make me punish you, Jake."

"I'm about sick of every woman I meet threatening the same bullshit!" Jake yelled, "I'm not some dog to be ordered and disciplined when he doesn't comply! I'm a person, damnit, and I am through bowing to anyone, especially you!"

Ashley sighed and hid the sting that she felt from his words. Those words were meant for the Witch more than her, but they hurt all the same. Her eyes began to glow an eerie shade of red as she said her final piece, "Very well, beloved, you've chosen your path and I mine. I want him brought to me so that I may turn him myself. Hurt him if you must, our newest addition should be able to heal whatever damage is done, but kill him and I will make you suffer a fate worse than death. Have fun, children, let the festivities commence!"

She raised her hands into the air and they emitted a glow similar to her eyes. The sprinkler system that ran along the ceiling activated and a hail of blood began pouring out of the heads. Jake looked up to watch for a brief second before look around the room. Several of Ashley's family stood with their mouths open and looking up, but beyond that there was something happening to them. Their eyes were beginning to glow like Ashley's and he swore that it looked like their muscle mass was increasing. Whatever Ashley had done, these people were clearly undergoing some kind of change. He slid a leg behind him to widen his stance and prepared for the fight of his life.

His eyes slid from side to side to get an idea of just what was happening. Whatever sort of transformation these people were undergoing, they were getting larger and their eyes were turning a solid shade of white. There was no avoiding this, he was going to have to kill them if he wanted to free Beth and Pam. He swore and his crossbow at the nearest target, a young woman who looked to have grown almost another foot. He was already reloading when he heard a high pitched scream cut through the guttural growls as the woman turned to dust. He could feel eyes on him just as the music started to play once again and the lights began to strobe up above him. He'd heard the song before, but he didn't have time to place the name as he sprung into action. A rigid bass line and distorted guitar provided a perfect accompaniment to his movements, and the garbled words the vocalist sung blended well with the scene that was about to play out.

He fired another bolt as he pulled out his grappling gun. He was glad that he did when he watched as a hulking woman snatched the bolt out of the air and snapped it in half. The crack of the bolt was drowned out as a loud voice cried out over the music, “After the flesh!”

He fired his grappling gun just in time to avoid four crazed vampires as they swarmed where he had just stood. He watched as their bodies collided under the strobing lights, and he prepared to latch onto the light railing. He had planned to use it as a vantage point, but he was surprised by a large man waiting for him. He didn’t have time to wonder how he managed to get up there because he was already preparing to attack. He let go of his gun and used his free hand to grab onto the railing. He managed to pull out a stake as he threw his weight forward and swung up behind the man. The man whirled around on him and tried to grab him, but Jake managed to use his momentum against him and send him careening to the ground. He drove the stake into the man’s heart as he fell to the ground and turned into a cloud of dust.

He looked over the railing to see a mass of crazed vampires clamoring to find a way to him. If one could get up here then it wouldn't be long before the others did. He prepared to dismount and head back into the swarm, but not before readying a birdarang. It was a larger one he'd made a while ago and it worked more like a throwing glaive than his usual projectiles. It would probably be lost to the mob below, but it might cut their ranks down a little. He spotted an opening and dove down into the sea of fangs waiting for fresh meat. He rebounded off of a man's shoulders and launched his weapon as he landed. It soared in a slicing circular arc and sliced the throats of several vampires who fell to the ground screaming in pain.

He barely had time to dodge a furious swipe aimed at his face before a woman charged at him. He rolled over her hunched form and elbowed her as he dismounted. Her body went to the ground and he readied another stake in each hand. He wished he’d have had time to gauge how many there were while he was up high, but these people were attacking at such a feral and rapid rate it was impossible for him to even collect his thoughts. He ducked under a man’s fist and drove one of the stakes into his chest. He had to leave the stake to counter a young woman who launched a wild kick at his midsection. He caught her foot and flipped her into the air before delivering a kick of his own that sent her flying into another oncoming assailant.

He needed to do something fast or else he was going to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of opponents. They weren’t very coordinated, but what they lacked in martial prowess they more than made up for in strength. They were incredibly strong and fast, but he wasn’t going to fail his friends. He was too slow to dodge a surprise punch that cut through the stroking lights. He recoiled from the force and felt someone tackle him to the ground. He looked up into the crimson eyes of a young woman who snarled down at him, "You're more pathetic than your useless friend!" the woman mocked, "I don't know what the mistress sees in you, but I'm going to enjoy roughing you up!"

The mention of Beth caused his blood to boil and he caught her fist as she launched it for his face. He pushed upward and snapped her wrist which earned him a pained scream. He capitalized by throwing his legs upward and kneeing her in the back. He pressed his hands to the ground and spring boarded to his feet. He'd be damned if these creatures would berate his friends! He reached into his coat and pulled out a flashbang. He pulled the pin and threw it at the ground before leaping into the air and landing on the shoulders of a large man. The concussive bang from the grenade filled the air and the light blinded the group that had surrounded him. He kicked off of the man's shoulders and began running across the crowd with the precision of a well trained acrobat.

He spun around in the air and wrapped an arm around the neck of a hulking woman to drag her to the ground with him. He extended his left leg and kicked another man in the chest as he and the vampiress fell to the ground with a loud thud. Someone was rushing him, but he used their aggressive nature to his advantage and fired a bolt into their chest. Another one was on him before he could reload, but he reflected their fists with the hand crossbow. He pulled them to him and headbutted them which knocked them back. He flung the crossbow at someone who was trying to surprise him and pulled out a stake to drive it into the chest of his attacker. They cried out before turning to ash, and he launched a couple of blessed birdarangs through the cloud that was left.

There were still several left, but they were showing signs of apprehension. He wasted no time in his attack and with dual stakes in his hand he rushed through the crowd. He'd never fought with more tenacity or hatred in his life as he drove stake after stake into the hearts of his enemies. One by one they fell before him. A couple of women managed to evade his onslaught and attempted to counter him. One of them rolled out of the way while the other wrapped herself around his arm in an attempt to bring him down. She flipped herself, but he rolled with her and with years of experience reversed her hold. She found herself on the business end of his boot before he stuck her and ended her life. The other woman leapt onto his back, but he took hold of her hair and flipped her over his shoulder. He followed her to the ground while driving the stake into her heart.

"Enough!" Ashley's voice boomed over the sound system, "I see my beloved hasn't lost a step in his time with the witch. Let him through, it's clear that this requires a more personal touch."

Their numbers had dwindled, but there had to be at least thirty to forty of them left. They did as they were told, however, and parted to allow him access to their mistress. Jake remained still for a minute to make sure that they weren't going to try anything. After a tense moment he slowly started heading towards her box. This was it, this was what he'd come here tonight to do. He was going to deal with Ashley once and for all. The music had stopped and there was an eerie silence that filled the air that was only broken by the sound of his steps as he ascended the stairwell.

She was waiting for him in the small box. It looked exactly as it had the night he'd followed her. She wore a deep blue corset, leather pants that hugged her curves, and those knee high boots with heels. The look was both modern Victorian and menacing. She stood with her hand on her hip and her hair fell over her shoulders. She looked somewhat amused and annoyed as he stared her down. "You've put on quite a show, my love, but I'm afraid this is where the curtain falls," she said.

He maintained an air of aggression as he said, "It's over, Ashley, you went too far this time."

“I did what I had to, Jake,” she said, “I tried to give you the choice, and when you refused I respected your wishes. It was Beth who provoked me, she brought the curse on herself. I was going to let her leave, but your friend simply does not know how to close her mouth!”

“So that gives you the right to take her away from her life?!” Jake demanded, “You turned her against her will, and if that wasn’t bad enough you starved her! Then, just to add insult to injury, you made it to where she could only feed on me or Pam!"

"I gave her new life, eternal life which I'm sure she's shared with her own beloved," Ashley replied, "I'm not a monster, Jake, I promised her a place in my new era, our new era."

Jake started to circle Ashley who made no move in response aside from following him with her eyes, "I think you'll find she's not going to go for being a slave," he said.

"Has that wretched Witch poisoned your mind that much that you think so lowly of everyone?!" Ashley asked, "This may come as a shock to you, but I don't see those in my family as slaves. Once you're mine, she will serve as a guardian of you and I. Her lover will also have a place amongst us. The two of them may serve me, but they will be as equals."

"Even if that's true, you've taken away their choice in the matter," he spat.

She scoffed as she replied, "Come off of it, Jake, Beth made her choice that night and I highly doubt that she was able to best you and your friend. Face it, I've given them more choice than your master ever gave them or you!"

"I don't give a damn!" Jake roared, "I'm sick of people like you and Goth taking people's lives. I'm going to give you one chance, Ashley, because there's been enough death tonight. Reverse what you've done to them, now."

"I can't," she admitted, "I wasn't lying when I said there isn't a cure. If there was then I wouldn't stand before you tonight. You'll have to kill me if you want them returned to their mortal selves."

Jake had come to stand across from her again by this point. He closed his eyes and made peace with his decision. He had really hoped to avoid a full on fight with Ashley, her power was leaps and bounds above the vampires he'd faced so far. He sighed as he said, "Then you've forced my hand."

"And you've tipped yours, my love," she replied, "Your concern for your friends is touching, but it's brought you right to me. I promise to repay any pain I inflict on you later."

He widened his stance to prepare for her, and his coat billowed out behind him. Ashley's stance didn't change as she grinned at him. Her arms remained crossed as she waited for him to make a move. He rushed at her in a serpentine line in hopes of surprising her. He launched into a spinning jump kick as he got close, but in the blink of an eye she'd latched onto his ankle and flung him across the room. His back collided with the couch and it was sent sliding across the floor from the force. She was on him before he could recover completely, but he brought his knees up to catch her body before she could attack. He threw himself backwards and flung her off of him. She spun in the air and landed on her feet in a graceful stance. She was moving towards him again almost as soon as she landed.

Jake barely had time to react as she launched into a flurry of punches aimed at both his face and midsection. His training took over as he fell into a rhythm and began deflecting her attacks. It was hard and her strikes were as powerful as they were fast. Each time he barely managed to deflect he could feel the start of bruises forming on his arms. She dropped down into a surprise sweep that caught him off guard, and he felt her hand coil around his neck as he fell to the ground. The next thing he knew he was being hurled in an arc behind her and his body crashed through the glass coffee table. He winced as he felt shards of glass slice through his coat and embed themselves into his back. The kevlar of his suit absorbed most of the damage, but some of them dug into his back from the sheer force of the impact.

He tried to pry himself from the confines of the frame, but Ashley had taken hold of his ankle once again and flung him over her shoulder again. He flew towards the railing, but he managed to catch himself before he slammed into it. He launched a series of birdarangs from his belt at her. He grinned as one of them dug into her. His moment of triumph was short lived, however, because instead of turning to dust she merely looked perturbed. Her eyes flashed a solid shade of red as she spoke, "That hurt, Jake, but did you really think such pathetic magic would work on me? Kneel and accept my gift!"

Jake felt something clawing in the back of his mind as Ashley spoke. He glared up at her and those glowing rubies. Her command rang out in his head, but he ignored it. His head started to ache as he got to his feet, “Never.”

The glow faded from Ashley’s eyes as she watched him stand up. “How?” she asked, “No mortal has ever resisted my gaze!”

“You’re not the first woman to use that trick," Jake replied.

Ashley snarled at him for a second before closing her eyes and smiling again, "You truly are one of a kind, Jake Blackridge," she said, "I clearly made the right choice all those years ago."

He couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face, "One in a million," he replied as he stretched, "In another life, maybe things could have worked out between us."

"Don't fret, my darling, we have all eternity to work out the kinks!" she cried as she charged him.

The two began trading blows at unmatched speed. Despite everything riding on this, Jake couldn't help but enjoy the battle. His mind felt clear for the first time in ages, and his body drew on years of training and conditioning. He managed to check her kicks, deflect her punches, and even land a few shots of his own in between. Their fight had evolved into something akin to that of a dance. Each blow that the other landed served as a crescendo in their duet, and the fires of their causes flared with every passing second. The pace continued to pick up and the world around them began to fade until there was nothing except the two of them. Passion mixed with aggression in a symphonic battle for supremacy; good versus evil, light versus dark, man against monster.

On and on their battle raged until they each landed a strike that separated them. Jake had managed to cut through her defenses with a boot to her gut, and she had struck him with a palm strike to his chest. They skidded to a halt across from one another. There was tangible electricity in the air, and Jake pulled the last silver stake from his coat. As much as he was enjoying himself, it simply couldn’t go on forever. The two rushed each other, but Ashley was too fast for him. She’d seen the glint from the metal and with expert precision slipped behind him and gripped his wrist. She twisted it and he spun around in response. She kept a tight grip on his arm, but he managed to slip the stake into his free hand. He could feel the warmth of her breath from how close they were, and he did his best to capitalize on their proximity by staking her heart. He captured his hand in her own and held him tight, however, and his heart sank as he realized he was at her mercy.

Ashley flashed her fangs in a wicked grin, “Such a fantastic dance, my love, but all good things must come to an end I’m afraid,” she said just before sinking her teeth into his exposed flesh.

He grimaced as he felt her fangs pierce his neck, and he waited for the inevitable transfusion. His body tensed as he felt her begin siphoning his lifeforce for her own needs. This was it, this was the start of his new life. He had given it everything he had, but it still hadn’t been enough. He’d failed and his only hope was that Ashley would keep her word about Beth and Pam. “A-Ash...ley,” he rasped out.




She pulled away and stared into his with a confused look etched onto her face. “I see,” she said softly and with a hint of defeat, “I lost before I even began...Jake, my love, do not let that vile woman drag you down with her. You are the single most incredible man I have met in the entirety of my life. I love you, and had I only arrived earlier I would have saved you from all of this pain...I would have kept you and your friends safe.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked.

That was when she did it. She gave him the saddest smile that he had ever seen before taking his hand holding the stake and driving it into her heart. She pulled him close and whispered to him, “Ngh, You...deserve better...better than her and better than I...do not remain in the shadows, Jake, you are more than this world deserves...I only wish...ngh...I only wish we had more time...I...will always...love you…”

Her body went slack as she spoke, and Jake found himself holding her close. His eyes widened as he listened to her and he realized he had made a grave mistake. He went to his knees as her body began to fade and tears streamed down his face, “No, no, no! Ashley, no please don’t...don’t leave me!”

Her hand brushed across his cheek and wiped a tear away just before it began to dissolve. “Don’t cry for me, my love,” she breathed.

“Don’t talk, please just hold on!” he cried out.

“From my ashes...you shall...be reborn," she said and her eyes shifted into the distance, "And you...you shall fall...Witch. He...is stronger...than you will ever know…goodbye, my beloved."

Jake tried to hold onto the ashes that her body became, but much like everything else they slipped through his fingers. He remained there on his knees and let out a silent sob. He'd a woman who'd only wanted to help him, a woman who's undead heart beat for him and him alone. "Quite the dramatic one, wasn't she?" the voice from his nightmares asked as the familiar sound of heels clicking touched his ears, "Honestly, I thought she would never shut up."

Jake felt something inside of him snap at the dismissive tone of Rebecca as she approached. He wondered how long she had been here, how long she had been following him. He clutched at the stake he'd been forced to use and flew to his feet, "You shut your damn mouth!"

"Stop!" she bellowed without flinching.

His body betrayed him and he froze on the spot. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth as he stared up at her. She was still human like him, but the air around her felt all too familiar. The tone of her voice, the way she stood, and that menacing look on her face transported him back to his time at her feet. He gripped the stake until his knuckles turned white and demanded, "Why?!"

"Because she was filth, a blight on this world, a foul creature of the night who forgot her place," she replied, "But most importantly of all, because I could. Now, give me the stake and scoop up those ashes for me."

He glared at her and looked at the silver in his hand that was stained with notes of crimson. It would be so easy to finish her here and now, but even after everything she'd put him and his friends through he couldn't. He looked away and thrust the weapon at her, "Take it," he said defeatedly.

"Is that any way to make an offering to your Goddess, let alone speak to her?" she chided.

He hated her. In this moment he realized that he despised her more than anything or anyone, but moreover he hated himself. He knelt before her and held the stake up with open hands and head bowed, "For you, my Goddess," he said.

"There's a good boy," she said as she took the offering, "My Raven never truly forgot who his Goddess was. Now, be a dear and collect her remains. It's time that harlot finally did something useful."

He didn't respond other than turning to do as he was told. As he sifted through what was left of Ashley, all he could think about was the shadow that Ashley had spoken of. Pain comprised the darkness he had come to call home, but this pain was different. He’d not only lost the one woman who may have been able to lead him out of it, it had been his hand that brought her to an end. All for the sake of restoring his friends, but in the end it was giving way to a much more sinister end. If what Rebecca said was true then this was the beginning of her resurrection, and what was worse was that he had played an integral part in it. He swore to himself that he would find a way to make it out of the shadows, if only to honor the memory of her. His friends were safe, though, and while that was something he could take solace in. As long as it took, as long as others were kept out of the fire, he would shoulder the weight of this burden. He would live in this painful darkness until such a time that he could manage to rise above and protect everything and everyone he held dear.