You're a WHAT?! (Katra)

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

What the fuck was she doing in Paris? Did she have a fucking death wish? Was she mental? Had Sevanni turning her into a fucking vampire REALLY fucked her up that badly in the head?! Though... There was never a question about the fact that Nix had a couple of screws loose up in her noggin, but still... Coming into Paris... The territory of her old pack... Was she hoping for James, Adele, or possibly even Caleb to find her here and kill her? No... She knew why she was here... And yet she couldn't bring herself to do it... She wanted to see her baby... But she didn't know if she could control herself around her own child... Did that make her a monster? Would even her own daughter grow to hate her in later years? She really didn't know... Had no idea... And she was afraid to find out the answer... And to top it off... No one in Kat's pack knew about what had happened to her... There was only two of her friends who knew... And that was Ali and Rose... And they had both swore not to say anything to Kat or anyone else in the pack about it, should they see any of them.

And so, too chicken to see if anyone in the pack was at home, she was wandering the streets of Paris, her throat burning terribly with hunger. She had taken the latest flight she could, and was planning on staying in a hotel room when the sun rose, and then leaving again tomorrow night, her mission unaccomplished for the sake of Aura. She wondered if Kat had her pups yet... She should have... Around the same time that Nix had Aura, actually.

She ran her fingers through her long blond hair, wondering how exactly things had went so wrong... Three years ago, her life was simple... She hated vampires, hunted and killed every one that crossed her path... Where had everything went so wrong? The answer hit her like a smack in the face... Everything had went wrong that night in New York when she realized that she was in love with a vampire. She didn't regret her relationship with Tarus, and she wouldn't change that part of her life even if she could... But she couldn't help thinking about how things were BEFORE she met back up with Tarus, the one vampire who, for at the time unknown reasons, she couldn't kill.

Ever since she got married to Tarus, her entire life had been chaotic. Hectic. But, there was no reason to dwell on that and feel bitter. She had made her choices, and now she had to live with where that path led her... Which was to the exact predicament she was in now. A vampire. She was a vampire... The very thing that had killed her parents the night of her sixteenth birthday, the very thing that had started her 8 year vendetta.

A scream caught her attention, and the smell of human blood made her mouth water. She wasn't exactly on the best side of town, and the streets were empty... Or so she thought. She ran towards the smell of blood with every bit of vampiric speed that she had, hoping for a meal.

She turned the corner into a alley way and almost smiled at the scene in front of her... Oh yes, she would have a meal tonight. She loved the taste of evil human men... She loved the look in their eyes when they realized that their death would be brought upon by a woman, the one thing they themselves loved to hurt... They never saw it coming with her small 5'5 height and barely weighing more than a fit teenage girl. Her fangs lengthened and her eyes turned blood red, the tips of her fangs pressing against the inside of her bottom lip. She took off towards the man, grabbing a handful of greasy black hair and slinging him away from the young girl who's shirt he had shredded. She hissed for the girl to get the hell out of there and go home. Poor thing couldn't have been older than 16 years old. After she was sure the girl was gone, she turned her attention to the man, who was beginning to stand back up, rubbing his head from where he had bounced off the brick wall of the building behind them.

The man glared at her, pulling out a pocket knife and flicking the blade out, holding it poised, ready to stab her once he was within arms reach. Phoenix tilted her head slightly and smiled, her usually moss green eyes glowing a deep crimson. She wasn't exactly herself at the moment. No, she was more the vampire than herself. Ironically enough, the blood she had smelled had not come from the girl, but from him. There were scratch marks all over his face from where she had fought back.

"Now now... Pulling a knife on a lady isn't a very nice thing to do. Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners?" She asked, stepping closer to the street thug. He looked to be in his mid twenties, baggy shorts and a stained basket ball jersey. He was a lot bigger than she was too, both in height and muscle mass... That meant next to nothing to her. Just more fun. "If you think you can stab me... Then go for it big man." She said, her voice sweet and childish, a innocent smile playing across her lips, hiding her fangs from his sight.

You stupid bitch. I'll fucking teach you to stick your nose into other people's business. I'm not gonna stab you... But by the time I'm done with you... If you're not the sorriest piece of ass in all of Paris... You'll certainly be the sorest. He said, putting the blade back in his pocket and running at her, thinking to pin her against the wall. She had never really realized how slow humans were until she became a vampire... And now, it was as if every movement was in slow motion. She allowed him to grip her arms in what would have been a bruising grip had she still been able to bruise. Finally she revealed her fangs, baring them at him, her crimson eyes flashing in victory. He had put his hands on her... Now it was her turn to have a little bit of fun.

She grabbed his left wrist with her right hand, spinning him around and exerting so much pressure on his arm that his elbow broke through the skin. She heard the man scream out in pain and she laughed, enjoying the sound. He had put countless females through so much pain and suffering, possibly even killed them, and now justice had found him. "Now... Tell me again who's going to be the sorry one? The one in pain? Funny... I don't feel a thing..." She said before using her other hand to move his head to one side, sinking her fangs deep into his jugular and drinking hungrily, holding his body to hers in a bone crushing grip, feral sounds escaping her throat as she drained him dry.

When she was finished with him, she threw him down to the ground, snapping his neck with her foot. "Bastard." She said, wiping her mouth off with the back of her right hand, closing her eyes slightly as she slowly regained control of herself, having drank her fill for the night. The wind blew through the alley, blowing her hair around her face like a golden halo, bringing to her the smells of the city... And a scent that she had not really been expecting to avoid.. In the back of her mind, she had somehow known she would run into a werewolf while she was here... And now, here it was... She turned around to face whoever was there, she knew they were close. If not within seeing distance, then not far from it.

[Katra Maguire]

"Oh no no no. Your not keeping me in. I finally can go outside. Toodles!" She said to the gaping faces of her pack. Sure, it was a bit out of ordinary and she felt a slight pang at leaving her pups and Aura, but she didnt want to be trapped in that house anymore! For the past few weeks, when she had been far to large to even step out of bed all she had seen was the white washed and colorful walls of the different areas in the pack house. She had had her pups a few days ago, around the same time Nix brought Aura actually, and she had stayed with them for a long time. Not letting them out of her sight. But now she wanted to have some fun for herself.

The others had been hunting for ages longer now and she needed to catch up. How many thrills had she missed because she was puffed up like a balloon? Not that she regretted it. Those two pups were darling and the closest thing to her heart along with her husband.

It felt good to walk down the streets of familiar Paris. To feel the warm breeze and breathe in all the scents. Oh yeah. She had missed this. She had really missed this. After a while, the pack started to smell like wet dog. Dont get her wrong, she had no problem with the smell, but she missed the smell of hot bread and all the coffees and everything else that was delicious about Paris.

Another thing she could look forward to, was eating regular foods again! After she had the twins, for some odd reason, she had lost almost all of the weight. She had gained, maybe, five pounds more then what her original size had been. And her clothes still fit. The silky feel of her old clothes was something that almost made Kat purr in pleasure. Maternity clothes had been shredded the moment she walked back into those doors of the pack house. And now she was back in black. And back on the hunt.

A grin spread across her features and she couldnt help but crack her knuckles as she walked down an alley way, smelling out now for that cold burning smell that alerted her of a vampire in the area. She had one her normal hunting clothes of black jeans, black tank top and of course her black tennis shoes. She remembered all her skills and she knew she would be a bit rusty but she wouldnt be taken down tonight. Oh no. She was out for revenge on this hunt. Any vampire in her way better be sorry they came across her.

Turning a corner, she pulled out of her pocket her lighter. It was something she kept on her at all times, as well as the gun she had in her back pocket. Not that a gun would do much but give a vampire a splitting headache. But giving them any sort of pain was good enough for her. She mainly used it for distractions if she needed them. Once she got close enough she always lit them up like the fourth of July. Vampire barbecue.

A little ways down she could smell a vampire and her grin only widened. Her tawny colored eyes were filled with victory already and the wolf inside her sprang to the forfront, ready for action. She had been uber bored with the whole pregnancy thing and she wasnt quit sure if the wolf had forgiven her yet. Maybe letting her attack and hunt would help put Kat back on her good graces.

The vampire itself was a male and was already done feeding from a dead body of a girl that looked maybe twenty. Probably on her way back from partying. And of course, as bad luck would have it, she would run into this guy. Well her death wouldnt be going in vain. She would take care of this vampire. Just by the smell of him she could tell he was young. Barely turned. And in a way, she regretted that. Such a shame for a human to go that way and then have to be exterminated by the hands of her pack. Around here, the vampires knew better then to step into their territory unless they wanted a fight. They had been getting smarter though. Backing off more towards the outskirts, away from where they normally hunted for them. But her pack took time and effort to track them down. The other day Damien had been gone for two days tracking down one vampire that had fled the city. But he never abandoned what had to be done.

Just like she would get done what needed to be done. The vampire male hadnt noticed her yet and that was bad on his part. A skilled vampire would have already smelt her. Hell, most newborns would have smelt her already. Its not like a werewolf blended in with the scents. But this vampire must have been halfway gone and crazed. Oh well, meant an easy kill for her. She wouldnt have to worry about giving off extra strength she might not have anymore. Once tonight was done, she was heading back to the gyms and building her strength back.

But she gave a small sigh and then pulled out the gun from her pocket, keeping the lighter in her other hand. Raising the gun she shot right over the vampires head. Three times and the bullets all planted themselves into the wall behind him. Finally the vampire looked up and snarled at her. She laughed and then rolled her eyes. "Oh please. Dont make me waste anymore bullets. Now that I have your attention. Its time to go bye bye." She normally wouldnt have taken the first move but she was feeling extra adventurous tonight and so she lunged, grabbing the vampire by the arm since he was in shock and then tossing him into the wall of the alley way. He recovered quickly and tried to bite her but she dodged and kicked him in the ribs with a hard kick that drove him back into the wall. But this time, she gave him no time to recover. She had him pinned, her arm blocking his neck and arms in a tight hold. With a grin she flicked the lighter on. "Like I said."

Then of course, the rest was history. He was on fire before she even let go. Watching him fall to the floor writhing in pain, her eyes danced with a slight menace. No matter how many times she kept repeating that her own family were vampires, she couldnt get over the ones like this one here. She hated them. And she knew she always would. Except for certain few.

Pushing her tawny hair back she tilted her head and then listened as she heard the sounds of a struggle. Well tonight was just her lucky night. Two vampire were there and lined up for her. Right next to each other as well. Spinning on her heel, she walked with her arms at her side, but the gun and the lighter still in each hand. The alley way with the commotion wasnt far and she found herself staring at a human male getting the crap beaten out of him. Then of course, the vampire finished him off. And the vampire was female. It was obvious by the long blonde hair that fell neatly down the girls back. Why did it have to be a female?

But she put on her cheeky grin and walked forward with a small chuckle, clapping her hands together in sarcasm. "Bravo. You earned yourself attention. But Im not sure you want MY attention. Didnt anyone tell you not to hunt around here. This place is for the wolves." Tilting her head, she studied the female who didnt move, nor did she speak yet. There was something...familiar about her. Something so familiar it made her take pause. Had she fought this vampire before? Had she seen her fleetingly?

Then she got closer....And her world felt like it was turned upside down. Standing in front of her...Was Nix.

But how could that be? There was no possible way! She was a vampire! A vampire! A blood sucking creature of the night! No. No no no. There was no way she was seeing this. This was a bad dream. But she knew...She knew by the way her breathing stopped, and the way her hands shook, dropping the lighter and the gun to the floor, and how she collapsed onto her knees and then leaned against the wall for support, that this was all real. She was actually seeing her best friend standing in front of her. As a vampire. "Nix...." She whispered.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

Phoenix heard clapping behind her, and the scent reached her before the voice did. She held perfectly still, like a statue, unwilling to turn around. She didn't want to see the look of pain that she knew would be on Katra's face once she realized who the vampire was standing before her... Bravo. You earned yourself attention. But Im not sure you want MY attention. Didnt anyone tell you not to hunt around here. This place is for the wolves.

That last sentence brought out a bitter laugh as she turned around to face Katra, her moss green eyes meeting with her friend's. It took Kat's eyes a moment to adjust enough to be able to tell who she was, but Nix knew the exact moment when the knowledge hit Kat with the force of a tornado. "Out of every vampire there is, Kitten... I know that more than any of them."

She watched the gun and the Zippo lighter fall to the ground, still unmoving. When Kat's knees buckled and she fell to the ground, using the wall of the building for support, Nix took a cautious step towards her best friend and once was pack Alpha. Tears of blood spilled from behind Nixie's moss green eyes, staining her face in crimson streaks. "Kitten?" She asked, her voice smooth and calming as she dropped down to her knees just a few inches away from Kat. If Kat wanted to kill her, now would be her perfect chance, but that thought didn't even cross Phoenix's mind... She didn't like seeing her best friend in pain over what she had become.

"I didn't want you to see me like this..." She knew better than to have come into this part of Paris... But she just couldn't keep away from here... She wished someone else in the pack had found her... Not Kat... Not her best friend. The others would have been shocked, yes, but not devastated. Not anything like Kat... The only one who may have had close to this same reaction was Damien... And she was beyond thankful that she hadn't met up with him... That was one thing that she did NOT need at the moment.

"Kitten... I'm so sorry... You shouldn't have to had stumbled on me like this... The blood of a kill still on me... But, let me explain that." She said, waving her hand towards the carcass behind them. "I swear to you, he was evil. I saved a young girl from him... I have to survive, Kat... I don't like it... But I have to... I didn't ask for this!" Her voice was almost in desperation, silently praying to whatever higher power there may be that her best friend would not hate her... Or worse, try to kill her... Nix wouldn't be able to fight Katra, not even for her own life... If Kat decided to fight her, then her life would end tonight. "Please... You have to believe me... I can't stomach animal blood... I used to be part animal... I've never really been human... Please, Kat... Please forgive me for having you find out this way...." She reached out to touch her best friend's face soothingly, trying to calm her down. She couldn't make her skin touch Kat's, though, unsure if the contact would be rejected or not... So, she waited on Kat's reaction.

[* Kokia Luxin]

Kia raced forward with all her strength, unable to take just what she had discovered in New York. After her reunion with Katra, the Alphess told her of what had happened to one of her closest and dearest friends. Without a moment's hesitation, she traveled to New York and sniffed out this "Sevanni's" hide out. Nix's scent was strong, that was for sure. But...it had also changed.

And that werewolf she'd encountered that night...Kodiak...he said he'd been there on orders. But from whom? And that serum. Thanks to him, she'd discovered what it was that Nixie had become and it made her stomach turn. Not because she hated vampires, but because someone changed her proud and strong Nixie into a human. Probably against her will. She would never willingly give up being a werewolf....would she?

Kia raced around the corner of the street in Paris, ignoring the people she plowed through. Her heart was racing at high speeds and she knew that Kat's scent was somewhere nearby. She'd traced Nixie all the way here and the fact that Kat was out on patrol, doing her rounds, made things worse. If those two met and they didn't recognize each other right away, there would be problems.

No...I have to hurry! she thought, her heart hammering against her chest violently.

Stopping at the overpowering scent of blood, Kia turned her head to gaze down the alley across the street and heard a clatter as well. It sounded like metal. Without a moment's delay, Kia practically leaped across the street toward the alley in time to see Katra falling to the ground in disbelief.

And there, standing before her, was Nixie. One of her two best friends in the world was not like her anymore, but a vampire. This didn't change how she felt about Nixie as a friend, but what happened to that pride she once had? That spirit? And declaring firsthand that she would rather die than do any dealings with vampires?

What happened...to that Phoenix Mckenzie?

Nixie leaned down in front of Kat who was still in a heap of shock against the wall. Kia slowly made her way into the shadows of the alley, her boots scuffling the gravel beneath her. But in the state both were in, the probably weren't even aware of her presence. Kia's ears picked up on Nixie's words. "Please... You have to believe me... I can't stomach animal blood... I used to be part animal... I've never really been human... Please, Kat... Please forgive me for having you find out this way...."

Kia's eyes widened in shock. She's taken life? A human life? But Nix... Kokia knew that Nixie wouldn't have done it without good reason. But to be a vampire...a Night Walker, the one thing she loathed before in her life...

The female werewolf stepped forward quickly, reared back her right hand and slapped Nixie across the cheek. Tears slowly fell down Kia's cheeks as she bit her lip, her fangs elongating slightly as she towered over Katra. She stepped around the Alphess and looked down at Nixie, the tears continuing to fall. "Nixie! How could you? How could you desert us like that?" she said, her hand curling into a tight fist. "Don't you know how hard I was looking for you? You, my best friend, filled with such pride for our race. Now you've gone and turned your back on us!" The Amazon fell to her knees, her hands shaking with the sting of the blow she'd dealt her friend. She quickly grasped Nixie by the shoulder and pulled her friend into a tight embrace, her hand cradling the back of her head as she cried into the vampire's shoulder. "Nixie...why..."

[Katra Maguire]

The shock hadnt yet gone away. It was still coursing through her system and destroying everything in its path. She could barely register anything that was going on. Barely hear what was going on. She just couldnt understand what was happening here. What had happened to her best friend? What in the world was going on? Hell, she could still remember the night they had met. It had been right after James was caught with that vampire girlfriend of his. There was a pack meeting and after it was done, Kat had left into the hall and seen Nix there just drawing away.

Kat had known she was knew. She herself was one of the oldest members of the pack besides Pat. And she of course, she didnt mind the new recruits. They needed them since half the pack had disappeared. By means of leaving and by means of them being killed. Some people just were not meant to be killers. But this girl with the blonde hair had stood out to her and so she sat down by her and talked. Nix showed her the drawing and then eventually gave it to her once it was done. She still had that drawing hanging up in her room.

When Nix came over and dropped down a few inches away from her, her gaze drifted over to the vampire easily. Naturally. It was almost like habit. She knew Nix like the back of her hand. They were always there for each other. Kat and Caleb had busted Nix out twice from Sevanni. She had wanted to try and get Nix back for a third time, but Nix had requested they dont come and Caleb had left the pack a while ago. Just a note sent in that he couldnt stay. That he needed to be away. The note had of course been to her and the way the Tramp had addressed them all and said his goodbyes had brought tears to her eyes. She was going to miss him.

And now she lost Nix. She was gone to her for forever. Nix would always remain that beautiful girl for the rest of eternity and eventually, Kat would die. This wasnt supposed to happen. And it made her want to strangle Sevanni and made her hate of other vampires even greater. But she knew deep down in her heart, she could never kill Nix. There was no possible way. It was her best friend standing there. Not a leech she didnt know and that had killed so many people she could smell the blood stench. True, Nix had just killed someone, a bad someone, but a human being none the less.

In a way, she could understand her reasoning. Kat herself never felt human. She had her wolf with her twenty four seven and it felt so right to change into the animal. She was ashamed to say that if she was in the same position, she would probably do the same. She was going to respond to Nix but then a new scent caught her attention. And her focus snapped back to attention. It was Kia. This night was getting worse and worse wasnt it? Maybe she should have listened to her pack and stayed inside. But as Kia came over she glanced up at her and could see the fury and hurt in that face. Her own features probably werent that far off.

As Kia spoke to Nix, Kat wiped away the tears that had started to fall down her face. She had been crying without realizing it. And Kat never cried. It was a rare thing. Her pack had only seen her cry once, and even then it had been at the end of it. To actually be crying, she was hurting pretty bad. When Kia smacked Nix her eyes snapped up to look first at Kia and then at Nix. The words being exchanged were almost the same questions Kat herself had. Kia stepped around her and then pulled Nix into a hug.

Kat scooted over and wiped away the tears on Nix's cheek. Blood tears. She had never seen a vampire cry before. That was interesting. But she reached out and cupped Nix's face. "Please...Please tell me this wasnt your choice?" Kat didnt see how it could be, but maybe she was wrong. Maybe Sevanni had been able to change her mind into the mind set of a vampire. And she knew Sevanni had been the one to change her. It was obvious. She could smell his blood on her. It was like a beacon. She wanted to hug Nix, but decided that Kia could have her turn. She would hug one of her best friends after Kia. And then Kia, her other best friend, would need one to. It was going to be one hell of an emotional night.

[*Phoenix McKenzie]

It felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest, a lump forming in her throat as blood red tears streamed down her pale cheeks. She had not wanted Kat to find out like this... This meeting, this one hurt her even worse than the meeting with Rose, simply because Rose had hurt her feelings... This meeting was most likely going to rip out her heart. She couldn't stand for Kat to look at her like she did other vampires. This just wasn't fair. Her eyes studied Kat's face, trying to memorize it... Where before, Nix and Kat would have been able to live out their lives in the same pack until the day they were either killed, or died of old age... Now, Nix would live for a very, very long time, where as her lycan friends... Nora... Damien... Kat... Kia... Her own daughter, even, would die with the passing of time, leaving her behind. Kat looked towards her, and for a brief moment, relief washed through her. She didn't see hate in the eyes of one of her best friends... Hurt? Yes. Confusion? Definitely... But not hurt.

Another scent caught her attention, and Phoenix went utterly still, her blond hair blowing in the small breeze that had warned her of another coming their way. It took a long moment for her to recognize the scent, and her eyes widened. Kia? What was Kia doing here? In Paris? This wasn't exactly her usual stomping grounds. Moss green hues turned in Kia's direction, wanting nothing more than to crawl under a rock and just die. This night just kept getting worse and worse... First for Kat to find her, not only as a vampire... But right after she had made a kill... But then for Kia, one of her oldest friends other than Victor, to find her this way as well... It was almost more than she could handle.

She watched as Kia walked up to Kat's side, saw the hand coming her way, but she refused to move or to block Kia's blow... That was the least that she deserved. Her face turned to the side, her left cheek stinging from Kia's blow. The tears continued to fall down her cheeks, staining her face. Nixie! How could you? How could you desert us like that? Don't you know how hard I was looking for you? You, my best friend, filled with such pride for our race. Now you've gone and turned your back on us!

She was left with no defenses, seeing Kat had brought all of her necessary walls of protection around her emotions crumbling down to the ground, leaving her bare and exposed before them both. Kia's words stung, though for whatever reason, Phoenix's voice didn't seem to want to work. She opened her mouth to try and get the words out, to try and explain, but the lump in her throat was blocking all sound. She shook her head in denial, her face full of pain.

Kia shocked her when she didn't hit her again, but instead dropped to her knees in front of Phoenix, her hands pulling Nix to her and hugging her tightly, crying into her shoulder. Phoenix automatically wrapped her arms around her friend, her strong, beautiful, strong willed best friend. This was the first time Phoenix had ever seen Kia cry, and she hoped that it would be the last... And for the tears to be falling because of her... That thought was almost too much to bare. She wanted to bury her face against Kia's long black hair, but didn't want to get blood in her hair. So she allowed herself to just hug her tightly, her body shaking slightly. Why did they both have to find her like this? This... Monster. The thing that she herself had at one point hated above all others... How had her life taken this drastic turn?

Nixie...why.. Nix cleared her throat, trying to push past the lump that was attempting to suffocate her, keep her from speaking to the two of them, to explain. Then, Kat spoke up. Please...Please tell me this wasnt your choice?

"No!" Phoenix's voice held pain and sorrow, grief so deep that she felt like she would explode with it. Was it possible for a vampire to die of a broken heart? Because this whole scene would have been heartbreaking to a outsider... It was a thousand times worse for her, and she knew it was just as bad for these two. "I didn't do this... I didn't have a choice..." She fought back a sob, reaching out with her right hand and wiping away a tear that had fell down her friend's face, pulling back away from Kia and wiping her tears away as well with her thumbs.

"I swear to you both, I was not given a choice. Sevanni had created a syrum that cancels out the lycanthropsy gene and turns a werewolf into a human. First he beat me, since I no longer had my baby, and he could 'punish' me for all the shit I'd done... After that, he drugged me, and used his so called 'cure'" The word came out in a hiss, her fangs bared as her eyes flashed with a small bit of red, angry that her choice had been taken away from her. "On me... While I was still pretty much out of it, but starting to come around, he nearly killed me he drank so much blood... I'm sorry... I'm weak... He offered me his wrist, and at first, I wouldn't drink... I was going to let myself die... I should have let myself die... I didn't make the decision to drink... But my body did... I couldn't stop myself... I'm sorry..." She said, lowering her head in shame, hiding her face with her long blond hair, too ashamed to even look her two best friends in the face. She knew, had either one of them been in her situation, they would have died rather than drink... They would have held a stronger hold on their bodies than she did... Her instincts of self preservation was stronger than her hate for what she would become... But her mind had fought with her body every time she swallowed the blood, tried to make herself stop... "I tried to stop... I swear to you both... I tried..."

[* Kokia Luxin]

Kia couldn't remember the last time she cried. In fact, if her memory served her correctly, her mother once told her that the only time she ever cried was when she was born. After that, Kokia Luxin never shed a single tear after that day. Instead, she continued to walk with her head held high and took in all the pain that the world had to offer her. Kia strove to become the best warrior she could so that she could earn the right to travel the world and not be restricted to her tribal lands. That was the least that could be done in that kind of lifestyle, right? Kia had thought so, and thought she'd done more than her part to earn her right to walk freely amongst those in the modern world - share in their excitements and joys, as well as fight those who got in her way.

In that time, she met Phoenix and Katra. The two of them were the best friends she couldn't have possibly asked for had she stayed back in Athens. In Greece, all the werewolf females in the tribe were like sisters to her. Some left and returned bearing children, other left to stay with their mates elsewhere. None in the Dark Wraths required the females who earned their right to leave to return within a certain time period. Some didn't return at all, but that was okay. After all, it was the path that they, themselves, had chosen.

Kat and Nixie were sisters she'd obtained in the modern world. They each had their own share of problems and concerns, but none were ever too great that they couldn't lean on each other. Though Kat and Nixie were of the same pack and had on numerous ocassions tried to recruit Kia, they did not hold it against her for not becoming part of the group. Kia was more concerned with their wellbeing than their pack's. Though what she did for James and Litte caused her to cringe still as the ache from the "surgery" she'd gotten to save them reminded her of what she'd given up.

Perhaps this was why it was such a hard blow to Kia's pride and compassion toward her sisters. Nixie had tried to bottle all of this up inside of her, treating the situation like it didn't matter when it did. Her well being went above Kia's own, as did Kat's. After hearing about what happened to Nixie back in New York from that mysterious werewolf, Kodiak, she couldn't help but feel a part of her pride being ripped out in chunks and stomped on. How could Phoenix do this to her? To them?

Kat's words sunk in as Kia pulled away from Nixie. "Please...Please tell me this wasn't your choice?"

Kia looked to Phoenix as her eyes widened in protest, the blood still dripping from her sockets. "No!" The pain in Nixie's voice was evident, and it made the vice-like grip on Kia's heart hurt more than ever. "I didn't do this... I didn't have a choice..." Nixie proceeded to wipe both Kia and Kat's tears away. Her hands were so cold...like ice. It took everything that Kia had not to flinch back from the now dead flesh of her friend. "I swear to you both, I was not given a choice. Sevanni had created a serum that cancels out the lycanthropy gene and turns a werewolf into a human. First he beat me, since I no longer had my baby, and he could 'punish' me for all the shit I'd done... After that, he drugged me, and used his so called 'cure' on me... While I was still pretty much out of it, but starting to come around, he nearly killed me he drank so much blood... I'm sorry... I'm weak... He offered me his wrist, and at first, I wouldn't drink... I was going to let myself die... I should have let myself die... I didn't make the decision to drink... But my body did... I couldn't stop myself... I'm sorry..." Kia's eyes widened as her fangs elongated and her claws extended. Someone had forced the decision on her! This man...called Sevanni Black - she'd gotten his full name from Kodiak back in New York. Kia felt her the pupil in her eye go into a slit as she fought back the sudden urge to transform and embrace her wolf. She wanted to rip this man's head off...the man called Sevanni Black. "I tried to stop... I swear to you both... I tried..."

The she-wolf reached out and grasped the back of Nixie's head, letting the girl cry into her shoulder. She didn't care if it would be stained with blood. But Kia had a new goal. The man who took her choice away...the blood thirsty corpse who'd taken her friend's pride and joy away - the wolf that Nixie so embraced and adored in her life - he would pay. Kia would kill him. She would rip the very bones out of his carcuss until there was nothing left for her to feast on. Dead flesh or not, Kia would feed. "It's all right, Nixie," Kia said, her voice low and menacing - almost not quite itself. The slit in her pupil intensified and she could feel her fangs growing slightly more by the second. "Sevanni...he'll pay for what he's done to you." Her heart hammered against her chest heavily, the ferocity of her anger nearly overwhelming her as a few more tears slid down her cheek. "I'll have his head."