Crossfire: Bloodline Book 3

Copyright stuff: All characters, places and the world that my characters live in are © by Alice Marshall ‘aka Matirx7’, in other words do not use my character without my permission.

Author's Notes: Yes I know about the bad grammar, spelling e.g., I have dyslexia, so if you would like to leave a comment, please don’t comment about that coz I know that there are, thank you.

WARNING: Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with possible strong but non-explicit adult themes, references to violence, and strong coarse language.

15 hours later the plane landed at Roma Ciampino airport in Italy, Alex and 4 his guards stepped out of the plan first shortly followed by Max, Evoke, May and Fearcat.

At they stepped onto the stairs Fearcat looked at Max and said “you sure it was ok for Kain, Gabriel and Syth-Nix to see to the repairs of the Club”.

“Yeah Dante” Max smiled “I don’t think the Vatican would be happy if Syth-Nix came with us away”.

“I can understand why” May laughed.

Max stopped and looked at him “May”.

Alex waited at the bottom of the stairs for Max and his friends, one of the guards that were walking behind May yelled angrily “hurry up”.

Max turned to guard and said calmly “if you have anything to say, say it to me”.

Guard then grinned and without warning hit Max in the face, the guard then kicked Max hard in the stomach with his right leg, that act tore Max’s wound open Max fell to his knees, and the Guard spat “NO! Vampire tells me what I can and can’t do” he then brought his hand down on the back of Max’s neck.

Evoke rushed to Max’s side, but he was out cold, Evoke looked over at Alex who didn’t care what is men did, “Dante” Evoke called the tall cat walker over and picked Max up.

Dante looked at Alex “well somehow I don’t think your boss would be happy seeing him like this, right”.

“Fine I’ll have some see to him, when we get to the Vatican”.

The drive to the Vatican from the airport was long, Max moaned and slowly opened his eyes, he felt a pain in his stomach, he then he reached for the back of his head with his left hand and rubbed it bloody guards, dam I really have bad luck. A voice to his right called his name, it was Fearcat, but Max didn’t what the others to worry about him so he said with his eyes half open “it’s ok Dante I’m fine” Max knew he was in a car or some kind of vehicle and he also knew that the guard that hit him was sat in the car too, so Max let his arm fall back on his lap why did I come.

Coz if you didn’t we would be dead right now Lupus said in a happy tone.

You always think about yourself.

Aww, that’s not very nice, I think about you all that time Lupus then went silent.

Lupus? Lupus… Max got nothing from him thought so always about you.

After a short time Evoke sighed and looked over at Alex “so Alex now that we’re here, can you tell us what’s going on”.

At this question Max opened his eyes and looked at Alex, who looked at him and Max then said “I think I know what’s going on” Max sighed “it’s about the council, right” Alex then nodded; the others looked at Max who was grinning.

The guard that hit Max earlier then spoke “yeah that council” Max shot him a glance, the guard moved forward closer to Max “I hate your kind, I always have and always will, so don’t thing of helping me” he turned to Alex and continued “I don’t see why we need this vampire’s help”.

Alex laughed lightly and said smiled “Ivan, the reason we need Mr. Evelyn’s help, is well; Max is any old friend of the Cardinal’s”.

Evoke, May and Dante looked at Max who didn’t look at them at first, when he did he said “it’s long story, I’ll tell you guys later or he will”.

Ivan then sat back in the sat but still looking at Max “what’s so special about you anyway” he looked out the window at the moving builds “it’s not like your some kind of chosen one”.

Max started laughing and spoke to Ivan telepathically if it wasn’t for me, humans would have been wiped of the face of this world long ago.

Ivan snapped his head back at Max; he then closed his eyes and spoke back to him using his mind so the stories about you are true then.

Max smiled ah, so you’re a psychic too.

Ivan opened his eyes to find the world around them changed, they were no longer in the car but a field of white, he looked over at Max but he also saw a second figure stood just behind Max he couldn’t make out what it was but it was tall and dark, Ivan then said what are you.

The blurry figure turned to looked at him and the figures eyes glowing spoke with kind emotion that Ivan couldn’t tell, the figure then looked down at Max and spoke only him, then Max stepped forward and the blurry figurer vanished and Max then said Ivan! Wake up, were here.

Ivan then opened his eyes suddenly realizing that the car had stopped, he turned to look at Max who held his hand out to help him out of the car, and Ivan pushed Max out the way as he got out the car “don’t help me”.

As the group walked along another member of the Angels appeared, she was dressed all in light blue, she held something in her hands, Max turned to look at Alex.

“You asked me to come this time” Max snapped “I don’t see why I need it this time”.

“Yeah I know you came voluntarily but if you don’t mind”

“Fine” Max moaned, he then rolled up the sleeve on his left arm of his coat and the girl in blue then took out a needle out of the box and then injected a green liquid in to his arm.

The others watched this happen, they looked at others each confused, and then after the girl was finished Alex helped Max to sit down on the ground; Alex looked at the others “oh don’t worry, Max with be fine after ‘Hieratic’ wears off”.

Evoke was looking down at Max but what Alex said ‘Hieratic’ he looked up at him “what! You use that drug on our friend; you do know it’s after affects” he looked back at Max “the Orders getting more corrupted”.

Alex had both his hands on Max’s shoulders, he didn’t look at Evoke but spoke him “Yes we know ‘Hieratic’ after affects that’s why it’s use on Vampires so well anyway John” he looked up at Evoke “do you know how we made this drug, your friend here helped us make it, oh don’t worry about Max, this isn’t the pure ‘Hieratic’”

Alex then called 4 new guards over, he then spoke to the guards “take Max, Evoke, Fearcat and May to their room” two of the guards took the unconscious Max with the others following.

May looked back at Alex and Ivan, Evoke who walk along side him then said “yeah I know May, I want answers too” he looked at Max “I hope Max will tell us what’s going on”.

A large bat like figure stood in the middle of the battlefield, he had his back up against a tall heavy built cat and stood near these 2 were his other friends and surrounding them were large powerful demons, an aura dark light surrounding it flowing from them like water.

The large bat turned to the cat over his shoulder “ready Hell Cat” the cat nodded, and then the bat said “don’t be afraid to show that power of yours”.

Cat’s eyes narrowed but not at the large bat or what he had just said but at the other demons around them.

The whole group yelled and then ran forward.

Max’s eyes briefly opened and then closed because of the light that entered his vision, “I hate these dreams” Max mumbled and rolled over they never make any sense he then felt something in his mind, Lupus was waking up I was cursed before you joined me.

Max don’t depress yourself by thing what could have been, you know you can’t let either side get you Lupus said calmly.

I know.

Max slowly tried to sit up but couldn’t, then with the help of the person who was next to him, he didn’t open his eyes to see who it was because he could feel the ‘Hieratic’ drug affecting his body, then after a long time of fighting dizziness he got getting his balance and finally opened his eyes, he found himself sat up in a bed in one of the guest rooms in the Vatican.

Max turned his head to see who was sat next to him on the bed, it was a young human girl in a nun’s dress she had her back to him, when she turned to face him she had a shocked look in her eyes.

Max reconciled that look in her eyes, it was fear, Max said to his mind why let a scared girl heal me he then feel a sharp pain in his chest, he then brought his legs up closer to his body and he started gasping out in pain, his breathing was becoming faster and more harder to take, the pain was becoming more and more unbearable then as fast as it had happen the pain faded.

The nun then spoke “are you feeling ok”.

Max looked at her he placed his right hand on his chest and closed his eyes then he spoke to Lupus within his mind Lupus, I don’t remember ‘Hieratic’ being this powerful last time.

Lupus then replied yeah I know, they might have improved it since last time.

Well of course they would have, it’s been over 30 years.

Suddenly Max and Lupus’s convocation was broken by Alex and Evoke’s voices shouting, Max open his eyes again to see his friends in the room, the young had long since gone and so had the day light it was not near night fall.

How long have I been out? Max asked.

Fearcat and May were looking at Evoke and Alex who were both yelling at each for some reason, Lupus then said you feeling better.

Yeah but this pain comes and goes it’s annoying, I know that the drug weakens me but why is it so painful.

Well that’s one question that I would like to be answered.

Max nodded then after a short pause he yelled at the others in the room “what the hell is going with you lot” he then pushed the covers away and sat up on the bed with his legs out in the air.

Evoke stepped towards Max and said almost yelling “in all the years we’ve know in each other you never said anything about this to us” his face became more angry “tell us what’s going on NOW!” the others turned to him, but didn’t stop him.

Max sighed then looked over at Alex who nodded and walked out the room “ok guys, I’ve been wanting to tell you about this for some years now” he stood up a bit shaky and walked over to the large window “it started about over 30 years ago, I was captured by the Angels”.

May interrupted Max and asked “wait a minute if you were captured over 30 years ago, how old is this Alex guy? He doesn’t like that old”

“Alex is the new leader of Angels, he father was the old leader I knew him very well he died 3 years ago” Max said in a sad tone “Anyway this isn’t about him, the reason for them capturing me, was they need my help” he turned to face the others at this point looking at each of them in the eye “back in those days the thought of Vampire helping the Holy Order amused me I wasn’t always like I am now you know” he smiled at the lost memory “the Angels needed me to clean up one of their problems and that was to kill another Master Vampire” Max sat down on a chair near his friends “what better way to kill Master Vampire but to have your own Master Vampire that you can order around, well cutting a long boring story short, the Order drugged me with ‘Hieratic’ a drug that-“ Max looked up at his friends who were listing to him “a drug that can kill the cells of the one it is given too” the face’s of his friends held shock and confusion.

Evoke said “so your slowly dying now”.

“I was dead before they gave it to me so in away yeah I am” Max smiled, he then contained “I hope they’ll give me the antidote soon it’s painful moving around”.

“Those basted” Dante yelled then looked at Max “why did you come and help them”.

Max looked at him “because if I didn’t things would have gotten a lot worse”.

“What do you mean ‘things would get worse’” Evoke asked a bit calmer.

Max then stood up and walked over to the door but he stopped before he got to the doorway and turned back, both Max and Lupus spoke “don’t worry guys, we’re both fine”.

Before anyone could move May who had been next to Dante and Evoke, suddenly vanished and then a second later reappeared near Max with his knife ready to hit him in the arm but he missed because Max had also vanished, May stood still waiting for him to reappeared; Dante and Evoke were shocked at what had just happened.

Dante whispered “did he just attack Max” Evoke nodded still shocked.

Suddenly Max reappeared behind May and hit him in the back with his right hand, the power behind the hit wasn’t enough to do May any harm just enough to tell him that he was their, May turned around to hit him back but Max had already vanished again, the other two saw May smiling that smile slowly turned into a grin then into a haunted laugh.

From somewhere in the room Max spoke “well that was fun May, but you do know that you can’t take me on, ever with a drug in my body”.

Dante and Evoke turned to see Max stood behind them with a grin that mirrored May’s minutes ago “you had enough yet kid”.

May then turned and the two just stared at each other, Dante and Evoke looked back and forth between the two, waiting to see who would attack the other first, the whole scene was broken by Alex walking back into the room.

Alex looked at the four and then spoke “have I come at a bad time”

Max and May shock their heads, and then both said in union “not at all, we were just having a little fun that’s all”.

Alex stepped closer to Max “Cardinal wishes to see you”

Some hours later the five walked down the underground corridors of Vatican, Max and Alex were slightly ahead of the others, Evoke and Dante were in front of May who was a bit pissed with not hitting Max, the group then came to a door and Alex turned to the others.

He spoke “try not to scare the other members please” the other followed him out the door into a lager hall, in the hall were over 40 other members in this space, everyone turned to watch them.

It wasn’t long before the group came to another door which they entered the minute Alex’s hand held the door handle, after entering the room Alex knelt on one knee; he then spoke in a commanding voice “Cardinal, I have brought them as you asked”.

The group looked over to the fireplace to see a figure, wore a long red coat, the figure had his back to the group, after a short silence the figure’s voice echoed in the room “thank you, Alex you may leave now” and with that command the white fox did.

It was some time before anything happened, the figure slowly turned to face them, he was old man in his late 50’s he still had his black hair, he spoke in a calm voice “greetings Dante or is it Fearcat, Evoke” he stepped forward “May Thirteen and Master Max Evelyn”.

Max walked over to the figure and held his hand out and the both then shook hands, Max then spoke “been a long time Avon”.

Avon smiled “well let’s get to business” the old man walked over to the group “I’m sure you know what’s been happing with the others, Max”.

Max then nodded “Yes, the council told me not long ago, not to intrude with their future planes, but I can not do that”.

Avon looked at the others who were all now sat in chairs; he then looked back at Max “do your friends here know what’s about happen”.

Max turned his hear slightly to see the looks of confusion from his friends; he then turned back and said “No, they have on idea what’s going on”.

Avon lightly laughed “well that is just like you Max; anyway leaving others in the dark”

Max smiled “well it’s not every century that you have a Vampire helping you is it”.

Avon laughed louder, he then looked at Max a bit more serous “Max, you do know that you’ll have to kill your own kind if you ally yourself with us”.

Max nodded and to the surprise of the everyone in the room Max said “I’m not going to fight, Avon, I stopped fighting pointless Wars centuries ago”

Avon nodded “Max, would you at least show my new solders how to fight your kind better” he then stood and walked over to another table then stopped with his back to the group “Oh and Max” Max turned his head to where Avon now stood and he continued to speak “Yes you have the full permission of the Coluber Order to reform your team”.

Max grinned and spoke “Thank you” he then stood up with his eyes closed “I’ll leave you now”.

Max made his way over to the door and walked out with his friends following behind, Max could scene confusion coming from them, he then stopped “Ok you need to know what’s going on now, I didn’t what Avon telling you” he turned to them fully “for centuries now both the Vampire Council and the Coluber Order have been wanting a another War” Max then started to walk slow while talking “in the past my team were the one’s who stopped them from starting a massacre, but since-” he paused and changed what he was going to say “well talking them out of fighting has fault”.

The group finally came to a small door, Fearcat had to duck under it to get out which made May start a mad fit of laughing, Evoke watched this scene but he saw Max walking over to a small chapel he then sighed and continued to watch May laughing at Dante.

What’s wrong Max asked Lupus

No answer

Max?

He still got nothing?

Max entered the small building and a young anthro came up to him, at first the 15 years didn’t notice anything off about him but once he was about 3 meters from him he yelled out “VAMPIRE! VAMPIRE!”.

Max woke from his daydream he looked do at the kid and grabbed him “look kid I’m on your side” guards came running in and Max looked up at them then at the kid “ah! Dam”.

Meanwhile outside May had stopped laughing at Dante, all three of them had sat down on a stone wall when suddenly a rush of guards came running by and all three looked at each other confused then they all said in union “MAX!” they all shot up at ran to the chapel.

Once inside the three hid behind a column and looked around it to see Max holding a kid.

“What’s he going to do with the kid” May asked, the other two looked down at him oddly.

“What?” asked Dante wondering why he asked that.

“Yeah why would you care” Evoke added.

May looked up at them above him “well if you really what to know.”

Dante looked at Evoke then back at the purple rabbit and held his hands up “I don’t now”.

They were pulled back to the more serous side of things as they heard Max say “I’m not going to do anything got it, just go talk to Alex or Cardinal Avon”.

One of the guards then yelled “yeah right, good story Vampire” he held up his gun at Max and the kid.

The kid shut his eyes as the sound of guns firing was heard but nothing happened he then opened his eyes to see that he had been throw aside away from the gunfire, he turned around to see Max bent over in the middle of the chapel.

Max slowly stood up and held his right hand up, he the opened it and the bullets dropped to the floor.

Another guard then cried in fear “his is no normal vampire” then one of the other guards near he called “yeah he has to be Master”.

The first guard yelled “enough kill him now, you hear me KILL HIM!”.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you Lieutenant” came a voice from behind the small croup of guards who all turned around to see Cardinal Avon.

May started laughing again “now that guy is in for it”

Max walked over to the kind that he had pushed aside and held his hand out to help him up “you ok” the kid nodded.

Dante looked over that Max “yeah Max, you coming”.

The guards turned and yelled “Max, as Master Max Evelyn” Max’s friends all nodded as Max walked up behind them, the guards looked at each other as they walked out, their voices echoed in the chapel “he could have killed us all in seconds”.

Max sighed “great”

Lupus on the other smiled and said I think you should killed just one of them, Max grinned to himself what’s the fun in let’s them see you come.

Cardinal Avon turned away form the guards “I’m sorry about that I haven’t told everyone that your here”.

“No that’s fine” Max said “er, Avon would you mind if we went back to own room” the Cardinal then shook his head and the four walked off.

It was a couple of days later and the group had yet again been walking in the dark corridors they soon came to a new set of doors that they had not been shown, the doors were a lot lager and wider.

Max put his hands on the doors and punished to open them, when they did fully open the other 3 were shocked to see hundreds of humans and anthros, along with armor, weapons and other magical items.

Dante was the first to speak “what’s happening, Max, what’s all this stuff for?”

Suddenly Alex’s voice was heard “it’s for War, Dante, War against the Vampire’s” he looked at Max “the Cardinal, has told me to give you the antidote for the ‘Hieratic’ he says that we need everyone at full fighting ability”.

Max narrowed his eyes as a girl in blue, who had been standing near Alex the whole time, stepped forward and took out a needle out of the box, this time the liquid in the needle was a light purple she came close to Max and was about to injected in to his arm, when Lupus yelled at Max Stop her Max, she’s possessed.

Max then grabbed her hand and pulled her away from him and then hit her in the face, she staggered back against the wall and just stood with her hands covering her face, Max then growled at her “so you Demons think u can trick me, well you’re wrong”.

Everyone else in the room turned from the hurt girl then they all turned to Max who they thought had gone insane.

Evoke hissed at Max “what’s your problem Max, she was going to give you the antidote”.

Without taking his eyes off the girl, Max said “that’s not the same girl who injected me the first time”.

May laughed and said “Max, may be she couldn’t come and injected you to day”.

Max growled at what he said the others didn’t understand, what he could scene coming from the girl, Max then took a step forward “fine I’ll show you then”.

Without warning the girl suddenly threw her head back and screamed in, slowly her head came back to face the others and her voice echoed with another voice as she then spoke “been along time, Prince Evelyn”.

Max growled and then spat forget others were near “Quiver, you bastard, how can you still be alive”.

“Lord Amber with tell you in person” spoke using the possessed girl “my dear Max, come to the edge of Roma within a days or we’ll destroy this city and the others you care for, oh and come alone” the girl then fell to the flour as the thing possessing her vanished.

Max’s anger had grown so much that he couldn’t control it for much long, his aura then changed from a red colour to white as his body was getting rid of the drug; he spoke Lupus will you fight with me.

Lupus replied with his own building anger of course! Max.

Max had his back to the others, Dante and Evoke noticed that Max had clenched his hands and it had started to turn red form the blood which had started to fall to the ground.

May also noticed this and started to speck “Max are you -” he was cut short as Max then turned sharply and started to walk out the large doors but was blocked by the Vatican guards.

As Max spoke 2 voices seemed to be heard out of the way Vatican Vermin he turned to Alex and continued in the same tone this is none of your business mortal.

Alex stepped forward “who or what was that, and what are they talking about, I demand you answer me”.

Don’t make us laugh, you can’t demand anything, those demons are beyond you.

Dante then spoke “why is that Lupus” Alex snapped his head at him as he said that name.

Max/Lupus turned his head to the Werecat the one that just spoke is a member of the Erebus race.

“That… that can’t be, the Erebus race was killed off 6 millennia ago” Evoke stammered as his eyes widen.

Not all were killed; my friend; you sometimes forget I have walk this earth for along time, I have done and seen things that you would not think of Max/Lupus turned and he held his hand up to the guards blocking his path, the guards were sent flying back and hit the wall, he then turned his head over his shoulder don’t worry, I’ll end this and then vanished in to the darkness of the corridor.

Dante and Evoke were stood outside the main Vatican entrance near them were Alex and Ivan and 3 other members of Angels.

Fearcat looked around slightly worried, he then looked down at Evoke “Hay! Evoke you seen May anywhere?”.

Evoke looked at him, an odd sound coming closer and closer towards the group, their turned heads to try and find the source of the sound, without warning a ice cream van stop right in front of them.

The group all looked at each other confused

Suddenly May lent out the window nearest to them, “Yo!” he waved his right hand at the group.

Fearcat and Evoke looked at each other panicked then at May, Dante was the first to speck “what the hell is this” he yelled pointing at the van which was still making the annoying happy melody.

“Why Dante it’s an Ice cream van” May looked at him “didn’t you have ice cream when you were a kid” he then closed his eyes and said with wide grin on his face “it’s the only thing I could find”.

Evoke shook his head “May, you fool were at the Vatican”.

“Yeah I know but it’s no fun”.

Fearcat then said “I hope you didn’t kill anyone to get this” he looked at the sadistic kid.

“No I didn’t but” was his answer, Fearcat sighed with relief and relaxed slightly but May hadn’t finished and he continued “but someone else had so I just took the van” he added with a wider grin.

Dante looked at him with a shock “May what did I tell you about that”.

May’s grin faded “your no fun”.

Alex looked at the 3 and then yelled “I don’t care what kind of vehicle it is as along as it gets us to Max, now get in and drive”.

The member’s of Angels got in the back of the ice cream van while Fearcat and Evoke got in the front with May who was still in the drivers set, and the minute everyone was in, May punished his foot down and the van flew forward down the road.

Evoke and Fearcat yelled at the speed he was driving at, May turned to them “sorry my legs can’t get to the brakes, oh and I can’t turn the sound off”.

Once the group had recovered a bit from May’s insane driving ability, Fearcat looked at Evoke “so how are we going to find him”.

Alex the spoke “use this” he handed the ex-priest a small device, who looked up; Alex smiled “I put a tracker on Max”.

“I think he knew” Evoke added and looked down at the screen and he then said “Ok May, head out side of Roma”

“Which way” asked the driver.

“WHAT!” everyone yelled shocked.

“I DON’T KNOW ROMA” May yelled, he then whispered to himself “morons”.

Ivan the yelled “turned here”.

“K” happily called and he turned down a one-way street, everyone cried as they saw a larger van coming at them, but their small van continued to make its happy death tune at full speed towards it’s the other van.

It was almost night fall and Max had made his way to the location that the demons had told him to be at, he was sat calmly with his back against the stone. His thoughts slowly drifted way to a simpler time were his enemies were once his old friends and he fort along side him not against them.

“Hmm, it’s been so long since I saw them”.

Do you want to see them? Lupus asked.

“I’m not sure”

Well you better make your mind up fast

Max smiled “what’s up with you”.

Nothing Lupus hissed at Max

“I don’t regret meeting them Lupus, and there the ones who told me that my real father was alive and their also the ones who showed me who I am”.

But Max their evil; I thought you didn’t what that.

“I don’t want the other side to get me ether, but I have to stop them from hurting my friends” he slowly closed his eyes to let sleep take him but as so as he had done that, he was rudely awakened by the sound of wings, he opened his eyes and watched as the 2 demons landed not far from him.

Lupus let me handle this he told his inner demon, Max then looked up at the two who now stood in front of him “Quiver and Erode how nice of Amber to send you two”.

“Come with us” Quiver smiled.

Max stood up and followed the two demons, Erode held up both hands and a reddish coloured portal started to from.

The small ice cream van was screaming down road, Fearcat looked a head seeing a bright light starting to appear, he then growled “May, can’t this shit can go faster”.

Evoke turned his head to looked at him, then he looked out the window the see the aura of red light and he nodded to May.

May then nodded back to them and yelled back at the Angel members “you other three get out NOW!” Alex and Ivan looked at each other then at the other three. “OUT NOW” May ordered again and so the three open the door and jumped out making the van go a bit faster.

Max turned his head to Quiver and Erode, they were twin tiger demon brothers, Quiver had glowing green eyes and his body was a blood red and he had golden-yellow strips while his brother Erode had glowing blue eyes and golden-yellow body and blood red strips.

Erode turned to them and spoke, his tone was dry and to the point “you can enter now, brother”.

Quiver looked at Max who was stood next him, not moving the red tiger then came close and whispered “if you don’t come they will die”.

Max nodded and took a step forward as he did he sensed the others near them and Max moved faster into the portal.

“MAY” Fearcat yelled “STOP”, but he had jumped out before the van had come to a fully stopped Evoke, May, Alex and Ivan ran after him up the stairs where the red light was coming from.

As the three were about to enter, Max’s friends came running up behind them and they stopped to see Max walking into the portal first followed by the 2 demons brothers.

Dante yelled Max’s name as the portal closed, Dante then turned to Alex and grabbed him by his neck and picked him up off his feet, May and Evoke were slightly shocked by this outburst from him.

May ran forward to try and loosen grip that the Werecat had, Dante only griped tighter, May started to hit at him with his hands great I must look like a kid he turned to Evoke “what’s up with him, why’s he acting like this”.

“I don’t know” Evoke then turned his head to where the portal had once been and whispered “hurray back Max”.

Max, please wake up spoke a panicked voice from within his hosts mind.

I’m ok Lupus Max replied his voice was a bit weak, Max’s eyes slowly opened, he then used his arms to help himself up to sit up, Max then looked around at his new environment which was a burned and dead world, fires of all colours were still blazing all around, Max then slowly stood up.

Max, you’re still weak from the crossover; you should stay on the ground Lupus said.

Max didn’t list to his inner demon and stood with the help of a near by tree I’m fine Max snapped back, then he looked up at the grey sky “really I’m fine, where are we anyway”.

“Oh have you forgotten your home so fast” spoke a new voice.

Max froze and then very slowly turned around to face the new figure; the appearance of this new figure was very feminine yet it was male, his body’s appearance was a mix of both wolf and tiger he had 2 black bull like horns coming out of his near his ears, Max choked out his name “Amber”.

Amber slowly walked over to him, he live up to his name as his eyes held a bright golden glow; his fur colour was darker gold which faded to a dark red on his back he had black tiger strips.

Amber was a foot taller than Max so he lent closer to him and spoke “you poor lost soul how have you been” his voice was clam and sent shivers down Max’s spine.

Max couldn’t take his eyes away from him; Max knew that Amber was using his powerful demonic abilities on him; he didn’t care what happened next he felt so free, he could hear Lupus yelling at him.

MAX! FIGHT IT, FIGHT IT Lupus yelled but his mind was slowly being pushed back in to the darkness.

Max then found himself alone he could no longer hear Lupus’s cries, he slowly closed his eyes and then he felt something touch his lips.

Slowly the two broke away from this act, Max looked into Amber’s eyes, Amber sniffed, he could smell the scent of another, he then whispered into his ear “has another taken your body” and then he took a step back waiting for the other to speck.

Max heard what his said and gave a weak nod “I thought you died, I still -” Amber placed a finger on his lips to stop him.

“I’m not mad my lost love” Amber then smiled “what matters now is that your back” he moved forward and kissed him more deeply.

Max then closed his eyes feeling the other demons powers washing over him, he could feel something within him returning, something that he had lost so long ago.

After this new power had stopped flowing into him he slowly lifted his head to meet Amber’s eyes, he then raised his hands to his eyelevel and sparks of red jumped between them, he looked again into Amber’s eyes and said “how long has it been” his voice echoed eerily and it held no emotion.

Amber bowed deeply and spoke “it has been far to long my Lord” Amber looked up “this world has lost it way, Lord Ankh”.

“It had been weeks since Max disappeared with those 2 demons” May’s voice spoke from the right of the Werecat “a member of the Order said to me ‘that a demon army is making it way here’”.

Dante had calmed down a bit but he was still edgy with the Order members running around “I know, May” he growled.

May was sat on the chair near him but he wasn’t worried like Dante “gezz you don’t have to sound like that” May said, Dante looked down at him, the purple rabbit wasn’t looking back up at him he was to busy looking at all the daggers and other sharp weapons within the large space with wide eyes.

Dante shook his head, he looked down at the floor and remembered what had happened a couple of days ago he let out a deep sigh.

(Flash back)

May, Fearcat and Evoke were walking down one of the courtyards of the Vatican; May was happy walking a head of the other 2, when Fearcat stopped dead.

Evoke stopped next, he turned around to look at his friend walk to the edge of the small stone wall which over looked the gardens, “Dante” Evoke called calmly.

Fearcat then let his head fall “John, I know you’ve seen Max in your dreams, please tell me what’s happened to him”.

Evoke couldn’t speck how did he know he slowly walked over to him.

“Please tell me” Fearcat yelled louder which made May stopped at turned back “I need to know dam it”.

Evoke was stood right next to him now, his own voice was low but the other 2 heard “Max has fallen to darkness, he’s…”

May fully turned and slowly walked back to them; his voice suddenly became serous not like a kid or insane, his voice was normal which was scary “he’s what John”.

Evoke’s head fell low to his chest how can I tell them, I can’t believe it my self his voice found its power and he finally said “He’s our enemy now; we have to try and kill him”.

What! Fearcat’s mind yelled, he turned suddenly his eyes glowing; he then lashed out and hit Evoke in the face, luckily with no claws, the tall cat then yelled “how dare you say that”.

Evoke looked up at Fearcat, faster then the cat could move he pulled a gun from his inner coat pocket and pointed it at the Werecat’s head, his hand was shaking madly “Max is my friend too you know, I promised him something long ago and I with keep it”.

Slightly shocked by this May grabbed at the sleeve of Evoke’s coat which held the gun, he yelled “guys come on stop this” he looked at both of them “stop fighting and just fucking think both of you, look at what you’re doing”.

“Your right May” Evoke said his hand shaking; he then dropped the gun and turned and walked off, leaving a very shocked couple.

(End of flash back)

Fearcat shook his head again Evoke had gone off and not said anything to anyone it’s been 2 days with no word from him, I hope he’s came running up to Dante and May “guys, we’ve got a problem” both looked at him then at each other.

“What’s up” May called happily.

Without warning there was a violent explosion that made the builds and ground shake.

Fearcat then yelled “what was that!”.

5 minutes later Ivan came running up to them shouting “they’ve broken the barrier”.

Fearcat looked over at him “what are you yelling about, who are ‘they’ and what barrier?”

“Follow me you’ll find out” Ivan yelled running off, the others that stated after him.

The 4 turned a corner just a more explosions hit; they soon came to Saint Peter’s square, to see a newly reformed portal that had created a large crater in the square.

Fearcat frozen as he saw dead bodies of both demon and mortal, he looked up at the still living fighting bodies in front of him, suddenly a more powerful explosion hit not far from him.

As the smoke cleared the members the Coluber Order who were still alive could see more of the demonic legion coming out of the portal

Fearcat and May saw the 2 demons that had taken Max, appear threw the portal they had stopped were now at looking back at the light waiting for something.

“It’s them” Fearcat growled about to attack but he froze.

Alex, Ivan and May’s eyes widened with shock as they saw a 3rd figure appear in between the first 2 tiger’s, his new figure at a dark black aura around him.

Fearcat’s voice cracked with fear “Max”.

The sun had long since disappeared from the sky and the demons had gathered whole Coluber Order in centre of the square, the demonic force had also taken all their weapons, the demons were now stood around the large group, they just watched them with restless and hurray eyes.

In one of the smaller groups near the obelisk was Fearcat and May, both were staring at their friend, who was now not acting himself.

Dante had noticed Max’s appearance had changed; the very noticeable change was that he no longer wore his normal cloths which were his red trench coat, white t-shirt and black trousers. What’s up with him, he looks like he’s ready for 12th century War Dante thought, Max now wore black armour with red trimming this armour now matched the Amega sword, the Werecat narrowed his eyes as he locked with his friends eyes which were cold and expressionless.

Still sat on the ground next to him May glanced up at Dante and asked “why do you think Max is acting so weird”.

The tall cat looked down at him and closed his eyes and shook his head “not sure, it’s not like him to start something like this”.

Max had been watching them from the corner of his eye, he knew that they had been looking at him for along time now and it was starting to get annoying.

He turned away from a demon that had been talking to him and started to walk over to them, his voice echoed eerily “you two are seriously pissing me off” his eyes narrowed on Dante “you’ve been starring at me for hours, why is that” Dante turned away not wanting to look into those heartless eyes; Max grabbed his chin and forced him to look at him again, Dante couldn’t move under the grip he had to look at Max, Max yelled “why have you been looking at me”.

Dante’s eye grew wide with shock “Max we’re-” he whispered, he didn’t see his friend or the demon within those eyes; in fact he didn’t see anything but a void both Max and Lupus are gone.

Max looked back “who’s Max” his eyes flicked with emotion.

Wanting to help May grabbed Max’s arm “we’re you friends don’t you remember us”.

A flash of memories entered Max’s mind, a shocked and confused look appeared across his face and he turned slightly to May while still holding Dante “help me” he whispered painfully, Max’s eyes flicked with emotion again then the memories died and he returned to his mindless self.

Quiver heard Max’s yelling and looked over and for a short time he just watched until he walked over and spoke “my I speck with you, My Lord”.

Both Fearcat and May turned to Quiver, who was looking at them, Max also had stopped and turned to Quiver then back at Dante and he dropped him on the ground, he left Fearcat reeling in shock.

May bent down and asked “you ok” Dante looked at him coldly then his head fell to his chest and slowly nodded.

In the corner of his eye Dante watched as Max walked away from them, he then thought what’s happened to you.

Evoke was sat in a café near Fontana Di Trevi he quietly drinking some tea, when a sudden explosion hit the street he was on, diving for cover he sighed out in relief, seeing the staff of the café were all ok. Evoke then turned around and looked over the top of the table he was hiding behind only to see 15 to 20 legion demons walking around the street, looking for him, he then hid behind the table again he thought what the hell’s going on.

As he was about to make a move, an unfamiliar voice from within is mind spoke with an eerily clam tone John.

He looked around sharply seeing no one else could hear the voice, he answered mentally yes, I can hear you, barely.

The quiet voice was female, she sounds innocent, but Evoke knew somehow that wasn’t true, she called to him again John, your friends need your help.

Who are you, oh never mind somehow I don’t think you’ll tell me, anyway how am I going to get past those demons, if they see me I’m dead

Oh leave them to me

Evoke checked that he still had his guns, luckily he had gone back for them shortly after dropping the 2 silver items, he then stood up fast and ran down the street, he didn’t looked back.

Quiver and Max stood on both sides of Erode as he was opening another portal back to the demon realm, Max looked over his shoulder at Dante, May, Alex and other Order members.

“Don’t worry my Lord” Quiver said, he then glared in the same direction “when Amber’s arrives he’ll help you”.

Max smiled at him then his face changed to a somber mood he looked at the tiger demon “I see those faces and I remember things, how do I know them” he turned to face the Vatican.

A stabbing pain flowed through his back to his head and he doubled over in pain, as more memories flooded into his mind he gasped and looked up at Quiver “what’s happening” he yelled out over the pain and then he coughed he reached up with one of his hand and coughed again looking down at his hand to see blood, he fell to his knees, and screamed out.

The others saw all this happing, Dante and May stood up sharply wanting to go help their friend but the demons near stopped them.

Evoke had been running for hours, his body was aching all over, demons were all around him but he found it odd that none of them were going to attack him, they all seemed to be frozen in time.

He kept running until he got the Vatican, he then made his way to the armory were he got 3 large bags full of any weapons he could get his hands on and then he bolted back out the doors.

He sneaked out into the square were the portal and the Order all were, looking around a column he spotted Fearcat and May, then he noticed Max who was on the ground in pain and then he saw the 2 tiger demons next to him.

He hid back behind the wall taking a deep breath, moved the bags on his back and he then reached for his own guns, he knew he hadn’t done this kind of fighting in a very long time but he had to help his friends so he turned around the corner and started firing.

Familiar sound of gunfire hit the air and the members of the Order turned sharply, in time to see a figure dressed in green running at them, the figure was firing bullets at the demons around the group.

Fearcat and May were slightly shocked to see that it was Evoke.

May was slightly shocked and once Evoke was next to him and Dante he said to the ex-priest “I never expected this from you”.

Evoke looked at him with a smile as he handed out guns to members of the Order, he then turned to Dante “sorry about earlier”.

“Sorry about what” he grinned.

Abruptly an explosion made Dante, Evoke and May turn to their right and see Quiver firing blast after blast at the Order, who started to fight back.

Dante looked at both his mortal friends “you two should get back”.

“And leave a fight like this all up to you to win” May smirked “No chance”

“For once I agree with him” Evoke laughed.

Evoke held his guns close, May reached behind his back and grabbed Jinx from his belt, Dante watch them then all three ran from their hiding spot ready to fight.

The gate that Erode had been summoning took this moment in time to open, the mouth of the gate opened and a powerful force of wind was released sending everyone in the area flying back.

Once the unknown wind die down long enough to allow a clear view of 2 figures that now stood in the centre of Saint Peter’s square.

Dante, Evoke and May stood up along with the order members of the Coluber Order that weren’t badly injured, Dante glanced at each of them on both sides of him then looked ahead at the 2 figures.

Erode turned to face the figures, his brother Quiver took no notice of this he was watching Max who was still holding his head in pain, he kicked him in the stomach “what Lord Amber sees in you I don’t know” and then he looked up at the newcomers and yelled “who are you”.

One of the figures stepped forward and called in an eerie double toned “awaken from your illusion”.

“What!” Quiver yelled his eyes widen and he looked down at Max, to find him shakily standing up, Quiver started slowly backing away from the very pissed off vampire.

Max advanced on him “tell Amber if he tries that again I’ll-” he paused for a moment “he’ll know what I’ll do” both Tiger demon’s nodded and vanished.

Max slowly turned to face the center of the square and watched the figures as they walked closer to him.

Dante, Evoke and May got closer to their friend, Max turned away for the newcomers and smiled when he saw his friends were ok, he called over to them “oh hi guys”.

Evoke shock his head and looked at Dante as their walked “trust Max to act like that” the tall cat smiled.

Once the 4 were together, Max turned to face the figure white spotted jackal with short rainbow coloured hair “you must have been the one calling me”.

The female figure smiled then spoke “I’ve been watching you and your friends for a very long time”.

Dante frowned “who are you”.

The winged figure that stood next to his companion, raising his eyebrow he noticed who one of the four was “Max” he called.

For a short time Max looked at him confused, “it can’t be” he shouted.

“Well if isn’t me my old friend, how you been these last centuries” the phoenix said in a happy tone, Max had moved over to him.

The bird looked over his friends shoulder and said “Max, maybe it would be a good idea to tell your friends here who I am, so we can all talk normally”.

Max smiled at this, and smiled “sure” he turned to his group “guys I’ll like to introduce Twhich and… er… what’s your name”.

She smiled “my name’s Eshe”.

Max turned to the jackal and phoenix “and these guys are Dante, Evoke and May” he pointed to each of them as he called their name.

Eshe then looked at Max “I know who they are, they on my father’s list”.

Dante looked at her then at Twhich “and who’s your father?”.

“Oh no one very special”

Twhich shock his head and looked at Max and spoke “her father’s Lord Anubis”.

Max smiled and looked at her “I see, it’s nice to see another Egyptian”.

May looked back and forth between them "Great... call for the men with the padded cell now please, I'm ready to be taken away" he turned around throwing his arm out.

“May calm down” Evoke said shaking his head, he looked at the Twhich and asked “how do you Max”.

Max looked over his our shoulder at his “yeah Twitchy, tell him how I know you” he laughed at the pet name.

Twhich glared at him and moved closer to the vampire “if you called me that again I’ll”

Max smiled insanely “you’ll what, burn me with your fire” he started laughing harder.

“MAX!” the phoenix shouted angrily.

Eshe shook her head “children please”.

Dante, Evoke and May just stood their lost, in front of them was they friend and leader who was acting like a 7 years old and fighting with a phoenix, plus a daughter of a god.

It’s been a couple of days and the Coluber Order have cleaning up the square and the surrounding area, Dante, May, Evoke, Twhich and Eshe left a day ago.

Cardinal Avon was walking down one of the corridors next to him was Max, Avon’s voice fill the hall Max was silence the hole time.

“It’s my understanding that your were under a spell” he finally said looked at the white wolf who just nodded, Avon then stopped and let Max walked ahead a few feet before he said “I should never have called you to help in our war” he walked closer to Max “I’m sorry, I forgot that you gave up fighting wars”.

Max smiled and looked up at the Cardinal “we both know that’s not true Avon” he turned his back to Avon “thanks to you, I saw Amber again” he walked over to one of the windows “you’ve restarted a very old war, one that you wish you didn’t” he narrowed his eyes at the Cardinal “once I leave here today, don’t come looking for me again coz I’ll not come back and help your ass”.

The conversation was abruptly ended by a figure appearing in the hall; Max turned his head to see who it was.

The figure danced up to Max and Avon, and he called in a happy tone “Yo”

“Hi Vis, thanks for come to get me”.

“No problems man” the Taurus demon looked at the Cardinal “hay man, thanks for looking after my boss”.

The Cardinal starred at him then looked at Max “Evelyn, please”.

“You started this, you end it, I don’t care”.

Vis then grabbed Max’s arm “Yo man, come on” both of them vanished in a green cloud.

Max couldn’t sleep, he’d told his friend he’d been having nightmares about the past but real truth was wanted to see Amber again.

He rolled over to turn away form Syth-Nix’s sleeping figure so he got up being careful not to wake Syth-Nix, he walked down the short corridor to large kitchen that was on the upper levels of the newly rebuilt nightclub; it had been about a month now since they had had returned from Rome.

Max walking into the large room and went over to where the kettle was when the doors to the room opened, Max slightly looked over his shoulder and saw that it was Evoke, who had entered.

Evoke still looked very exhausted hmm, it must have been a late night for him Max thought, the dark green wolf had his favorite light green pajamas on his hair was scruffy and their was a patch of dry blood but Max couldn’t see any injury’s so he guessed that whatever he was fighting it was worse off, this odd sense brought a smile to Max’s face.

He turned back to face the work top just as the water in the kettle finished boiling and Max turned to pour the hot water into the cup.

Evoke looked up at his friend’s back and for the first time since he entered the room he noticed that Max only had his trousers on another nightmare uh!, and then Max turned to face him, Evoke saw the large purple scar on his chest along with lots of other scars that he had reveled over the years, Evoke’s mind races back to the day when they first meet.

The room was silent for along time, Max walked over and sat down at the table, he looked over at Evoke who was still stood at the doors “you can sit down, you know”.

Evoke shock his head to clear it and nodded, then he walked over to the kettle to get a drink for himself, then he walked over to the table and sat.

Sometime past and both were sat silently drinking, not a word said between each other, sometimes it was just nice to have silence, between friends.

Max sighed and put his cup on the table and looked up at Evoke “what’s the matter”.

Evoke looked away from him and simply said in a sad tone “you still love him don’t you”.

For a couple of minutes Max just sat starred at him in shock then it hit him of who Evoke was talking about and he looked down at the table “yeah I do”.

“So… are you going to talk to Syth-Nix, about it?”

“Yeah, I will” he said lowering his head into his arms “but I just had to figurer things out myself first”.

Evoke sighed then put his own cup on the table “actually I do want to ask you something” Max lying on the table he looked up at him wondering what he was going to say.

Evoke smiled “what’s he like” he pursed and looked away from his friend then continued “it must be nice having that kind of love” he looked back at Max only to see vacant eyes, slightly afraid to asked the question but he asked anyway “what happen to you two”.

Max’s eyes still showed no sign of him cheering up anytime soon, he slowly spoke in a shaky voice “he was trapped” Evoke’s eyes widened “I’m not really sure what did it, but I think it was something what happened to the 3 of us all those years ago”.

Evoke knew all to well that talking about ones past was a hard thing to do, before he knew it he asked “3 of you?”

Max looked at him, his eyes still held that vacant look but that sadness had faded “yeah Markus, Amber and myself” he looked down at the table “I still love Amber and I know he feels the same now”.

“Ah! So let me get this right, you love the guy that tried to kill us and turned you against us, gezz Max you know how to pick them”.

“Yeah I do, and it was Markus who got us together from the start, to start with we were the best of-” he stopped and his eyes widened in some kind of fear, he abruptly looked up at Evoke “not said you and the others aren’t my friends now”.

“I know, Max” Evoke then smiled weakly “they are still your friends you just need to remind them of that”.

“You know that’s a great idea” talking about this had seemed to cheer Max up, and then Max smiled at him “you know, you haven’t lost your touch” Evoke looked at him worried “ah come on, I don’t mean like that”.

The day seemed to past fairly faster and it was now 5:42 in the afternoon and Kurrupt had come back from college, she opened the double doors of the club, with her was 2 of her friends from college.

“I still can’t believe you know Max Evelyn, Alice” said one of them.

The other friend was looking over at Evoke and Gabriel who were talking about something.

“Hay Tara, you coming” both Kurrupt and Holly called.

Tara looked over “yeah!” she then ran over.

Evoke and Gabriel looked at each other, Evoke then said “I don’t like Alice’s friends”.

Gabriel smiled “I think it’s nice she’s got them” looking that the 3 girls vanishing up stairs, Gabriel smiled “it must been hard for her not to tell them what we really do” Evoke nodded.

Once upstairs she tolled her friends to go into her room, “I’ll be right back guys; I just got to ask Max something”.

She then ran down that hall to Max’s room she knocked on the door, she got no reply back he must be out she put her hand on the door handle and opened the door this is odd Max normally locks his door?.

She walked into Max’s room and turned the lights on, once she did she froze in the doorway, she then yelled in a tone that was full of shock “MAX!”

Max slowly opened his eyes to lights being turned on, then someone yelling his name, he sat up in the bed and looked over at the door to see Kurrupt, and the look on her face was a mix of horror and shock.

Max then felt the thing next to him move oh god! he cried to his mind.

Lupus who also had been woke up said to his host oh this should be fun, by the way your so fucked.

Max yelled at him but was to busy trying to think of something to tell Kurrupt what had happed, hell he didn’t know what had happed the last thing he remembered clearly was coming to tell Syth-Nix the bad news and then something had stopped him and now here he was.

Kurrupt then yelled again “I can’t fuck believe you, your sleeping with him”.

Syth-Nix choose that very moment wake and sit up, he too looked over at Kurrupt who still stood in the doorway, he then looked at Max who was a bit confused he also had a sad look on his face. “er…I better go, leave you two to talk” he then got out of the bed he was completely naked, seeing this made Kurrupt’s mood gone from shock and horror to pure hate, she then turned all her hate onto Max as she looked at him.

Syth-Nix put his cloths and left.

Max watched as Syth-Nix left, he looked at Kurrupt “I can tell a simple sorry will not do”.

“Fucking right” was the reply.

It was 2 minuets later when Syth-Nix came down stairs to see Evoke and Gabriel, Gabriel looked up at him.

Syth-Nix sat down on the same table; Gabriel then asked “Kurrupt’s friends woke you up then” he looked at her.

“Kind of” he said with a smile, he then looked at Evoke and asked “what’s up with Max, he’s been acting strange since we got back”.

Evoke looked at him “so he didn’t tell you he still loves Amber” he whispered then realized who he was talking to “ah shit, er… Nix”.

“What!” the blazing 4 eyed demon fixed him a hard look.

Evoke tried hard to looked away but couldn’t and the next thing he said made the orange/gold hair demon jump out of his chair and vanished back up stairs.

Gabriel looked at Evoke “you should have kept your mouth”

“I know”

Syth-Nix stood in the doorway of Max’s room again; Max was afraid that Kurrupt might get hurt so he had asked if she could go down stair and she did after seeing the look in Syth-Nix’s eyes.

Syth-Nix watched Max stand and walk over to his window and turn his back to him, the lynx demon stepped forward and yelled “why didn’t you tell me, why Max, why didn’t you bloody tell me you still loved someone”.

He stepped a bit closer with each yell, this whole time Max didn’t move or turned, then to Syth-Nix shock his friend started laughing, which made Syth-Nix more angrier “what’s so fucking funny”.

“You are” was the reply, Max turned to face him.

Syth-Nix’s eyes widen as he looked into those emotionless eyes and the heard Max speck “I’ve been using you all this time, I hate to be this blunt with you but I’ve had enough of being the nice natural little vampire in this” Max then started to walk towards Syth-Nix “I need to go talk to Council”.

Syth-Nix watched as Max walked right past him, he didn’t wanted to turned around and see Max go, he heard Max say “Yes Nix, I do still love Amber” and then he turned to said something but Max had gone.

It was mid-December and Christmas was getting closer, most of the gang were down stairs helping serve costumers and put the declarations up.

Max was serving a female lynx demon, her fur was a light yellow and she had a light green leather top and a dark green short skirt her eyes were ice blue, her appearance reminded Max of Syth-Nix he hadn’t seen the demon or Kurrupt around the club in weeks and he was started to get worried.

Max was pouring a glass for a costumer and the liquid was now spilling over the side of the glass, the blue eyed lynx demon turned from her boyfriend sand shrieked in a high voice “Hay man, your spilling my drink”.

Max shock his head and looked down and jerked his hand up to stop himself, then looked up at the lynx demon “ah sorry, my mind’s somewhere else”.

“Well pal, I’d get it back down here, so you can give me my bloody drink” she spat angrily.

“I’d watch what you say around this one my dear” both lynx demon’s turned to see a newcomer who was sat at the bar, Max looked at him and he released who it was, his eyes darken.

“Markus! What the hell are you doing here?” the lynx demon’s turned back to Max.

“What dose it look like I’m doing” Markus smiled “Max your club’s nice but I never could see the past you doing this kind of work” Markus watched as both lynx demon’s walked off.

After what seemed like hours Max finally turned to Markus and asked “what the fuck do you want” he half yelled.

Markus’s face changed and said in a low tone “You’ve seen Amber, haven’t you?” Markus picked up the drink that Max had poured a minuet ago and downed it.

Max looked at him and saw an odd look in his eyes, so he stopped what he was doing and looked at his old friend “Yes I have, what of it”.

Markus’s eyes half closed and bowed his head in sham then sighed deeply “I was ordered to betray our friendship all those years ago”.

Max’s eyes widened in shock and then anger took hold “you were what!” he said in an eerily calm tone.

Markus slowly looked up at Max and what he saw made him fall off the chair, clouding around Max’s body was a black aura; no other emotions could be sensed apart from a mix of angry and rage.

Max then continued to speak in that eerily calm tone “you were ordered by Emperor Lax to kill me, why” very slowly his appearance started to change, his fur started to darken but he was not changing into Lupus this was something else.

Fearcat who was on the other side of the room turned from talking to Vis, he dropped the drinks he was holding and started to run over to Max, he tackled the crazy psychic to the flour, to the shock of Markus who was unaware of what was about to happen.

“Max! Control your self” he called, but he wasn’t getting through to him.

Max then yelled “Get your hands of ME! Werecat”

Markus was still sat on the floor as he watched this, he then noticed the different in Max’s appearance my god the old you is still in their somewhere and all this time I thought your had changed and forgotten us he the broke out laughing which made Max and Fearcat stop and look at him.

“What’s so funny” Max growled, slipping back into his normal mood again.

Markus looked away again realizing that he nearly said something he didn’t what to, then after a short moment he stood up and looked at Max “Evelyn, read my mind you’ll see I haven’t been lying to you”.

“I could do that but No!” Max closed his eyes then he slowly opened his eyes and looked at Markus.

Max knew that today was going to be a very awkward, he sighed and he forced himself to calm down, he then sat on a stool near Markus, he then sighed even more deeply “so why did you come”.

Markus looked at him and he could tell Max didn’t want to be here and in a small way he felt the same, but Markus had come to try and heal old wounds “I came to talk and to try and fix our lost friendship” Max looked at him a bit surprised, Markus smiled as he knew Max was looking at him so he lifted his head up “what? I tried to talk to about a 100 years ago when you befriend that Aden guy”.

Right at that point May who was not far away herd that name and turned to the two talking vampires.

Max looked over at May and Markus turned around to see who Max was looking at.

Once he saw May the older vampire understood “I don’t believe it, that kids Aden’s son” May had been walking over to them; Max tried to stop May but didn’t work.

Max smiled at Markus in a friendly why and said “I would run”.

May returned to the stool he had gotten off and sat back down, he was alone for a short moment but then was joined by a figure, May looked at the shadow for a second but looked away “Nights like this are the worst” the shadow nodded and sat down next to him.

“Story of your life, May” spoke the stranger with a laugh.

May looked coldly at the figure “I know, gezz I don't need a shoulder to cry on, never fucking have”.

Neither spoke until May picked up his glass “it’s a terribly dramatic word, isn't it? Despair”.

The stranger watched May closely “May, I hate it when you get like this, all depress, please smile”

May looked up at the male figure, with a sad look on his face “but it’s dad’s fault for this curse” May’s voice raised louder in anger.

The figure moved closer to May and hugged him “shhh, little brother”.

“That kid’s so like his father” a voice said, Markus turned around from the column he was hiding behind and saw it was Max against the same column but with his back to him so he turned away and said “yeah he is”.

“So what kind of trouble is Amber in now” Max’s voice seemed far away as he said Amber’s name, Markus turned his head only to be surprised to have Max looking at him.

“Er…” Markus’s eyes turned away embraced.

Max smiled warmly “oh come on Marky, I don’t love you that way, it’ll be hard to forgive you but I can do it”.

Markus looked at back at Max and smiled then said “right now we need Amber back and well be set”.

Max shock his head “oh I would love to get Amber back but Markus you know that demon realm was sealed to stop us from returning”.

“Yeah true” his voice seemed broken he then slid down the column and sat on the flour.

Lupus up until now hadn’t said anything but he could stop himself you know I could help with that.

“Really you could” Max said loudly, Markus looked up at him oddly; Max realized Markus was looking at him “oh crap!”

“Is their something you haven’t told me about” spoke the black wolf.

Now you screwed Lupus laughed.

“No I’m not”

Markus was even more confused now; he stood up and grabbed Max by his shoulders a shouted “Max! I knew it you are hiding something”.

The door that led from the upper levels open and Gabriel walked out, Markus look back and forth from the two he then yelled “what’s going on, why do you have a double, were you cloned”.

Max pulled his self away from yelling at Lupus and looked at a very confused Markus and then watched Gabriel walk over to Fearcat, he looked back at his old master and friend, Max’s voice soften “she’s not my clone, she’s my twin sister”.

Max winced as Markus yelled at him.

“I have no trouble with my enemies but my goddamn friends, they’re what keep me from dying in peace” Markus shock his head then turned to Max.

Forsake not an old friend, for a new one dose not compare with him Lupus said smoothly.

Max smiled at what he said and watched Markus, “Markus your right I’ve kept something from you and Amber for too long”

“And that would be” Markus demanded

Max smiled and looked around then said “Not here we might scary the costumers” this got any even more odd look back, Max walked over to Fearcat and whispered something to him, the tall cat looked over at Markus then nodded.

Sometime later Markus was let into Max’s room, he looked around and spotted the Amega sword then he turned as he hard the door being locked.

“I don’t want anyone coming in” Max said as he took his jacket off and placed it on the bed then he stepped away from it and closed his eyes.

Markus took half a step forward before saying “what are you-”

He didn’t get time to finish as Max without warning fell to his knee's and grabbed his stomach in pain, Markus didn’t know what was going on and he backed away in panic as he noticed Max was now breathing harder.

Then suddenly bat like wings were ripping their way out of the underneath of his arms down to his wrists and grew longer and then his fur changed to a dark grey, once the changed had fully been completed Markus stood their with his mouth open.

Lupus opened his eyes gave a creepy smile and spoke “well we finely meet”.

Markus shock himself awake and looked at the powerful demon “so what or who are you”.

“My full name is Lupus Vespertilio, just call me Lupus” the tall demon picked up a towel and wiped the blood of himself, he then sat on the bed “I’m the second to last of my kind”.

Markus looked at him “what’s with you and Max, why do you share his soul”.

Lupus tilled his head to one side and smiled “well you do have a lot of questions, I’m sorry but I don’t wish to answer them, not even Max knows everything about me”.

“Oh?”

“But I will say this I share his soul to get my revenge for my kind”.

“Oh?”

“Yeah the race that killed mine are called the Flex” Lupus the winced as Max had said something.

Markus smiled “what did he say”

Lupus shock his head “oh nothing much”.

The crossfire jet touched down at the base of Mt. Tahat in Algeria, the group left the plane and looked around at the wasteland.

“So Max” Markus turned around and looked over at Max “where is it?” he held his arms open wide.

“Right here” Max added, he then raised his hands up and fired a blast at the cliff side in front of them, a large part of it fell away to revel a giant stone ring.

The group noticed that the ring wasn’t part of the mountain because it was a much darker colour to the surrounding area, and the writing on it also told them that it wasn’t from this planet.

Markus stood not far away from Max; he looked at the white wolf “so how are you going to open it, you know that only powerful demon Mages or demonic gods can open these”.

Max looked at him for a moment then turned away grinning, he then held up his sword and closed his eyes letting Lupus speck through his body “directus”.

The group backed away from the giant shaking stone circle, they were also all wildly looking around at the surrounding area, and the shock waves were strong knocking May to the ground.

It started with small rocks falling from above them, then lager and lager rocks until half the cliff collapsed on the group.

Minutes pasted by and a burst of power destroyed all the rocks that had collapsed on them, Max had been shielding them the whole time with his powers. The gateway wasn’t opening and Max was having a hard time keeping in control of so much energy from the unstable gate and also keeping his friend ok, so he slammed the Amega sword into the ground and then started to draw more power from it to balance the gate, it had been almost 20 minutes and finally the gate opened. A explosion of sliver light blew out, which soon changed into swirling red and black that flooded out the stone ring which left a dark void as the gateway, Max turned to the group a bit out of breathe and spoke “let’s go”.

Without a pause of hesitation Max and Markus walked through the gate back to the demon realm, the others followed one by one after looking at each.

Once on the other side an army of demons was there to welcome them, Gabriel, Fearcat, May and Evoke started to look around worried then they saw Max, Vis, Twhich and Markus walking calmly over to the horde of demons.

As he walked Max looked at Markus who was at his side “is this your idea of a welcome home party” Markus just smiled.

A dirty gold and black haired goat stepped forward, his voice was rough and low as he spoke in language the others found unknown to them.

Max narrowed his eyes at the goat; he noticed the confused looks from his friends and spoke with his telepathic abilities gezz please Mass talk normally got mortals here.

The goat looked at him oddly then saw the others and nodded, he then spoke in something close to being English “I never thought I’d see you guys again, and you broth mortals” Max and Markus watched as Vis and Twhich just waved their hands, Max looked back at Mass with a smile.

“Well you know us, Mass” Vis said picking up a sword and looked at it closely, which Fearcat and Gabriel found odd, because as far as they knew Vis was the nightclub’s DJ and the only thing they’d ever see him pick up was cd’s and computer parts.

Fearcat then asked “what we doing here” Max looked at him but didn’t speck to the werecat, he moved closer to continued “Max tell us what the bloody hell’s going on” he pointed at Vis “why is the nightclub’s DJ here and why are they demons here, oh where is here by the way?”.

Markus look at Max who’s head had dropped “my boy your in the demon realm, Max and I are going to save an old friend”.

Syth-Nix spat “don’t mean lover”.

Max’s eyes locked with his and then Max grabbed at Syth-Nix’s mind with his and torn at it he wanted so badly to torture the lynx demon, he closed his eyes.

Max don’t

why not, he dose aproved of Amber

that dosen’t matter Lupus fell Max calming good, don’t worry my friend if he hurts you I’ll deal with him

The other’s watched as Max opened his eyes and he looked away from Syth-Nix who seemed to have a sudden headache.

“General, you’ve returned” another voice called and Max turned sharply to the new face.

It was a young demon dog and a Captain, he stood with his men a few feet away, Max looked at him with a raised eye brow “sorry Captain but I don’t go by that tile anymore”.

The young Captain nodded “but sir I’ve…heard a lot about what you did in the Solar War and I was…” he was cut short as Mass stepped forward, who seemed to notice the very odd looks from the mortals.

“Captain you’re dismissed now”

“Yes sir”.

Evoke frowned and watched Max closely, the vampire’s face had changed so fast his eyes became dark; Max’s eyes held something Evoke couldn’t quiet place, he wasn’t sure that his old friend was going to telling him and some part of himself didn’t want to know.

Suddenly Max sighed then moved, he walked closer to Mass and then spoke “Mass, I’m no longer a member of the demonic council”.

Mass smiled “yeah I know” he then looked that other 3 “apparently you guys are wanted by the high Warlord Mages as criminals, it’s got something to do with you killing Emperor”.

“Oh that guy” Vis said he then looked over at Max

“Oh that twat Emperor Lax” Max smirk “so his Mages want a fight, that suit’s me fine”.

Mass nodded in return “also Max my rogues told me something about a spell that they had places on ‘Amber’ and it fading in a few hours” Max looked away as Mass was talking to him, the landscape around them was burning or chanted, in one word the world was dead.

Once this is all over Lupus I’m staying here he could feel Lupus move within his mind
I know Max, you should tell your friend about this soon

Vis looked at Max “Max, do you think the spell they cast is really fading now?”

Max looked at him slowly at first that sighed “I hope so, Vis” Max looked back at Mass “Mass, get a group of your best men to take us to the city”.

Mass nodded “sure, anything for you Max” a smile appeared on his lips.

The once shining silver city that was home to the demon populaces had long since been taken over by thousands of years of decay and war.

Max, Markus, Vis, Twhich and Syth-Nix looked around shocked.

“I don’t believe, look at our home city” Vis spoke aloud.

Twhich nodded as he walked past a shop he used to go into, he then stopped and remembered what happened the day he meet Max and Amber, he smiled at looked at his friends, who looked at him also with a smile.

Markus looked over at Vis and Twhich, then he saw Max was also remembering the past, he noticed something in the corner of his eye and turned his head, happy nothing was going to attack he spoke “we shouldn’t dwell in the past like this”.

Max looked at him and narrowed his eyes “your right nothing can bring those days back” he turned away from him and walked over to black Cathedral, with the others all following.

They walking into the large build, the group gazed up at the stained glass windows, you could just make out the light trying to pour in, May, Evoke and Dante were in awe at the site in front of them but Max and the other demons were not looking at the sites, they were focused on a figure at the top of the staircase.

“It can’t really be General Ankh” spoke the figure, who was now slowly walking down to them.

Max had his head down at the floor then he spoke “funny how things come full circle, Amber” Markus, Vis and Twhich stepped forward and stood next to Max ready to fight.

Markus then whispered to Max “remember that’s not our Amber”

“I know” Max growled

Just as they were getting close to their sandy friend, the four Warlord Mages appeared out of the two walls and stood in between them.

Mass’s small army attacked the Mages, Max and Markus drew their swords and slowly back up to each other, Max smiled over his shoulder at Markus “did you ever see us doing this again”.

“Not in my life, Max” Markus then looked at him without moving.

Max smiled and turned suddenly to block an attack, without looking at Markus “your right, what’s in the past should fucking stay there like these guys”.

One of the Mages stood next to Amber and placed his hand on his shoulder, his other had was placed on Amber’s face and slowly moved down his neck and stopped at his chest.

Max saw this and yelled with a force of power that the others never knew he had “GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!” rage filled his voice, he also started to move to the staircase, as he did he was summoning small amounts of the Amega life energy which gave him an aura of darkness, he was calling apron emotions that he had locked away centuries ago.

The glazed look in Amber’s eyes fade momentarily he saw Max and Markus behind him, an innocent like voice broke out “Max, Markus help”.

The Mage that was holding him looked down and kiss him on the cheek and the spell took hold again and the dark hatful gaze reappeared.

The Mages stepped closer to the large group “you know the truth” spoke a cold voice, the larger of Mages spoke next “for that you must all die, so we can recast the spell”

Both Max and Markus had rejoined the group and where stood next to Fearcat and May, their heads had dropped then slowly they look up at each other.

Max simply said “ready” Markus nodded, they broke apart from the group and ran forward, both barely missing stepping into the blasts of power that the Mages unleashed, the others noticed how fast both master vampire’s were.

Fearcat ducked as a blast flew over his head “jezz I’ve never seen Max like this before it’s like he’s gone wild”

“Max, I think you should take Fire and Ice, I’ll take Metal and Earth” Markus yell as he dodged another blast of moving earth.

“Don’t have all the fun Markus” Max heard a laugh from this friend.

Max looked at the two Mages he was going to fight, Ice was the one who was holding Amber, Fire’s long black hair hung in the air like living smoke, “well if it isn’t the almighty Ankh, come back for your lover” his voice sounded like he was choking.

Max smiled at his target they were the two most powerful of the 4 Mages, Fire and Ice that’s what everyone called them no one knew they turn names, Max sighed “well… enjoy this coz it’s not going to take me long”.

Ice’s face was blank with emotion, she looked up from when she was standing, when ever she spoke it was always a droid “my dear Lord Ankh, you refused our offer so we have to silence you” Ice shot at Max with a look that would have frozen the life force of any mortal, she looked at Amber that she was still holding, in the corner of her eye she could tell this was torture to the vampire, so she closed her eyes and lent in and kissed Amber again this time on the lips.

The room was suddenly filled with Max laughing; everyone who could stopped fighting and looked over at him, it wasn’t a happy laugh they were all used to hear from him, it was an eerie laugh, the type of sound that told his friends that something was very worry with him.

After hearing this Ice opened her eyes and glanced at Max “why are you laughing”.

Max stood sill he stopped laughing and without a word dropped his sword, he had his eyes closed up until that point, “I don’t need this to defeat you” Max’s eyes slowly opened.

Markus’s eyes widened, a smiled slowly took rooted it’s self on his own lips, he looked back at Metal and Earth.

Moments later there was an explosion of air and the sound of something like thunder, and then a violent shockwave rocketed out from the center of the action. Everyone slowly stopped fighting again and turned or looked back, only to see Max fall to his knees his gaze was locked with Amber who not moving or breathing.

Fire and Ice watched the two, Ice turned from them and called over to her brothers “we’ve failed” her brothers nodded.

Fire wasn’t watching them he was more interested in watching Max who had got to his feet, his legs were shaking so bad beneath him they threatened to knock him down once more but somehow he managed to make his way over to the figure on the ground and hold him lovely in his arms.

Max’s voice sounded innocent like a lost child “he’s…?” he rocked back and forth, Max bit his lip as he held Amber closer in his arms, rocking back and forth, his mind dizzy with everything that had just happened he looked up at Markus who was knelt near them, Max’s voice broke it still sounded like a young child “Markus bring him back!?”

It was Syth-Nix who spoke, his voice betrayed his jealously “he’s gone, Max, we need to get out”.

Ignoring the danger for the four Mages, Markus and all the others went over and knelt down beside they 2 fallen friends and Markus watched his two old friends Markus’s eyes closed sadly.

“That stupid fool if only he agreed to ruling at his side” Fire said loudly.

His eyes shot open and he saw a look of pain cross his old friend’s face “I can’t, I’m sorry Max” he closed his eyes again.

Max slowly looked back down at Amber, he closed his eyes and let his mind and soul fall into Amber’s lost one, Max’s whole body suddenly went limp.

Fire stepped forward and spoke “that worthless fool, he just finished the job for us”.

Markus looked up at this “Oh their not dead”

Earth and Ice turned around, Ice looked at him “what dose that mean Vampire”

Twhich nodded to this “you’re the worthless fool’s if you can’t see a healing spell being cast” the phoenix smiled “and if I’m right you 4 should not be around when he wakes up” he pointed to Max.

Dream
Golden eyes opened and Amber sat up looking around this misty void “where am I?” he turned and saw a figure walked towards him, clad in a black, he couldn’t see the person’s face, only the burning red eyes that peered into the depths of his heart.
“I truly understand now” the figure spoke
“who are you” Amber felt his body overcome by a seizure of trembling, and he recoiled as the figure drew closer, he cried out as he fell backwards and landed upon the stone floor, he began to scramble and crawl away from the obsidian figure “please help me someone”.
Those eyes fell on him again, they burned with the intensity of the sun, blinding him and blocking out all other light.
The figure slowly reached out a hand for him, the figure spoke again this time with a more soft tone “I can’t believe I didn’t notice what was going on,” the figure whispered.
Amber slowly looked up at the black figure; the darkness around him was fading, Amber suddenly realized who this figure was and moved forward and grabbed his arm “I want you to stay; I'm begging you please, Max, don’t leave me”.
Max had now returned to his normal self, his cloths had faded away, Max moved his arms around Amber and held him, Max spoke in a low voice “You’ve been drowning for years; you’ve been struggling for so long, so trapped” Amber couldn’t see his lover’s face but he listened to what he said “And I’ve been too busy acting like an idiot over the mortals to see the pain you’re been in, but no longer once this is over I’m staying with you.”
Amber pulled back so he could see Max and smiled.
End of Dream

Amber’s eyes shot open only to close again because of a furious wind, he realized that someone was now protection him from the wind, he turned his head weakly and so he could see who it was, his voice felt dry but he called out “Markus!”

The dark wolf turned around and saw Amber’s eyes wide open, smiling he went over to him “hay Amber, nice for you to join the living again”

Amber was confused now as he looked around the large group “who are the mortals Markus? Don’t tell me you brought them here”.

Markus looked at him more confused and looked over at Mass “he doesn’t remember”

Amber looked at them and said a bit mad “what are you talking about; I remember your love for killing mortals”

Markus placed his right hand on Amber’s shoulder “lot of time has past since those day my friend you’ve been controlled by the four Mages, I hate to tell you this” he looked away “he should be telling you all this but Max...”

Amber’s eyes widened more “Max is what, what’s happened to him Markus”

Markus walked to the door of the build they were all hiding in, Amber followed Markus opened the door a bit so he could look out “I’m sorry Amber”

Flashback

Something within Max clicked at that point he slowly stood with his back to everyone.

Fire was the only one who seemed to notice something very off about him “er…brothers” the fire mage called but they didn’t hear his call.

Max slowly turned his face to Fire, then held out his right hand palm open and without warning fired a blast of pure psychic energy that send shockwaves all around the building.

After the shacking had stopped the other 3 mages looked any signs of Fire, the only thing they found was a chard body, fear took hold and everyone looked over at Max.

Gabriel was stood with the others; she took a step forward “brother!” she called in a shocked tone.

A firm hand on her shoulder pulled her to a halt “wait a moment…something’s not right” Fearcat’s voice was tense, and low, causing them all to glance over at their friend.

A blood soaked aura that had been growing around Max since he had first starting fighting in the black Cathedral was now visible, Max turned to face the mages.

The moment he turned everyone saw the snarling expression totally blank of recognition. Max’s eyes had gone completely black, the tattoo and scar’s on this left eye and chest started throbbing with power, threw his cloths with an eerie purple light with every heartbeat.

“Ma…Max” Gabriel put her hands to her mouth “No! no mortal should control that power” her eyes widen, she slowly turned to Markus “What’s wrong with him? Why’s he summoned the Amega life energy”.

Markus let out a deep sigh “it’s the side of him that he had forced deep inside of himself”.

May yelled “what the fuck do you mean”.

Markus looked at the him “I understand now why Max kept this from you all” he took his eyes away from Max and looked at them “when I drank form him and turned him into a vampire, I sensed something powerful within him and it wasn’t that Lupus demon” he looked back at the unstable Max “it was something a lot more powerful and far more ancient”.

flashback ends