Bat Country

"I will not force Alexis to do anything she does not want to do. If she wants to wait it out with Matthew, as our type is prone to do, then I will let her. But I will not let you return with her Brian. Maybe for a few more weeks, but no longer than a month. After that time is up...I am at the very least removing you. Is that what you came here seeking from me?" Nikki had let Alexis go and she was now clinging to Brian.

Alexis looked up at Brian and opened her mouth to speak all the things that had been running through her mind. She wanted to tell Brian and Nikki about how Matt's overwhelming urge to destroy her when she managed to overpower him, but she decided better of it. "This might be our only shot."

"Remember what I told you about being Rogue." Brian whispered kissing her forehead.

"If there were 3 or 4 of us, we'd be a nest." Andy said matter-of-factly.

"And if we made a nest, of course we'd find a place to live. It'd be nowhere near as grand as what Matt has. He got the same grandiose sense of design from Thor. Tacky, overwhelming." Nikki added.

Alexis shot up unexpectedly, covering her mouth with her hands. "We forgot about Isabel."

"Your creation?" Nikki asked Brian, whose eyebrows were raised in complete shock he had forgot Isabel.

"Yes..." Brian stammered.

"No worries. When the time comes, I'll send Andy to give you the date of when I will extract you. Send your creation out first, as Matthew will most likely not be concerned with what she's up to. Once she's out and somewhere safe, we will extract you." Nikki smiled.

Alexis looked at Nikki in complete amazement of his generosity and kindness. Before she had even realized she made the decision to do so, she was hugging Nikki.

He laughed and hugged her back. "What's this for?"

"Your kindness." She said, her voice muffled by the jacket he was wearing. He sighed and had a lot of sympathy for an Original who was nearly in tears over basic kindness.

"You are more than welcome, and it would be a pleasure to create a nest with you two. Brian and I go back more than half his lifetime, and you, Alexis, are one of the most rare gems anyone could add to a collection. I only have one more favor to ask, and I'll let you both go home to prepare."

Alexis kneeled down. "What is it?"

"I would like to switch a very small amount of blood. That way we can know where each other is, and I can sense if you're in danger. I can't do it to Brian since he's not of the same type, but I can do it with you. Would you let me?"

Alexis nodded.

"Amazing. Prick your finger on one of your fangs enough to make it bleed, but not much. Okay?" Nikki said with an encouraging voice.

Holding out a finger, Alexis seemed to study it for awhile before she opened her mouth and pressed it against one of her fangs. Wriggling the finger a little she felt the puncture and then the acidic taste of vampire blood.

Nikki quickly did the same and took Alexis's hand in his. "You won't feel much. But when the time comes, you'll know what to do and where to go." Smiling at her, he pushed his bleeding finger to hers and held it tight for a long time.

When he finally pulled away Alexis looked up at him. "Did it work?" She asked.

"Absolutely did." He glanced at her once more. "Try to stay fed. I need you strong. Act normal. If Matt scent locks you, pretend to do it in return. Give him no reason to suspect anything is different. He'll have some clue from the dwindling pull of your blood bond, so you have to make him think he's just feeling off." Nikki sighed and looked up at Brian then back down at Alexis. "If he gets too close to figuring it out, and you've by some miracle managed to keep him off the trail until we remove you...mate with him. You'll feel sick during the act, but it's imperative to keep him from suspecting too much."

Alexis looked back at Brian. His face held an expression of pain but she knew he would not stop her if that's what she had to do to get everyone out alive. The one question she had was could she push everything Matt had done to the side in order to consummate the act. Could she forget, even for a short while, how bad he had made her hurt? The torn flesh and pouring blood? She would have to figure that out if the time came.

Standing up, Alexis looked away from Nikki. "Thank you." She whispered then held out her hand for Brian. A moment's hesitation led Brian to glance back at Nikki and Andy. He wasn't entirely sure that this was a wise idea. He had never second guessed himself when preparing to leave Matt, always deciding on a date and dutifully leaving as soon as possible. But now, he had more to lose than he had before.

Brian was also disappointed at how smug he was feeling over taking Alexis from Matt. Matt had created her as a tease and it backfired. Served him right, Brian kept thinking. But even with that mindset, Brian felt like a traitor.

Sighing he took Alexis's hand and the two of them left.