Bat Country

Brian groaned in the background, Alexis, wide-eyed sat motionless as blood dripped from her body.

"Alexis..." Nikki warned. "Control yourself and control yourself now."

Alexis didn't seem to hear him and eventually her palms curled into fists and her mouth, which had hung open, now formed into a tight line.

"Oh, you really fucked this one up." Nikki told Matt who sat just as stunned.

With a roar, Alexis had turned and tackled Matt to the ground.

"Alexis!" Matt yelled at her, as he furiously worked to push her off of him. Sadly, Alexis did not let him sway her this time. Her strength allowed her to firmly pin Matt to the ground, and her snarling teeth and face dripping with blood actually instilled some fear in him, but he did not let her see it.

Her jaws snapped, and she growled angrily, saliva making her look a lot like the werewolves did, but Matt knew that she was stronger, faster, and more capable than any wolf, and what was more, was that where her eyes would be pale yellow, they were nearly white.

"Nikki, you really should stop her." Andy said, finishing his hole in the ground and laying Brian, who was now crying softly, inside of it.

"Yes, I really should. But somehow, letting these idiots face the consequences of their actions seems fun as well." Nikki said, before turning to Thor. "This is exactly what you wanted, is it not? To see her become destructive and reach her full potential?"

The look on Thor's face was vacant, and confused. How could this have gotten so out of hand?

"Nikki, we don't have time for this!" Andy yelled, covering Brian up with dirt. "Get them out of here so we can guard Brian during the day!"

Nikki watched, clearly amused. "The problem with that is females are stronger."

"Nikki you're four thousand god damned years old. She is like 3 months old, if that. You can stop her, and you must! She may kill them another time!" Andy had actually stopped what he was doing to discuss this with Nikki, and he was not pleased.

"Alexis." Brian croaked, doing his best to climb out of his shallow grave. He was covered in bruises and bite marks. He had lost fingers, toes, and he had been heavily silvered. He was covered in deep cuts and gouges.

Nikki ran a finger over his lips, deciding what to do. "James, what would you do?"

"I'd let her destroy 'em. But I'm with Andy, there isn't time now or we lose Brian, or Alexis, and everything we've done becomes pointless."

The fight was getting out of hand, and Nikki quickly tossed Thor aside when he made a move to release the others, who were quickly tiring, from their silver chains.

"Alexis, PLEASE!" Brian called to her. He was panting, and his eyes were heavy. He struggled to breathe enough to speak but continued to try.

Alexis's head snapped back and she looked at Brian, but it did not help. Instead, she saw him as broken too and she feared he would go as Isabel did. It only encouraged her to keep going, and she released a deep snarl as her head turned back to Matt. She only had to bite him once for Nikki to finally step in, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her back.

"Enough, Alexis. It's enough." He tried to calm her. When her wild, angry eyes came to his he smiled. "For today. There will be many other days, and you can torture all of them every single day of your existence, if you like. But for now, you will find better comfort with Brian. He needs you. Go to ground with him."

Matt stood up and jumped back. "I'm sure she's found much comfort going to ground with Brian."

Nikki and Andy both stopped to look at Matt.

"Shall I let her go?" Nikki asked.

"Fool, keep your mouth shut. This has backfired and you know she will continue to come after us. They are right. We have to go. We have to think of some strategy." Thor told Matt.

"Indeed you do." Andy said. "Now if you don't get the FUCK out of our sight, it won't be Alexis you have to worry about."

Matt shot one last look to Alexis, his face contorted in disgust, as her energy now focused on getting out of Nikki's arms, and into Brian's.

"Go. All of you." Nikki said, his grasp strong on Alexis, although she was giving him a good enough run for his money. "Take your pets with you." Nikki smiled and nodded to the tied up vampires.

Using his shirt to protect his hands, Matt snapped the thin silver chain that bound Zack, Johnny and Miranda, before begrudgingly heading back. Thor lingered for a moment, his eyes unsure that Nikki, Andy, or Alexis would not follow him.

"GET OUT!" Alexis bellowed at Thor, her entire body shaking with anger.

Thor's eyes checked for something in Nikki's face before Nikki looked nonplussed.

"You heard the woman. Get away from here before I change my mind on restraining her."

Finally, Thor left to join the others.

When Nikki felt it was safe, he released Alexis into Brian's waiting arms and she embraced him sadly. She kissed his face, her arms wrapped delicately around his neck.

"Come on." She told Brian, leading him back into the hole he crawled out of. She held him tightly, and laid next to him before closing her eyes. "Now bury us." She told Nikki and Andy, who both shrugged at each other and began to cover them both with earth.

"I'm sorry, Brian." Alexis whispered. Brian could not speak back, but the stroke of a thumb across her arm let her know he knew she needed comfort as well.

It was a long time before Alexis could block everything else out and let herself shut down. She wondered if Brian would make it, but he hadn't exploded, which was so far a great sign, but she worried what would happen if she let herself go to sleep and he died then. She didn't want to not be able to say goodbye to him if he was going to die, but he was at least in better shape than Isabel had been. He was in the ground now, Alexis thought. Nikki and Andy were keeping guard. She could ask for advice then, and hopefully Brian would not be in such bad shape.

Everything was out of her control, and she began to feel as if her very existence was a curse upon those she bonded with, as nothing good ever came to the ones she found herself loving.

Shit, she thought. Matt was right. She was starting to become more like Brian than she thought.

But tomorrow night would be there soon enough, and she would figure her life out then. For now she was glad she had found Brian, in a small underground nest that had been built below the lake. The hatch had been covered with sand, and so well hidden that it was not immediately visible, even with her strong vision. The water of the lake washed away scents and made it even more secret than it already was. It had been Thor's own nest and it had not been empty. But yes, Alexis was glad that she had found Brian, and for now he was alive.