"Yeah," Vane said, smiling evilly. "Lights just make us attack more."
Good, they had at least one surprise in their corner.
Now if he could just get his hands on Camulus.
"So, what's the plan, girls?" Fang asked.
"For none of us to get killed," Acheron said.
Vane led them out of the loft, downstairs to Talon's car. Talon saw the two black and gray Ninja motorcycles that must belong to the Katagaria. Since the were-animals had to move quickly to avoid their enemies, they tended to prefer racing bikes to running or walking, which depleted the strength they needed for fighting.
Talon checked his watch. It was twenty minutes to rendezvous. Part of him wished Ash would just poof them over to the warehouse, but he knew better than to ask.
Ash was capricious with that one power and got rather testy when asked to use it.
Talon got into the Viper while the other three started their bikes. He pulled out of the alley first, with the guys right behind him, and headed for Commerce Street.
They reached the Warehouse District a few minutes later.
The streets were bustling with activity, both tourist and local. This popular area was New Orleans' premier art district and was often referred to as the SoHo of the South.
It didn't take long for Talon to find the old abandoned warehouse that had been a popular art gallery during the 1980s. It had closed down in the early 1990s and been vacant ever since. The large-paned windows were dark, some partially boarded up and broken. The once red doors were now cracked and peeling, and held together by a thick chain and padlock.
There wasn't a single sound coming from inside as the men left their vehicles and gathered into a group.
"Uh, guys," Fang said slowly as he removed his helmet, "you do realize this is most likely a trap?"
"No, you think so?" Talon asked sarcastically.
Fang rolled his eyes.
Talon summoned his powers, letting them surge and feeling just how fragmented they were. This wasn't good.
He didn't know what was waiting inside that building, but he would fight his way through hell itself to keep Sunshine safe. Powers or no powers.
They headed for the building with Ash pulling up the rear.
"Ooo," Fang said as Talon worked the padlock. "Breaking and entering. Brings back fond memories, eh, Vane?"
"Shut up, Scooby," Vane said, using the derogatory wolf Katagaria term for a brainless, cowardly pup. "And watch your back."
Talon snapped open the lock and opened the door. It creaked loudly as the door fell off its hinges.
Talon cursed, then irritably shoved the door aside.
Entering the building one by one, they fanned out, and then paused inside the dark, empty room that was covered with at least a decade's worth of dust, spiderwebs, and grime.
Every so often, a car would go by outside, the headlights illuminating some of the dilapidated interior.
The place was totally silent except for a strange, rhythmic thumping coming from upstairs and the sound of rodents scurrying around the floor.
"Ewwww-eee-wwww," Fang sang in a voice reminiscent of some B-movie soundtrack. "Hey Ash, you vant to suck my blud?"
Ash gave him a droll, blank stare. "No, thanks. The last thing I want is to catch parvo from you, or some other freaky dog disease that makes me lift my leg around hydrants."
Vane smacked his brother on the back of the head. "Next time I'm leaving you home."
"Hey, that hurt," Fang said, rubbing his head.
"Yes, but not as much as this will." The disembodied voice came out of nowhere.
Talon heard something whirling through the air. He moved his head sharply to the left to avoid its trajectory and caught it as it started past his shoulder.
Arching a brow at the huge medieval throwing ax he held, he passed it over to Vane.
Vane curled his lip. The Katagari looked less than amused. "Hey dickhead, you should know something." Vane tested the edge of the blade with his thumb. "You attack my brother, you really piss me off."
Vane tossed the ax back at the one who'd thrown it.
Talon heard a groan an instant before searchlights pierced the darkness.
Talon and Ash hissed in pain, ducked low, and shielded their eyes.
In the next second, something crackled and the lights went out.
Ash tossed a lightning bolt into a corner where it must have hit its mark, since Talon heard someone shriek. The odor of burning flesh wafted through the room.
Then, Daimons came out of the darkness, attacking. Talon caught the first one to reach him, and flipped him to the floor. He toed the release for the blade in his boot, but before he could use it to kill the Daimon, another one caught him about the waist and shoved him back.
"Hot damn, Daimon food," Fang said with a laugh. "Hey Vane, you want the white meat or dark?"
Vane caught one of the Daimons in the chest with a knife, right in the heart. The Daimon disintegrated. He laughed at his brother who was slugging it out with another Daimon. "How about I grab one leg, you grab the other and we make a wish and pull?"
Talon rolled his eyes at them, then he spun around and used the toe of his boot to finish off the Daimon who had grabbed him.
He went after the first Daimon, who was making his way toward Fang's back. Talon caught him just before he reached the Katagari.
The Daimon turned on him with a hiss, and tried to stab him. Talon turned his wrist under and snapped the knife out of his hand.
"Bad move, inkblot," Talon said, slugging the vampire.
The demon staggered back. Talon used the knife to finish him off. The Daimon disintegrated as the stolen souls ran free of his body and drifted up toward the ceiling.
Something out of the corner of his eye caught Talon's attention. He turned his head to see Ash being mobbed by a group of Daimons.
Ash was fighting them off with his staff, but there were so many of them attacking that it was like trying to brush ants off while standing in the middle of an anthill.
Talon went to help.
Where had all the Daimons come from?
They usually congregated in New Orleans this time of year, but damn... it looked like half their world population was here in this room.
Working together, Talon, the Katagaria, and Ash finished them off.
"Thanks," Ash said as the last one disintegrated.
Talon nodded and folded up his srad into a single dagger, then returned it to his boot.
"Well," Fang said, mimicking a thick Southern drawl. "I have to say it's mighty nice of them Daimons to clean up after themselves when you kill them. It's much better than slaying an Arcadian." He held his hands up to them. "Look, Ma, no mess."
"Does Fang, have an off switch?" Talon asked Vane.
Looking a bit apologetic, Vane shook his head no.