Sweet

Ling taught her everything he knew about fighting. She killed her first vampire when she was twelve. She didn't shed a single tear over it. If anything it made her resolve stronger, her urge to destroy them so tangible she could almost touch it. Her hate, her disgust of them hardened her. She was strong almost invincible to them.
Her children kept her going. When she was tired, ready to give up, she thought of them and she continued her quest. If she died protecting their freedom, their right to live it would only be fitting. Her end mirroring her beginning.
Finding Adrian and Hannah had cracked her hard icy exterior. A four year old and a two year old. They were part of a pack of orphaned children she had found. Starved and alone, she had taken them all under her wing.
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It was dark, too dark for her liking; and quiet that was evidence enough she was close. She didn't particularly like fighting, but it was worth it. Each time she took one down, it furthered her cause.
She thought back over her life, a constant struggle, a fight for her very survival. Left orphaned and siblingless at five by the very things she now hunted. Her fated seemed sealed since the her very beginning.
Found days after her parents death, she was raised by the most unlikely pair. A small Chinese man and a formidable giant of a man at 6'8 and as gentle as a kitten, they became her parents.
They also became her weakness, which could have none of. One to many close calls drove them to hunt separately. She became the champion while they protected her children; little Ling and big Sven. She had become tough from necessity but there was one thing she feared more than anything else. One day her city would be found and all killed.
Freedom was what one and all called it. A home a protected place for those few survivors.
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A little girl came out from behind a wrecked car. She was staring down at the toes, her face hidden from view. She was the bait. She wanted to curse, she hated killing kids, but there wasn't any other choice. Still, killing kids didn't sit right with her. She pointed her gun at her and told her to stop where she was.
"Can you help me find my mommy, I'm lost",she whimpered, but it didn't fool her. She looked up at Sweet a tear running down her face and her lip quivering. This one was good, just not good enough. She could sense something was off. She knew she was in an ambush, she just didn't know yet what their game was.
The little girl decided then to make her move, she bared her teeth and lunged for Sweet. She received a bullet in the heart. A silver bullet hollowed out and containing a mixture of garlic and holy water her best weapon against them. What a damn shame, children were their weapon of choice.
Her feeling had been right, there was another behind her slowly creeping up for an attack. She ducked and spun around to throw a stake at him, it hit its mark in the heart.
She killed two more before she was satisfied enough to continue on. Small fires burned here and there giving much needed light. Cars were wrecked everywhere into trees, buildings, poles, each other. There was not much to this small town, a couple of main roads and a few buildings. No one was about, which didn't surprise her, they usually wiped out small towns like this in a matter of days.
A slight noise in the shadows let here know they were there watching, probably waiting for the best course of attack.
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She pointed her gun at him,"Move into the light." he ignored her. She cocked her .45 and leveled it at him again, shouting,"I mean business. Move your ass into the light now!"
He scowled at her, but he listened. He took his time getting into the light, scowling the whole while. She took off the cross she wore around her neck and threw it to him. He caught it before it hit him in the face.
"Pull your sleeve up and put it to your skin."he didn't move to do her bidding. This guy was a piece of work.
"I don't have all damn night!" she yelled.
"This is unnecessary, your wasting your time." he growled at her as angrily pushed up his sleeve and put the cross to his skin, then pulling it away to reveal no burn.
"Ohh Save it! I can never be to careful. Who the hell are you anyway?"
"Ryan Elliston, who are you and what are you doing here alone." he asked her tugging his sleeve back down.
She replaced the hammer and holstered her gun.
""What does it look like." she snapped back,"I take it your new to the game?" she asked while looking out the window for movement.
"This ain't no game, honey" he said sarcastically,"Don't you have more sense then to try and play action hero on your own."
"Don't pull that little poor defenseless girl all alone crap with me. I been hunting vampires since I was twelve."
"Where the hell were your parents?" his scowl deepened, he threw her cross back to her.
"Dead, since I was five. Why else would I be hunting vampires at twelve." she responded, slipping the chain over her head and letting it drop between her breasts.
"If you don't mind I gotta job to do." she told him heading for the door.
"You didn't tell me who you are." he yelled at her.
She laughed,"Don't see how it's your business asking, but done worry I have a feeling we'll be see each other again real soon." she replied not as she went out the door.
He didn't follow her, but then she really hadn't expected him too. The first light of morning received a curse from her. She had told Sven she would be back by mid-day. She would have to leave now to get back to Freedom in time. She'd continue on but Sven and Ling would worry, and come looking for her.
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She was spoiling for a fight until she realized that she recognized the delectable specimen of man with his back to her. She'd recognize the tall, muscled frame Ryan called a body any day. She had thought of him constantly since their first encounter, unwillingly, she tried to convince herself.
"Well, well, well what did I tell you." the seriousness of the situation was far outweighed by the humor in it all. She tried to stifle her laughter, Ryan hogtied and gagged, she couldn't. He did what she thought he would, he scowled.
"I expected to see you soon but this isn't exactly what I expected" she told him as she cut the rope. She expected an angry word or two when she removed the gag and he didn't disappoint.
"You can stop your damn gloating anytime now." he growled.
"And why did they tie you up instead of taking you out while they had the chance?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
"How the hell should I know all I heard was something about using me to find other hunters." he snapped back.
He stood up angrily dusting himself off, she couldn't resist one final laugh. She pulled her .357 from her holster and handed it to him.
"You do know how to use that don't you?" she asked deliberately insulting him.
"Ohh I know how to use this among other things." giving her a knowing look, she blushed like a school girl.
" I uhh, got a car out back I can give you a ride to wherever it is you need to go." she told him

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Sweet like everyone in Freedom, lived in the old two-story school. It was really the perfect choice. Classrooms were converted into bedrooms, eight boys or girls to a room. The cafeteria still served as a cafeteria, after all they had many to feed. Each morning the older children would wake at seven to get ready for school. The younger children woke later for math and reading. The boys and girls bathrooms had a row of six showers with four bathrooms; two boys and two girls, the children showered in shifts. They would then eat breakfast in the cafeteria and go to there classes.
The eight to eleven year olds were taught reading basic math, writing and history most of the day. In the afternoons after lunch they learned about vampires. The older children learned self defense, fighting and tracking. Ling would teach them his people's ancient way of fighting. Sven taught them to use other things; knives, stakes, guns.
Sweet was proud of her children, they were the future, the army that would one day battle the vampires. No matter what happened, they would be trained, able to fight back and make a difference. It was late when she returned to Freedom, she was glad to be home. She stopped at the gates and signaled the guard. He yelled down a greeting to her and opened the gates. She couldn't wait to climb into her bed, she was exhausted. Most of the lights were out and the children sleeping. There were few adults here, only fifty including herself. Twelve men guarded the city. They were divided into two groups of six, alternating nights.
When she reached her bedroom door she wasn't surprised to see two small children huddled together sleeping in front of it. She smiled down at her babies. How she had missed them. They were her children in every sense but one, she hadn't birthed them. It didn't matter to her or them, she was their momma. She stroked he littles boys face to wake him.
"Adrian, come on wake up." she whispered, his eyes flew open and he threw his little arms around her. She hugged him back and kissed his forehead.
"Momma I missed you so much. Hannah did too. Uncle Ling said you were coming home and I couldn't wait. Hannah neither. We wanted to wait for you but we fell asleep." he told her excitedly.
She kissed him again and picked up Hannah. She took them into her room and put Hannah to bed.
"You know what Addy? I missed you two. I missed both of you so much. Now you go get in bed while Momma puts some pajamas on." she told him as she pulled the covers over Hannah. After she changed she climbed into the bed and pulled little Hannah into her arms so Adrian could scoot closer to her.
At four Adrain was a very affectionate child, always wanting to be close to her. Hannah was his baby sister at only two she was a pure joy. She had grown to love them so much, so hated leaving them for such long times. They were so young.
She woke up with Hannah and Adrian staring down at her,"Uncle Ling and Uncle Ven said you needed to get up." Adrian whispered,"But I'll tell them your still asleep okay momma."
She gave him a smile and sat up,"Addy you go tell Uncle Ven that your momma needs her sleep okay." He nodded and bounced off the bed at a run.
Hannah laid down and curled up next to her. She laid her head on Sweets shoulder, her way of saying play with my hair. Sweet ran her fingers through her black curly tresses and thought of Ryan.
He was a very attractive man, she'd give him that.
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Adrian came running back into her run and jumped on the bed,"Uncle Ven said its very importnant, he said come quick." he scurried off the bed and ran out the door and down the corridor.
Something was going on, and she didn't think it was good. She got out of bed and dressed behind the screen.
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It was real nice. The type that melted your bones, nice. She broke it off while she was still able. She was all to aware of his hands lingering on her breasts. She didn't have the time or feelings for this. She had to keep herself in check, involvement with him would complicate the hell out of things.
"Don't ever do that again." she snapped at him, pushing his hands away. She didn't mean it but he needed to think she did.
His scowl returned,"Then put some damn clothes on!" he bellowed at her.
Now she was mad who did he think he was,"I'll wear whatever I see fit to wear!" she shouted back, and added,"There's nothin' wrong with what I got on."
He quirked one eyebrow,"No there isn't as long as you'd like to see it tossed in a pile with mine in the floor."
Her mouth dropped open and she balled her hands into fists. He grinned she looked ready to do murder.
"That won't ever happen, cause your never touchin' me again." she snapped, her hands on her hips.
She brought his scowl back, she made it sound like he forced himself on her or something.
"You didn't seem to mind to much a minute ago. In fact I distinctly remember your tongue bein' in my mouth." She couldn't think of anything to say to that, because it was completely true.
"Ohhhh! Just leave me alone." she growled before stomping out of the room.
She wasn't fooling him, she had enjoyed it just as much as he had. Those sexy little whimpers were proof enough. He laughed to himself, she was a fiery haired she-devil for sure. And he was going to enjoy chasing her, he wouldn't have it any other way.
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He suppressed a bellow when he saw her. She only saw his scowl.
"I'm supposed to be upset with you remember. Why are you scowling at me?" her voice was weak and shaky, which was exactly how she felt. He tried to tell himself that she was alive and that was all that mattered, but it didn't work.
Both of her wrists were cut. His mood darkened when he saw the puddles of her blood beneath her. He couldn't go to her for fear his legs wouldn't carry him. He tried to stop his shaking but the couldn't. He was going to kill Slash!
"Ryan!" she tried to yell his name but it was a feeble attempt in her condition. The fear in her voice brought him to her side. Her face was so swollen and bloodied he could hardly recognize her. He couldn't wait to get his hands on that bastard.
He cut the cord holding her to the chair and lifted her up. He swore when she couldn't hold onto him or even lift up her head.
"Ryan take me home I can hardly keep my eyes........." she didn't finish.
He laid her down on the floor,"Sweet! Come on sweet, open your eyes." his heart stopped he screamed louder,"Sweet come on baby open your eyes!" her eyes opened ever so slightly.
"I knew you would come for me." he kissed her forehead and laughed nervously. He had to get her out of there.
"Doc, come quick. I found Sweet." he yelled as loud as he could.
A tall man came running. He tossed his gun down when he saw Sweet and kneeled next to her.
"Oh Shit! We've got to get here up there on that table, so I can look her over."
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"With your severed head, I will end this." she gave him no chance to speak. With a swing of the ax a thud and some blood, it was over. It seemed almost unreal to her, after all that had happened and that was all it took. A sense of peace,of hope came over her. Her children would really win, leaderless they could wiped away;her army of children and Ryan's army. All would be well again, a peace she had never seen before, hope.
She was drained he could tell. He picked her up and carried her to her room. She put up a fuss at his treatment but he knew better. She could save face in front of them but he wasn't having any of it.
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She was tired, beyond tired, she was exhausted. She just wanted to curl up with her babies and sleep. She secretly wanted Ryan with her too, but she didn't want to think of him just then. The tears were coming to her eyes, he had said nothing of staying. Nothing of their future, she didn't disillusion herself. He had an army to lead, he had to leave.