Characters:
Lobelia: Supreme Vampire
Leni: Supreme Werewolf
Coquelicot: a cub in Leni's pack
Maria: Alpha female of Leni's pack
Kanna: new wolf
Sumire: wolf in the pack
Glycine: Lobelia's second
Ichirou: Lobelia's human servant
Erica: a human servant
Orihime: a sultry Italian vampire
Hanabi: a vampire
Sakura: a werewolf
Iris: a werewolf cub
Kouran: a werewolf

Chapter 4

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(Glycine)
Glycine knocked on Orihime's door. She didn't particularly get along with the girl, but as they were being forced together, there wasn't much she could do about it. Just thinking of Ichirou betraying them made her mad. She'd work with whomever she had to.

(Orihime)
The door opened to reveal a particularly sultry Italian vampire. Her green eyes narrowed slightly and one delicate eyebrow lifted upon seeing Glycine. "What brings you to my chambers, Glycine?"

(Glycine)
Glycine went into her little 'pose'. After all, she was a better and stronger vampire than this Italian creature. And while Orihime came from a rather well-to-do family in Italy, she, Glycine, was born into nobility. When her father died, she would become a duchess, a proud Bleumer, descended from Vikings!
"I have been sent by Lobelia. It seems we have to work together."
Glycine went on to explain Lobelia's plan.
"Do you think you can manage?"

(Orihime)
The raven-haired vampire gave the blonde a haughty look. "Manage? I would have already succeeded if Lobelia had sent me in the first place rather than that Japanese manservant!" She tossed her hair. "Do not worry about my end of things, Glycine. Just concentrate on not getting _yourself_ taken hostage."

(Glycine)
Glycine tried to hide the distaste for this creature that she felt.
"Moi? I will not be taken hostage. And they will be expecting you, remember? Ichirou knows much of your existence. We are to lay in wait until an unprotected cub is out, snatch and run. You are not to seduce or otherwise. We steal a cub. That's it."

(Orihime)
"Do not tell me how to do my job," Orihime snapped. "We will steal a cub, yes, but it might take some distraction to get any adults out of the immediate area. We shall see. Now let us go and do this before Lobelia loses what's left of her patience."

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(Ichirou)
Ichirou awoke, tangled in sheets and limbs.
He had officially been a wolf for 6 days now, and was loving it. He had no idea why he had ever wanted to be a vampire. And he wondered what Lobelia had done to him to make him want her so badly. It made him feel a bit slimy to remember the plan that they had had about destroying the werewolves. He was happy that he had 'seen the light' though.
And even happier with the beautiful creature that was lying next to him.... and on him, and around him, and under him...
He gave Maria's bare bottom a light swat. "Maria? Wakey wakey, my lovely."

(Maria)
"Yip!" Maria piped up, even though she was in human form. She snuggled against Ichirou and licked his cheek. "Good morning, my love," she murmured. Her time with Ichirou had been the best of her life, and it had been beneficial for the whole pack. Ichirou was a strong wolf - he was the only one who could tussle with Kanna and not only come out of it standing, but occasionally the winner. She was so proud to be his mate.

(Ichirou)
"You're gorgeous in the morning," he told her, nipping at her nose playfully. He turned serious a moment later.
"I have something to tell you, love. Something you may be a touch upset about. I lied to you, and Leni and everyone else. I was sent by Lobelia to infiltrate and destroy this pack from within. I'm not happy about it, and I'm definitely not proud."

(Maria)
"We already know," Maria admitted, nuzzling his ear with her nose. "Leni smelled Lobelia on you the first day. We hoped your loyalty would change once you became one of us."

(Ichirou)
"Really?" Ichirou was stunned. "And you still wish to be with me?"

(Maria)
"I had a few moments of doubt," the Alpha Female confessed. "But they did not last long. Once you were changed, so had my feelings. I wanted you. I challenged Kanna at one point because I thought she was a threat to my claim on you. I will bear your cubs," she smiled. "In about six weeks."

(Ichirou)
"You have to get pregnant first," he laughed. "I'm glad your feelings changed. Mine have too. I'd like to think it was a spell, but it was just her. She wouldn't have allowed me to go if it had been a spell, I think. She would know that it would break out of her presence. She's very beautiful in a dangerous sort of way. She even still wears the glasses she did in life, though she no longer needs them."

(Maria)
Honestly, men were so thick sometimes. He was babbling on about that vampire woman after she had just given him the biggest news of their lives. She took his face in her hands so he would have to look at her.
"Ichirou, read my lips," she said slowly. "I do not have to get pregnant. I _am_ pregnant. Now. As we speak."

(Ichirou)
Ichirou's mouth dropped. His eyes bulged. He was rendered speechless. "Ahwahwah... pah, pah... parag.... Pregnant... you're.... Oh, wow, I'm good," he perked up, grinning.

(Maria)
His mate slapped him lightly. "It will be my first litter - I am so excited." She snuggled against him. "Especially as they are yours."

(Ichirou)
"Wow," he smiled ecstatically. "Our cubs. Wow!" He hugged her. "You're so awesome!" He began to kiss and lick her face, laughing happily.

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(Kanna)
The large she-wolf smiled as she heard Ichirou and Maria giggling together like cubs. She looked over at Sumire. "Those two sure are in love," she said.

(Sumire)
"Well, what do you expect?" Sumire arched a brow. "It _is_ their first cub. And I'm thankful that wolves don't bulge like humans do. Do you think I'm losing my figure?" she asked coyly, wondering how Kanna would react to the news of HER upcoming fatherhood.

(Kanna)
The large werewolf looked at her mate in confusion. "Your figure's fine, Sumire. What does that have to do with anything?"

(Sumire)
"Oh, you're just like a man!" she cried in frustration. "Subtlety is so lost on you, you big lug. I'm pregnant!"

(Kanna)
"Y-You?" Kanna stammered. "Pregnant? Us?" A big grin broke over her face and she lifted Sumire off the ground, spinning her in a circle. "WHOO-HOO! We're gonna have cubs! Hey, everybody! We're pregnant!"

(Sumire)
"Everyone already knows," Sumire said, head spinning. "They smelled it already. Put me down you big lug! I'm going to get sick!"

(Coquelicot)
The tawny-haired cub watched the adult she-wolves rejoice and grinned. Soon there would be new cubs to play with, both Sumire's and Maria's!
Speaking of playing, it was a beautiful day to be outside.
"Iris, come on! Let's go out!" she called, sprinting for the door. She knew they were supposed to find an adult to accompany them, but they were all busy congratulating Sumire and Kanna and she didn't want to interrupt them.

(Iris)
"OK!" Iris laughed, running out with Coquelicot. She was always so much fun to play with. She always had suggestions of things to do.

(Orihime)
Night couldn't fall fast enough for the exotic young vampire, especially since the opportunity to complete their mission hadn't yet come up. However, shortly after sunset when she arrived outside the werewolf stronghold, she saw that her patience was about to be rewarded. Two little female werewolf cubs were playing in the front yard - unsupervised.
"Glycine, are you there or not?" she hissed into the darkness.

(Glycine)
"Always knew you were an inferior vampire," Glycine said from behind her. "You couldn't hear or smell me, and I've been right here. I see the little brats. Let's get them now."

(Coquelicot)
The tawny-haired cub leapt on the golden one and nipped playfully at her ear before dashing off across the yard, expecting pursuit. When she looked back, she was horrified to see a black-haired female vampire swoop down and scoop up the golden cub all in one motion. She howled an alarm and started to dash back toward the house.

(Orihime)
"Get her!" Orihime yelled to Glycine as she held one strong hand fast over Iris' muzzle. "Hurry!"

(Glycine)
Glycine flew down, and grabbed the other wolf by the scruff of the neck, and flew straight up into the air, high as possible. "Struggle, and I'll drop you," she murmured to the young wolf, making sure she could see that they were high into the air.

(Iris)
Iris felt herself go up into the air, carried by someone that smelled of old blood and death. She struggled fiercely, moving back and forth in the vampire's grasp, and tried to bite.

(Orihime)
Tightening her grip on both the cub's muzzle and around her body, Orihime flew through the night swiftly and surely. She wanted to unload this stubborn package of fur and fangs as quickly as possible.

(Coquelicot)
Dangling from the scruff of her neck, Coquelicot whimpered slightly but remained still. To struggle now would be suicide. What were these vampires _doing_ with them? What could they possibly want with a pair of werewolf cubs? Had any of the adults heard her alarm?

*************************************

(Ichirou)
Ichirou was suddenly feeling as if a bad thing had just happened. He got up, rubbing the back of his neck, then headed toward the kitchen, which was a bit of a social place for the wolves. Scanning, he spotted Maria's golden hair, and went over to her.
"Maria, I'm getting a bad feeling," he murmured.

(Maria)
The Alpha female sniffed the air and frowned. A quick scent count told her someone was missing. Another sniff and she knew who it was.
"Two of the cubs, Iris and Coquelicot, are not in the house," she said. "And yet all the adults are inside and accounted for. They should not be outside alone, especially at night!" She assumed wolf form and dashed for the main doors.

(Kanna)
The large she-wolf saw Maria run by and was alarmed. "Hey, Maria! You shouldn't be running, you're pregnant!" She changed to her own wolf form and charged after the snow-white wolf.

(Ichirou)
Ichirou shifted to wolf and followed the two she-wolves, feeling great distress. The children knew they weren't supposed to go out to play without an adult. Why had they gone anyway? And now- now Lobelia had them, he was sure.
He lifted his head to the sky and howled with anger. This was too much. This war was too terrible, and had to end!

(Lobelia)
The Supreme Vampire smiled as the two wolf cubs were deposited before her.
"Very good, my girls," she said proudly to Orihime and Glycine. "With two cubs we can demand both Kanna _and_ Ichirou as exchanges."

(Orihime)
Bowing, Orihime smiled. "I'm glad you are pleased, Mistress."

(Coquelicot)
The tawny cub growled and lunged for Lobelia's ankle with her sharp little teeth.

(Iris)
Iris decided to use the distraction of Coquelicot going for the Supreme Vampire to lunge at _her_ captor's ankle.

(Lobelia)
Avoiding the tawny cub was no problem - Lobelia simply floated up out of her reach. She saw that Orihime wasn't paying attention to her _own_ attacker, however, and dove forward to knock the Italian vampire aside before the cub's teeth could connect, then landed and spun around to kick the golden cub into the wall.

(Coquelicot)
Switching immediately to human form, Coquelicot screamed, "IRIS!"

(Iris)
Iris's eyes twirled a bit as she tried to regain her senses. She shifted back into human, getting a bit mad. "You hurt Iris!" Iris yelled, hair beginning to flutter. Her feet left the ground as her power began to take her over in her tantrum. "Iris doesn't _like_ you! Iris thinks you stink!" Things in the room began to float in the air, then pelt the vampires.
"You hurt Coquelicot! Coquelicot is Iris's friend!"
*BOOM*

To be continued....