He smiled, holding her tightly against him, and continued to move slowly down the cliffs, looking for more caves.

Victoria continued to search as well, seeing there were any caves that she might be able to see.

  Andy spotted a cave, and soared over to it, sinking his talons into the rock as he offered the ledge to her to stand on it.

Victoria nodded, standing on the ledge and giving Andy enough room to come as well.

"Moment of truth...ready amor?"

  He grinned, and said "I have your back.  Let's do this."

Victoria smiled, and entered the cave. Reaching out with her eldritch senses, she began to try to "feel out" who or what might be in there, if anything.

  Andy followed her, his presence a comforting presence as he illuminated himself with crackling lightning, knowing Vic couldn't see in pitch blackness as he could.

Victoria nodded at Andy, then continued to traverse further into the cave, reaching out with her arcane senses to find if this place was occupied.

  Her senses detected a still form ahead, without heartbeat or respiration.  A torpid vampire!!

Victoria held up her hand in a stop motion to Andy.

"We have company love. One of our blood sucking friends is here, though I'm not sure if its the one that we're looking for.'

  He stopped just behind her, and replied {{We're looking for any vampire we can find.  Let's stake them.}}

Victoria nodded, a look of grim determination on her face as she followed her senses to where the "creature" was located. Pulling out a stake and readying it to do her work.

  Andy frowned as they drew up to the torpid vampire.  He waited to let Vic stake the fellow if she wanted.  He was wearing football practice clothing.

Victoria looked at the vampire briefly, not sure why he was wearing a football practice shirt. She then prepared to drive the stake into its black heart.

  Andy whispered "Strike quickly, so that he cannot hurt you love."

Victoria nodded, and with surprising speed, attempted to stake the vampire.

  The stake sank in, but a human, or vampire's rib cage was designed to protect the vulnerable and vital organs within.  So the vampire screamed, until Andy slammed his fist down on the end of the stake like a hammer, and the stake sank in with a sickening crunch of bone and cartilage.

Victoria looked on as the vampire appeared to cease to exist.

"I wonder if this one here may have had a stash around. If we find that, maybe there might be some connection to who turned him."

  Andy said dryly "Must be a young vampire, he didn't crumble to dust, he's just a messy pile of meat.  Let's take his head, so that even if the stake comes out, he can't come back."  And extended his talons to full length.

Victoria nodded as Andy was about to take the head of the young vampire.

She had killed things like Deep Ones, but the act of it was no less disconcerting.

  Andy gave her a somehow sad smile, and said softly "You get used to it.  And sometimes, you KNOW it's better than the alternative, and you still regret it."  And with a quick movement, separated the vampire's head from his body.

"Yes...but it doesn't make things any easier. All we can do is wish that their spirit finds the peace that was taken away from them," Victoria replied, somewhat sadly.

"Slaying Deep Ones is rather easy. They are mindless minions of the Old Ones that care nothing for the life of others. But this....this man...he was human once. And more than likely turned against his will. It's our job....my job...to stop things like this."

  Andy nodded, and said "Yes.  And when you can't save the ones affected, you can give them rest.  Maybe even peace.  And then you occasionally find things like me.  Human heart, but not human.  All I can do, is do my best to be true to the human soul that I was fortunate enough to be born with.  Even if it's got a lot of Demon in it too."  He moved the head to a separate spot, and called the lightning, setting it ablaze with the energy.

Victoria looked on as Andy lit the head up. Inside, she hoped that this poor fellow went on to someplace that was more peaceful than this undead existence that it had been subjected to.

  Andy then ignited the body, the lightning thick and potent, then said softly "I wish that I would never have to do this again, but I know it is a futile wish."