Prelude Prelude 

by Kyra Sorcere 

Rating: PG, Drama, Crossover 

The concept of Highlander belongs to Panzer & Co., Lacroix belongs to
Parriot, and Ray (Stanley Kowalski) belongs to Alliance. I'm just
borrowing them and I'll give them back. Kyra, Valentine and the three
vamps, on the other hand, belong to me. :) Hope Taylor and Charlie belong
to Theresa. So don't take 'em without permission! 

"What do you want from me?" I said annoyed. There were three of them - a
tall blonde haired woman, a brown haired portly man and a dour faced
teenaged boy. Not so dangerous at first sight, but a closer examination
revealed their eyes to be glowing gold and sharp pointed fangs glistening
from their mouths. 

Three vampires were more than a match for any ordinary mortal but I am not
ordinary. Nor mortal, for that matter. I am Kyra Sorcere, sorceress turned
Immortal. 

"Revenge," answered the man. 

"Yes, revenge for Valentin!" chimed the woman. 

"Because of you, he is sentenced to die by the hands of the Executioners."
growled the teenager. 

"Maybe he shouldn't have tried to kill my best friend then," I snarled and
withdrew my katana. 

As one, the vampires lunged at me. I cut my blade across the closest
attacker's stomach. The man gasped as a trickle of blood seeped out. He
roared then slammed me into the wall of the Raven. 

"This seems to be happening a lot," I thought as I tried to clear my head.
"People are going to talk." 

In another second, they were on me. The man pinned me down, despite all my
efforts to get him off me. The woman hissed and I felt a nail rake my
cheek and the blood trickle down. The teenager clutched my wrist and tried
to wrestle the katana from my grasp. 

"Now, let us drink to the memory of our Master," the woman cried
ghoulishly and prepared to bite my neck. 

With a quick prayer to Naedye, I summoned all my strength and head-butted
her. She went flying a few feet and landed on her rear. I worked my foot
up and kicked the man right where it counted. He let go of me and
staggered backwards, groaning. I permitted a slight smile to cross my lips
then I turned my attention to the teenager. 

He gave a sharp tug to my hand and I used the momentum to swing him into
the wall. With my free hand, I punched him. He howled and let go. I wasted
no time and beheaded him. 

"One down, two to go," I muttered then turned around. 

"No!" wailed the woman. "You will pay!" She rushed at me, her fangs bared
and her claws extended. 

I waited until she was a foot in front of me then stepped aside, the
katana biting deeply into her chest. I kicked her, forcing her on her back
and swung. Another vampire had bit the dust. 

The man was still on his knees, wheezing and groaning. "Sissy boy," I
thought to myself as I finished him off. 

I looked around me. The vampires were quite dead and Toronto was safe for
another night. Or, what was left of the night. Dawn was approaching and
this horrible night would soon end at last. 

I shook my head. All this over a little potion. Well, thank the gods that
Charlie was dead and Valentin would soon follow him. I shivered, thinking
of him. He had been one of the vampires behind the movement to kill my
friend, Hope Taylor. He had seemed normal, but the glee he displayed when
breaking my finger had quickly revealed his insanity. 

A wave of pain coursed through my body and I winced. In addition to
Valentin, I had been subjugated to a intense interrogation by Charlie. I
needed to go home and recover. I'd check on Hope though, before I went
home. 

"Well done, sorceress! I didn't think you had the stamina to kill my
fledglings," came a voice from behind me. 

I whirled around. Valentin was standing there, a sardonic smile on his
face. 

"Wh... How...", I stammered. 

"The Executioners, you mean? I killed them. They were no match for me," he
chuckled. "You either." 

Before I could react, he pulled my katana away with barely a tug. I winced
at the clanking sound it made as he threw it on the ground. 

"These are the odds I like," he grinned demonically and hit me. I fell to
the ground like a pile of cement. It got pointless after awhile to attempt
to block the blows he was aiming at me. I curled up in a ball, waiting for
it to stop. 

All of a sudden, I noticed the blows were no longer coming. I lifted my
head. Valentin had my katana raised. With a cold smirk, he stated, "Well,
it's been fun, but I've got to kill you now. Dawn's coming in a few." 

A blurred figure catapulted into him and knocked him on the ground. The
little emotion I had left was shocked when I recognized the figure -
Lucien Lacroix! 

With a great cry, Lacroix flung Valentin out in the street. Dawn's first
light fell on him and he was aflame. With a horrendous sound, Valentin
flailed out of sight. 

I was lifted onto my feet and I found myself staring into a pair of
ice-blue eyes. A envelope was shoved into my hands. 

"Go," Lacroix whispered, his voice husky. His face was scratched and he
looked ancient. 

I stared at him, uncomprehendingly. "Go," he repeated. "Get out of Toronto
while you still can." I looked down at the envelope. "It's a plane ticket
to anywhere in the States. The cost is covered by me." 

He pushed me and I stumbled. I started running, escape on my mind and
Lacroix's words ringing through my head. "Anywhere in the States..." 

I made it to the airport and I got in line. Adrenaline and my iron will
were the only things keeping me on my feet. The thought of escape filled
my thoughts. But where? Where could I go? 

"Last flight to Chicago boarding at Gate B in fifteen minutes," blared the
P.A. system. Chicago...Ray Vecchio! I pushed my way through the line,
hardly aware of the irate looks I was getting. 

I threw the envelope on the counter. "Emergency," I gasped. "I've got to
get on the flight to Chicago." 

The ticket person looked at me oddly. "There is a vacancy but..." 

"Please," I desperately said. "I need to get on the flight. Help me." 

She looked at me. She typed something on her computer then handed me a
plane ticket. "I'll call them and have them hold the plane for you." She
paused then added, "Godspeed." 

I nodded then ran to the gate. My ticket was accepted and I was led to my
seat. I sank down in exhaustion. 

~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Ma'am? Excuse me, ma'am? We're about to touch down - you need to buckle
your seatbelt. 

I sat up. At first, I couldn't remember where I was, but it all came back
to me. My hands began trembling so much that the stewardess had to buckle
me in. 

As the plane landed, my thoughts were full of Valentin. I knew the bruises
were still on my face - he had beaten me that badly. I put a cap on my
thoughts. Once I was safe, I could think. But not now. 

As soon as we were allowed to exit the plane, I ran terrified to the
nearest telephone. A single telephone number was running through my head. 

I put the quarters that I had found in my trenchcoat and dialed. "Please,
let him be here," I whispered as the phone rang. 

"Hello, Ray Vecchio here." 

"Thank... thank God you're here," I whispered. 

"Kyra? Wh..." 

"Please, come get me!" 

"What happened? Where are you?" Ray asked, his voice tight with concern. 

"At the airport. Just come. I need you." 

"I'll be there," he said and hung up the phone. 

I made my way to one of the couches and sank down. I bent my head as tears
rolled down my cheeks. "Hurry, Ray. I don't know how much longer I can
take this," I whispered. 

"Kyra? Kyra!" a worried voice asked. Startled, I looked up. I had no idea
how much time had passed. Ray was standing there, a blond haired, blue
eyed handsome man. 

He helped me up and hugged me fiercely. "I'm here. Now, tell me..." 

"No questions," I interrupted. "Just hold me." 

"Will you tell me later?" he asked, brushing a hair off my face. 

"Ray," I cried. The images in my mind were overtaking me and I reached for
him to hold on to. 

With his help, I walked out the airport and into his car. We arrived at
his apartment building and he carried me in. He set me down gently on his
couch and knelt beside me. 

"Hold me," I murmured. "Just keep me safe." I turned my head towards the
cushions. 

Strong arms encircled and lifted my head on to a muscular chest. "I'm
here, Kyra. You're safe with me." He hugged me tightly. "I'm here now."
Slowly, tenderly, he brushed my forehead with his lips. 

The End