A growl off in the distance called forth the others. Within the city came answering calls, a gurgle, a burp, a cough, and a sob. A few more calls followed those, and soon all eight cried out in the night. It was time to assemble.

It was morning when Cole woke up once more. It was cold and he didn't know where the heck he was. His side ached and his pounded, but he willed himself to sit up. The movement gave him pain once more, making him breathe heavy as the pain was unbearable when sitting up. He laid back down and tried to get more sleep, but found that the flame in his side was painful enough to keep him up. Pain pills, where are they when you need them? He sighed and sat up once more, adjusting to the weird feeling in his side.

"Sup." Called Claire from the corner, half awake. She held a .22 Winchester rifle tucked under her arm, lounging in the crook of the walls.

"Who are you?" Cole called. He couldn't think past the hunter, and first the first time thought about where he was…

"I'm Claire. You passed out from that deep wound you've got there. Blade pulled you in here, and good timing to. It was getting dark out." She said, leaning back in the chair she sat in. She didn't seem the least bit tired, but she did seem a little annoyed. "Always hated guard. Its stupid. What does it matter, I mean only a tank can break this door and that's on rare occasions…"

"Tanks?" Cole asked, confused by the term.

" Oh yeah, those big guys that are like the size of SUV. Those guys." She answered

"Okay I remember, I say one on the streets the other day, me and blade stuck to the alley. Got close to shit going down." Cole grasped his side as he weakly stood up, using the cabinet as support. He managed to stay up on his feet, but collapsed as he tried to walk.

Claire stifled a laugh "Idiot…You need to rest."

Cole glared at her, but soon sighed and settled back into his bag. He laid there for what seemed like forever until his mind just gave way to the immense wave of weariness.

"Almost there…. Just gotta keep moving…." Cole said clutching his shoulder, blood seeping from the slash. A jockey got hold of him and wrecked him into a mangled mess of kitchen knives in the department store behind him. He still had a knife in his leg, causing him to limp heavily. The limp hindered his shooting, and now was using his Katana. His breathe and dripping of blood was the only sounds, not a moan escaping the dead. Wherever they are, they sure are quiet, Cole said. He thought he was in the clear, until he heard the weeping.

The weeping sent a chill down his body that wasn't from the cold January air. A witch. Wherever she was, he knew she was a threat. The cried grew loader as he rounded a corner into an alley leading to the safe room. His heart stopped at the sight. A lone witch sat in the dead center of the alley, crying into her clawed hands. There was no room to go around her, the space to tight to make it. He couldn't get a head shot unless he pushed the barrel into her mouth, his body was shaking to much. He was getting dizzy and knew it was going to be over soon if he didn't make it to the safe room in the next few minutes. It was nut up or shut up.

He limped forward, trying to walk faster and faster, the pain shooting into his body. He grit his teeth and pushed on. He was close enough to see her golden eyes, who were now staring at him. That's bad, he thought. He pushed himself and ran. It was a uncoordinated run and he was bouncing of the walls, the limp throwing him of his footing. He was upon her. He jumped over her and landed awkwardly, rolling. It was all he could do not to pass out as he hit the ground. He heard her stand and let out a growl from the back of her throat. It was over, Cole laying defeated before her.

"Do it… I can't fight back… Make it quick…" He sighed out, coughing up a speck of blood. Everyone was dead, and he just wanted to rest. To rest without the fear of dying in your sleep or waking to another day in hell. She kneeled before him, about to give the finishing blow, given Cole his eternal rest.

But it never came. Cole glanced at her and saw no anger in her honey eyes, only seeing a warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. She lifted him up and did one thing that would be in one's sick and twisted fantasies…. She kissed him.

That was the moment when he woke up.