Aziza let out a loud groan as she y on her back on the ground and Diamond was adjusting her mma fighting gloves. “You’re still dropping your guard.” Diamond said and Aziza just let out another groan. “I didn’t punch you that hard.”

  They were in the underground workout area that was under the Silvervine Mansion and Aziza was getting her butt handed to her once more in the fighting ring. They started fighting training for month before the party and if Aziza didn’t have healing ability she probably be bck and blue all over

  “I think it was the leg sweep and hard thud to the ground that did it.” Belle’s voice called out and Aziza turned her head to the side to see Belle going under the ring’s ropes. “Or the three rapid kidney jabs.”

  “Why are you here, Belle?” Aziza asked between her breaths. Aziza noticed Belle putting on a pair of mma gloves and she was wearing a white tube top and a pair of training shorts.

  Belle shot a gre at Diamond and Diamond didn’t flinch, “Guess I forgot to mention it was going to be semi-form training today.” Diamond admitted as she took off her gloves.

  Aziza sat up, “I thought you said my control of shifting was better than the general public…” Aziza trailed off when it clicked in her mind. “You’re going to combat train me in semi-form.”

  “Yep, little Az~” Belle cooed as Diamond got out of the ring. “Diamond’s semi-form is completely in the weight css but I’m closer to your weight css.”

  Aziza slowly got back up and she felt herself start shifting into her semi-form. The bck fur slowly all over her body, excluding for her stomach and chest, the loud bone snapping rang out as her tail grew out and her nails turned into cws. She let out a final loud grunt as her fangs enrged and ears finished length into a sharp end.

  “Good speed and no pain reaction to transformation,” Belle commented and rotated her head to crack her neck before she transformed too.

  Her fur was that of a snow leopard and a lot thicker and fluffier than Aziza’s slick bck fur. Belle had thick chest fur that almost covered her breasts and Aziza remembered Diamond had simir chest fur. Her feline tail was long and fluffier compared to Aziza's shorter and caine tail.

  “Fluffy,” The only word that came to Aziza's mouth before Belle rushed her. Aziza quickly raised her guard and Aziza gritted her teeth for a hard punch. When Belle’s punch connected Aziza was surprised by how light it was compared to Diamond’s heavy punch and Aziza didn’t get pushed back.

  “You don’t need to hold back, Belle.” Diamond called out from out of the ring. “She’s not a fragile fuff-baby, she earned her fur in blood.”

  Belle turned her head to Diamond and lowered her guard a bit, “What ar-” Belle was cut off from Aziza connected with her own left hook and she stumbled back. Aziza paused in seeing Belle blink a few seconds from the strike before something shifted in her and she put her guard back up.

  “Incoming rapid fire punches.” Diamond called out and she was right. Belle stepped forward and released several jabs and hooks and they were still weaker than Diamonds but a lot harder than before and caused Aziza to be pushed back. “Keep your guard up or sh-”

  Before Diamond could finish, Aziza got a hook to her left and stumbled into a corner. Aziza was confused how she missed that hook as she could track all the others and Belle has a small smirk on her face with a small bounce to her stance.

  “Better stop pying passive and punch back.” Belle said and Aziza took in a deep breath and let it out. Aziza regains her footing before rushing in to swing some jabs at Belle and getting frustrated on how Belle dodge them all. It was as if Belle was liquid and Belle would counter jab Aziza.

  After a few counter jabs Aziza stumbled back and shook her head a bit before focusing back on Belle. Aziza became confused as Belle wasn’t there anymore, “Wha-” Aziza was cut off by an invisible punch from the right and caused her to stumble back into the corner.

  Aziza tried to focus after the hard hit and saw she was alone in the ring. Aziza slowed her breath as her eyes darted around and noticed a shimmering of light simir to a heat haze in the shape of Belle. Aziza went in for her shot and rushed in to punch it, only to see it move and feel an uppercut.

  The uppercut sent Aziza flying and crashing to the fight floor, making Aziza let out a groan. “Almost had me there,” Belle’s voice said and moved to look over Aziza. “Diamond really built up your combat eyes and endurance, eh?”

  “What the hell did you just do?” Aziza groaned and Aziza could feel a familiar mass enter the ring. Diamond was now looking over Aziza and had a smirk on her face.

  “That was special cn power of the High Mountain cn, active camoufge,” Diamond said and both of them helped Aziza to sit up. “And on your first time in a fight it was able to spot Belle.”

  “Okay…what’s fluff-baby?” Aziza asked as she was helped up to her feet. “I’m guessing it's a type of insult to a werebeast and about the combat experience.” Aziza returned to her human form as she saw Belle turn back to her human form too.

  Diamond turned Aziza’s right forearm and showed a clean cut scar from silver bde, “A fluff-baby is a werebeast that never had no experience in combat, not even py fighting,” Diamond expined and Belle examined the scar.

  “This wasn't a pure silver bde wound…” Belle trailed off and something clicked in her mind. “The mad scientist vampire, he used special surgery scalpels, enough silver to slow healing.”

  “Yes, and the reason why she is walking normally.” Diamond pointed to Aziza’s achilles tendons and Belle looked to see simir scarring on her achilles tendons’ area.

  Diamond was about to say something but her cell phone started to ring and she gnced at it with a small sigh. She walked to the edge of the ring and hopped over the ropes with ease.

  “I will admit your punches and Diamond’s punches felt very different.” Aziza said as she bent her leg allowing Belle to grab her ankle and examine the scarring in better light. “Besides being heavier, I get a feeling of some form of energy passing through me…”

  “I know what you mean…” Belle trailed off from her own experience of being hit by Diamond. “Wait, has she hit you with full force yet?” Belle’s head snapped up to look at Aziza with great worry and almost holding her breath.

  “Of course not, she told me if she did full force I could die.” Aziza said quickly and Belle sighed in relief. Belle let go of Aziza’s leg and Aziza quickly put her leg down, causing something to catch Belle’s eye.

  “Someone is still growing, eh?” Belle teased as she poked Aziza’ butt cheek and Aziza made a small yip sound and jumped from it. “Guess you have average metabolism for small werebeast.”

  Aziza spun around, “I’ve been meaning to ask about weight gaining among werebeasts.” Aziza gnced over to Diamond and back to Belle. “Diamond eats almost three times as much as me but I’m one gaining weight.”

  “Simple answer, different metabolism and working out.” Belle rubbed her well toned belly. “You and I have simir metabolism and simir level of active workout sessions. Diamond has a high, almost hyper metabolism, and workout route that would break any normal person.”

  “And that is the reason why I can’t gain any weight, no matter what I try.” Diamond’s voice called out from outside the ring and put her phone away. “I got a case and Chris is coming to pick me up, keep training with her, Belle.”

  “Alright,” Belle smirked as she watched Diamond heading to the elevator before turning to Aziza. “But I guess Lay is just loving the extra softness.” Those were the st words Diamond heard a loud punch nd before the elevator doors closed behind her.

  Diamond had switched outfits before being picked up by Chris and she adjusted her holster straps. “Straps giving you trouble?” Chris asked as he slowly pulled up behind some park police cars with his truck.

  “Yes, this upper strap is useless and the bottom strap keeps unhooking.” Diamond growled and fiddled with the bottom strap once more. “I should have gone with the simpler one…”

  “Well you can just go to the armory and get them sw-” Chris stopped and smirked. “You know that and you just don’t want to see Dean’s smug ‘I told you’ face, right?”

  “If I see his face make that face, I will punch him.” Diamond stated coldly and got out of the truck and Chris followed. Diamond looked around to see they were in front of a small mansion in Georgian style with outer walls made with red brick.

  “The victim was found by some kids when they accidentally broke a window with frozen baseball.” Chris said as they entered the house and stayed on the first floor as they entered a room with a firepce, “The responding officers found the back door was open and the CSI found evidence of the lock being picked and fingerprints on it too.”

  The room was filled with shelves of old books, a rge red wing chair, and beside it was one small round table with a whiskey bottle on it. The body was still slumped in the chair and Diamond noticed a whiskey cup on the ground.

  The corpse was a very rge man, Diamond would guess he was from african american and caucasian heritage, and he was built like a football linebacker. His grey short hair was once slicked back but now messy from fight and he has fine trimmed full goatee to match his once slicked back hair. He was wearing a dark blue housecoat, bck sleep pants, and one brown slipper.

  His death was clear with the rge gash in his neck and what Diamond could see a bite mark. Diamond noticed some white substance on the man’s hand and blood under his fingernails. “Maybe we were lucky, he got some blood under his nails.” Diamond stated.

  “His name is Alphonse Martin,” Chris said and noticed two medical examiner assistants rolling in with a gurney rge enough for the body. “Had to go get the bigger gurney?”

  “Where is Nix?” Diamond asked as she started to look around the room as she found it odd there was only one slipper on Al’s foot. “She’s normally here before us.”

  “She’s busy, there was a big pile up and a lot of bodies.” One of the Assistants said as they got to work. “Some jackasses caused almost ten cars to pile up at the edge of city limits.”

  Diamond found the missing slipper in front of the bookshelf beside the firepce and figured quickly it was kicked off in the struggle. Diamond gnced at the firepce mantle before taking a double take to a picture frame. “CHRIS, DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING!” Diamond quickly and loudly yelled.

  Chris froze as he was about to help with body onto a body bag, “Okay, why?” He asked as stood up straight and hands up to show they were empty.

  Diamond grabbed the picture frame and tossed it to Chris, which he caught with ease. He looked at it and it was a double picture frame and his eyes widened as he saw the pictures.

  The first picture was an old bck and white photo, most likely from the forties, and it was very happy Nix holding a baby on her p, most likely bouncing the baby on her p.

  The second image was in color and fashion was from the seventies. It was a recreation photo, even though the baby was clearly a younger version of Al, in his early thirties, and Nix looked the same, beside the outfit change.

  “Open his eyes.” Diamond said as she walked over to the body and the Assistant did as he was told, he froze when saw the eyes. The body’s eyes were faded from life but they were still bright cyan blue in color. “Nix will be kept away from this body and case, understood?”

  “Yes, Madam.” The Assistants said at the same time and returned to working. Chris handed the picture frame back to Diamond and she grabbed it.

  “Call Belle, you're off this case.” Diamond said and Chris took a deep breath before letting go of the picture. “You will most likely be put on babysitting duty with Nix.”

  “Right…” Chris quietly said before taking a step back and left the room. Chris stepped out of the mansion and he felt the chill of the winter go down his spine.

  Nix was in the morgue as she finished identifying the st body from the car pile and pushing into the wall drawer. “Sweet dreams little one.” Nix sighed as if it was a young child she just identified.

  She adjusted her bangs as she was still adjusting her new hairstyle. She had dyed her bangs and hair in front of her ears an Azure blue and the rest of bck hair was pinned by a hair cw clip. Her bangs no longer cover her cyan eyes, and instead a pair of circle sungsses did now.

  Under the b coat she wore was an asymmetrical off the shoulder bck sweater, with the right side higher and the left side resting on the middle of her bicep. She wore bck dress pants that were tight around her thighs and started to fre out at the knee to the bottom of the pant leg. She still wore her high heel boots, silver pendant with cyan gem in it, and bck leather colr.

  The doors slid open causing Nix to spin around and saw Chris. She fshed a smile in seeing him but it faded when she had a grim look on his face. “Chris?” Nix asked and she walked over to him, gently touching his hand before taking hold of it. “What is wrong?”

  Chris gently squeezed her hand before taking a deep breath. “A man named Alphonse Martin, dead in his home.” Chris said and he saw Nix lock up at the name. Chris could see all the questions swirling in her eyes, even if hidden behind her sungsses, and Chris felt her grip on his hand loosen. “He was found with neck bitten into a-”

  Chris stopped as he saw something he saw many times but he never thought he would see on Nix’s face, pure rage, before returning to a calm expression. Even though only a fsh, it sent chills down his spine and gripped her hand, as if to act like an anchor to prevent her running off.

  She slipped her hand from his grip while turning around and causing Chris to say something but he stopped to see Nix slipping off her b coat. “I can’t be here.” She whispered and Chris’ eyes trailed down to her left shoulder. There was a rge birthmark on her left shoulder and it was shaped like a dragon.

  “I know,” Chris said as Nix grabbed her coat and hanged over her right forearm. “But they will want to ask you questions.” Chris offered his arm for her and she took it with her free hand. Chris led her to the elevator and was relieved to not see the assistants had returned yet, to save Nix from seeing the body bag.

  Diamond and Belle were sitting in the conference room with a female vampire and Belle was slightly unnerved from the woman’s appearance. Her name was Maria Martin and she had the same face structure, and even the same eye shape and color as Nix’s. It was like she was looking at Nix's twin sister if Nix had some african american in her and had a more stern personality.

  Maria was at least six foot tall and was wearing a simple white shirt with a pair of washed out jeans. Her bck hair was long and wild like a lion’s mane. She did have white feather down jacket and it was now hanging on the back of the chair she sat in.

  She had turned up at the house after Chris left the scene and expined she was Al’s older sister. Maria had agreed to return to the police station with them and Diamond put a cup of green tea in front of Maria.

  “Thank you,” Maria said and Diamond had seen before, a hundred year old stern and stoic act. Diamond saw this with vampires that have been living for hundred to two hundred years and each of them were hiding deep sadness or regret behind stern and stoic masks.

  “So can you tell us of any enemies your brother had?” Belle asked as she finally got over Maria’s appearance. Diamond had moved back to sit beside Belle and watched Maria’s reaction. “Mainly the vampires or werebeasts in his life that would hold a grudge.”

  Maria paused from the question before answering, “My brother did have few rivals in his younger days but after retiring at age of sixty all hatches were buried.” Maria took a sip before continuing. “My brother ran a construction company, you may know it as Ironworks Builders.”

  “Yes, they did most of the older buildings in the City,” Belle noted and Diamond with Belle’s words. “I believe they made the most vampire and werebeast friendly structures in the city and still are.”

  “Guessing he was trying to make his more immortal family members comfortable in the city.” Diamond said and Maria nodded. Diamond gnced over to Belle before continuing. “Speaking of family, what was your mother’s retionship like with Al?”

  They saw it, a fsh of regret, when Nix was mentioned, “I don’t know, my brother knew my mother and I didn’t leave on good terms.” Maria said and tried to keep a strong voice but both could hear the sound of sadness. “He would never bring her up around me but I would see small signs that she still visits him.”

  Belle nodded as she wrote down information on notepad, “Did your brother mention any odd runs in with any vampire or werebeast?” Belle asked and Maria shook her head as no. “Alright, thank you for answering our questions.”

  Maria got up and grabbed her coat, “Officer Chip will take you to the front door,” Diamond said as she got up with Belle. Belle went out first and called out to Chip while Diamond watched Maria.

  Maria entered the doorway and froze up when she saw Nix standing beside Chris’ desk. The cracks in her mask grew bigger and it was clear deep sadness and regret troubling Maria. Maria quickly covered up her emotion before Nix saw her and walked over.

  The two stand arms length away from each other and Diamond could see Maria’s hands were clenched so tight they were almost white. “Mother,” Maria finally said and Nix was unmoving and waiting for more. “Are you one going to cut open, Al?”

  Nix finally moved and removed her sungsses to directly look into Maria’s eyes. “What mother would want to cut open her own child?” Nix said and her face was filled with great sorrow and heartache. The tension finally disappeared from Nix’s words and Maria’s hands rexed.

  “Nix,” Diamond’s voice called out, making the two vampires jump and look at Diamond. “Your next.” Diamond said, causing Maria to move out of the doorway and Nix enter the room without a word.

  Belle entered back into the room after Maria was being led away by Chip and she closed the door behind her. Belle sat down beside Diamond and Nix was sitting across from them, waiting for their questions.

  “Did you know if Al had any enemies?” Belle asked and Diamond kept her eyes on Nix. Nix had kept her sungsses off and Diamond could see Nix holding something back, something Diamond knew too well, rage.

  “He had no enemies after he retired,” Nix said and Belle checked something on her notepad. “I would meet with Al every Friday morning and have breakfast, and would talk.”

  “Guessing he kept you up to date with Maria’s life too?” Diamond asked and Nix smirked, “The fight was that bad?”

  “She yelled ‘I never want to see me’ and I granted her wish.” Nix said as she intertwined her fingers together. “I understood her rage and I knew the sad truth would hit her when she got older.”

  “What truth would that be?” Belle asked and raised a brow. Diamond gnced at Belle and had a guess of which sad truth Nix was talking about.

  “A retionship between human and vampire will end in sadness and loneliness.” Nix said and Belle looked slightly confused for a second before it clicked in her mind. “Can’t exactly go to the extended family without weird looks because you haven’t can’t over the years.”

  “Then why ar-” Belle was cut off by Diamond with a small elbow to her ribs. “Right, did Al mention any odd or hostile interactions with other vampires or werebeasts?” Belle corrected her line of questions and Nix made a small giggle from Belle’s correction.

  “No, Al didn’t mention anything like that,” Nix said and paused for a second. “But he does have cameras around his house.” Diamond nodded and Nix figured they already knew but was waiting for a warrant.

  Belle and Diamond gnced at each other before returning to looking at Nix. “You can go, Chris will look after you and keep you away from the case.” Belle said and Nix stood up when they said that. “We mean it Nix, stay away from this case.”

  “I know.” Nix said before putting on her sungsses back on. “But when you find who did this, call me.” Belle slightly flinches in seeing Nix’s eyes glowing past the bck tinting of her sungsses and seeing pure rage fsh on her face.

  “Of course,” Diamond said as she stood up and was unfazed by Nix’s rage. Nix nodded to Diamond before leaving the room and Diamond looked to Belle. “I’m heading to the armory to switch hostler style.”

  “Alright, I…” Belle trailed off when her cell phone went off and she quickly checked it. “I will be looking through the video from the security cameras.”

  “Lucky you, I have to deal with Dean’s smugness.” Diamond sighed and Belle chuckled as got up.