Cross’s hand connected with Lexi’s face with a sharp crack, her head snapped to the side and she stumbled back a step. For a long time she stayed in the position, her face turned away from Cross and her body unnaturally rigid. Unsure, Cross lifted his hand out towards her, but before his fingers could reach her, Lexi's fist shot out and cracked him across the jaw. With a yelp, Cross started to fall back but Lexi reached out and caught him by the collar, keeping him upright. Cross winced in anticipation of the next strike, but it never came.

"What took you so long?" Lexi asked irritably, giving his collar a violent shake before pushing him away in disgust.

"Really? Not even a thank you? After all I just did?" Cross rubbed his jaw. "That wasn't easy you know."

"All you did? You did practically nothing but get manhandled by me," Lexi scoffed. "I wasn't even trying. Do you realize what kind of damage I could have done if I hadn't restrained myself?"

"Restrained yourself?" Cross gaped at her. "Lexi, you broke my ribs. Again!"

"Exactly, I broke your ribs instead of breaking your neck," Lexi said with an unimpressed look. "And you left more than enough openings for me to do just that. Pathetic.”

"Well it wasn't like I was exactly trying my hardest either," Cross grumbled. "I was trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with you. Can't say it was that much different than how you usually act though."

Lexi punched him in the shoulder. "Next time figure it out sooner."

Cross gave her a pained grin. "Sorry Princess."

"You." Eliza had finally recovered and she turned her burning eyes on Cross. The flashbang had connected just below her eye, leaving a large, angry blister. As Eliza bared her teeth at them, the skin began to heal, slowly returning to smooth, unblemished flesh. "That was a week of life force you just made me waste. I'll be taking that back, now."

Cross gave Eliza a thoughtful look before turning to look at Lexi. "Hey Lexi?"

"Mmmm?" Lexi asked. She gave Eliza a once over and gave an apathetic sniff.

Cross took a step back. "No need to hold back anymore.”

Lexi pulled her scarf back over her face and settled it into a comfortable position. Even though Cross couldn't see her face, he could still clearly see her the sharp smile form on her face.

It was not a pleasant smile.

"I assure you, Professor…" Thick webs of shadows pooled at Lexi's feet. Slowly, they crawled up her legs and settled around her fists, forming into thick, overlapping plates. Lexi flexed her fingers as the shadows solidified into a pair of spiked gauntlets. She slammed her fists together. "I do not intend to”

"I'll leave you to it then," Cross said, falling back even further as Lexi stood waiting.

"I was going to keep you as a plaything! I was going to let you live as my pet and you’ve ruined that." Eliza whispered, her voice growing louder as her body began to violently shake. "Now… Now things will be more painful. Know that this was your choice, Cross!”

Hands curled liked claws, Eliza lunged forward, her eyes blindly set on Cross. Lexi stepped into her path and drove the Succubus into the floor with a haymaker to the face. The gauntlet pulverized Eliza's flesh and Lexi was rewarded with a small shower of blood as she pulled her fist free with a sickening squelch.

With a small exhalation, Lexi looked down at Eliza's twitching body before turning to Cross. "That was a dissapointme-"

Lexi was unable to finish her sentence as Eliza's arm abruptly thrust forward and swiped Lexi’s legs out from under her. As Lexi hung in the air, Eliza's foot shot out and caught her in the stomach, throwing her across the room and through a row of desks. Slightly dazed, Lexi watched as Eliza lifted herself up from the ground and let out a blood-chilling scream. Her hands came up to claw at her face as her body let out a series of grotesque cracks.

The bones in Eliza's face began to shift. A thick ridge of bone protruded from her forehead and her jaw began to elongate, exposing two sets of razor sharp fangs. She let out a demonic laugh as she brought her hands down, her fingers growing in length as her nails extending into serrated talons.

With inhuman speed she closed the space between herself and Cross. His arms were still by his side as she slashed her hand across his body. Her claws easily sliced through his clothes and into his flesh. The attack lifted him bodily from the ground and tossed him into the classroom door. He let out a single cry as he connected with the door, before silently slipping down to the floor.

Saliva dripped from her maw as she turned on Lexi.

Lexi's eyes were firmly set on Cross's unmoving body. With shaking hands she slowly untangled herself from the remains of a broken desk and returned to her feet. The sudden jarring had broken her concentration and the shadow gauntlets had faded away. She started to summon them back, but Eliza lunged towards her, charging forward with reckless abandon.

"You can't imagine the years I have taken from these girls!" Eliza snarled as she swiped at Lexi with her claws.

Lexi ducked under the sloppy attack and pulled her final knife free. Coming up behind Eliza, she slammed the knife home into the base of the succubus's neck. She was rewarded with a scream, but little more as Eliza spun around and knocked Lexi back with a sweep of her arm. The knife slipped from her fingers and stayed embedded in Eliza's flesh. Lexi flipped back to safety and watched with unveiled disgust as Eliza reached up with her deformed hand to pull the knife free, a pained expression on her face for a moment. Blood spurted from the wound before the flesh quickly knit itself back together.

"You don't understand, do you? The power I have acquired?" Eliza approached Lexi. Her body continued its revolting metamorphosis as her eyes turned a pale shade of orange and her torso began to stretch, giving her a sizable increase in height. She spread her arms wide, giving Lexi ample space to strike. Lexi did not hesitate, rushing forward and pummeling the succubus with a series of punches and kicks, but they had no effect as Eliza easily reached out and caught Lexi by the throat. Her talons sliced through the fabric of her scarf and bit into the soft skin of Lexi's neck as she slowly lifted Lexi off the ground.

"You can attack me all you want," Eliza said, squeezing her hand tightly against Lexi's throat until the skin broke. She gave a sadistic grin as Lexi's warm blood began to run over her fingers. "I have enough life force to live a hundred lives over."

"I wonder," Lexi choked out as she vainly kicked Eliza in the stomach. "Will all that stolen life help when I remove your head?”

"Oh, maybe I won't kill you after all." Eliza said, pulling Lexi closer. She stared deep into Lexi's dark eyes. "I do love feisty girls like you. The male I will kill but you… Won't you be mine again?"

Lexi's body began to go limp as she gazed into the orange of Eliza's eyes. "Be… yours…"

"Yes." Eliza whispered, her power flooding out and into Lexi. "Mine."

Lexi turned her head away fighting through the pain as Eliza’s claws dug deeper into her flesh. Eliza laughed and adjusted her grip, forcing the girl to meet her gaze.

“Submit!”

“I…” Lexi stared back at Eliza, meeting her violent gaze, and snarled as a thick film of shadow settled over her eyes. "I'd rather not."

Lexi’s fist swung up, gauntlet reformed, and smashed against Eliza’s cheek, knocking loose a handful of teeth. Eliza screamed in pain and dropped Lexi to the ground. The Hunter landed in a crouch before launching upwards into a devastating uppercut that sent Eliza sprawling back.

Eliza landed hard on her back, but quickly pulled herself back to her feet as blood and broken teeth dripped from her gaping mouth. She spat them out and new ones took their place. Across from her, Lexi took up her fighting stance, armored fists held out in front of her.

Eliza bared her teeth. "I gave you a chance."

Lexi remained silent as Eliza charged. Lexi did the same leading with a punch that slipped through Eliza's defense and caught her hard the in the chest, breaking a number of bones. Undeterred, Eliza brought her arms down in a slicing motion towards Lexi, forcing the girl to block before Lexi returned with a low kick that caught Eliza in the knee. Eliza buckled, but did not fall as she continued her assault on Lexi until her talons managed to land a strike on Lexi's shoulder, cutting deep and drawing a river of blood. In response, Lexi caught Eliza with another low kick to the same knee, adding even more force to the attack.

This time, Eliza did fall, collapsing down to the floor as her knee gave out. As the succubus fell, Lexi's left hand snaked out and caught Eliza by the hair, pulling her head back up. With her right hand, Lexi delivered a bone-shattering hook that sent Eliza into a shrieking slide across the floor before she hit the wall. Eliza's body cracked and her bones groaned in protest as they slowly realigned before the succubus managed to get back on her feet.

"Running low on life?" Lexi asked as she began to advance on Eliza.

"Don't worry. Anything I lose tonight I’ll make up for with you!” Eliza threw herself towards Lexi. Thick, leathery wings erupted from Eliza's back and her speed increased as she slammed into Lexi, throwing the Hunter across the room and into the chalkboard, cracking the board. The gauntlets faded as Lexi struggled back to her feet with unsteady movements.

"That one looked like it hurt," Eliza taunted as she slowly lifted into the air. "Shame you can't heal. Not like I can. Try not to die yet, though. I may hate you, but you're worth nothing to me if you die before I can drain your life force. I'll be generous and suck your friend dry first."

Lexi's fingers curled into fists before she threw her hands out. Thin spears of shadow shot out from her fingertips and flew on a direct line towards Eliza. The succubus watched them with a bored expression as she swept her hand forward and broke through the spell with ease. As the spears shattered, Lexi dropped down to one knee, her breathing heavy and body shaking with exertion. She tried to form another spell, but her limbs refused to move and the magic coursing through her body only sputtered in response.

Eliza tilted her head and laughed. "It's tiring, isn't it? Trying to use your powers? I remember when you humans first started losing your magic. Oh, I can't tell you the happiness I felt. I used to live in fear of being caught, constantly on my guard. Not any more though. Now I hunt freely and I have no plans of stopping. Magic may be back, but you're still far too weak!"

Eliza lifted herself up a few more feet before she angled downwards. Teeth bared, she streaked towards Lexi, her clawed hand pulled back to deliver the final strike.

"Lexi!" Cross shouted. On one knee and bleeding heavily, he threw out his right arm towards Eliza and discharged his bracer.

Closing her eyes, Lexi rolled to the side just as the flashbang went off. She heard Eliza shriek in pain and anger, followed by the horrible screech of nails against a chalkboard as Eliza’s claws tore through the space she had been.

“I am growing very tired of you ruining my fun. Do not interfere again.”

Lexi flicked her eyes open just as Eliza reached Cross. She reached out her hand, but there was nothing she could do as Eliza slammed her foot against Cross’s face. Blood burst from his nose, pouring down his face, before he dropped silently to the floor.

Eyes wide, Lexi watched as blood began to pool around his fallen form.

A strangled cry escaped her lips and she slammed her hands against the floor. The searing heat of rage sang through her veins as her fingers curled against the shadows, tearing jagged blades free as she rose to her feet.

She was on Eliza in a heartbeat. Blood splattered across the floor as the blades hissed through the air, tearing through Eliza’s flesh. Eliza tried to defend, but Lexi was relentless. Even as Eliza blocked one of the blades, shattering the novice magic, Lexi was already pulling another from the endless shadows of the night.

“You are an annoyance!” Eliza screamed as she finally managed to land a return strike on Lexi, her claws slicing Lexi across the chest and sending the mage lurching to the side. Taking the advantage, Eliza grabbed onto Lexi’s arm and launched her into the air.

Lexi was unable to do anything but cry out as she slammed into the ceiling. Eliza caught her by the leg as she fell, spinning her around and around before releasing her towards the wall.

Tumbling end over end, Lexi just managed to twist her body around, letting her feet hit the wall first. Through the impact jarred her, she was able to regain herself as tendrils of shadow anchored her against the wall. Turning her eyes on Eliza she threw herself back into the battle.

The pair met in the air.

Eliza’s claws raked along Lexi’s ribs, but she was still able to slam her fist against Eliza’s chest as she fly by and continued forward, crashing hard against the ground.

“That was almost impressive.” Eliza said as she glided down to Lexi. She opened her mouth to say something else when she noticed a small thread of shadow that had burrowed into her chest. Eliza lifted her head to look at Lexi who had once again found her feet. Laughter tinged Eliza's words as she reached down to touch the taunt thread. "Is this all you have left? Please tell me there is something more."

Lexi's eyes narrowed as she adjusted her grip on the thread before pulling down as hard as she could. Eliza's laughter stopped abruptly as she was pulled towards Lexi with more force than she had anticipated, the move tilting her forward in the air.

In that moment Lexi launched herself forward, spring boarding off the remains of Cross’s desk and into the air.

Eliza’s wings began to beat frantically, but it was too late as Lexi closed the distance between them. A thick blade of shadow formed around Lexi's drawn back hand, ready to strike.

"Oh." Eliza had time to croak before Lexi whipped her arm forward. The blade caught Eliza just under the chin, ripping through her neck with ease and cleanly removing her head from her shoulders. Her headless body flapped its wings one final time before falling to the ground.

Unable to control her descent, Lexi crashed to the ground. She landed hard on her knees and into an uncontrolled roll. Her body went limp and she gradually came to a stop on the far side of the classroom. Exhausted, she simply stayed where she was on the ground. Her eyes closed the adrenaline coursing through her veins began to fade away and the pain from the battle set in to take its place. Vaguely, she heard Cross shuffle across the ground towards her, cursing as he did so. After a moment she felt him beside her.

"Still disappointed?" Cross asked with a pained sigh as he dropped down beside her.

"Slightly,” Lexi replied, her eyes still closed. “You saved me so I can’t be too upset.”

“You probably would have found a way to win without me. I just figured you just needed a moment. Besides, I couldn't just give you all the glory." Cross said softy.

“No… I couldn’t have done this without you, really. Without all of you. Thank you.”

“Well, that is the point of a team.” Cross winced as he touched the bloody claw marks that marred his chest. He looked over at Lexi, his eyes lingering on her still bleeding neck. Eliza's claws had shredded her scarf. He gave his head a gentle shake before slipping down further beside Lexi, his head brushing against hers "We need to go find Banksy, and Makina, and Lara."

"We do." Lexi said, her voice barely audible.

"I don't want to move.”

Lexi agreed but she still tried to rise up, but her body refused to cooperate and she dropped back down next to Cross. "They will be fine for a few minutes longer."

Cross gave the ghost of a smile as his eyes closed.