Author's Note: This chapter has made me so angry. I've had the thoughts for it in my head for a while now, but I just couldn't seem to sit down and type it all out without getting distracted. I really hate when that happens to me. Originally, I had a completely different idea of what was going to happen in this chapter. Obviously, it's changed. Weird how that happens, huh? My own writing always seems to surprise me…

Chapter Six

Abraham Sapien walked slowly down the concrete steps that led to the basement, moving cautiously and silently. He could hear the muffled sound of Hellboy's hoofed feet moving across the hardwood floor overhead. Despite the darkness around him, engulfing him deeper and deeper into the inky abyss as he descended, he didn't have any difficulty seeing where he was going. These stairs seemed to go on forever and the air felt like it was getting colder the farther down he went. For a moment, he vaguely wondered what he had gotten himself into.

Finally, he reached the bottom of the seemingly endless flight of stairs and peered around the corner into the small room beyond. Even in the darkness, he could see them. At least a dozen of the animals lay on the cold cement floor. Several of them were fighting over something and Abe could only assume it was the corpse of the missing woman. The others appeared to be dozing off, probably too full and content to care much about the squabbling going on among their fellows.

The crash from the floor above made every being in the basement jump with surprise, Abe included. The bickering between the animals ceased and they were all on their feet, growling in unison. The agent retreated up a few steps quietly, listening to the sound just on the other side of the wall. When he heard the sound of the heavy paws hitting the cement at a run, Abe turned and sprinted up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. He didn't need to glance over his shoulder to know the strange beasts were following him up to the main floor.

Hellboy had been searching through one of the rooms on the ground floor when the animal came back down the stairs. He didn't have time to wonder if Dawn had run into it before the monster crashed into a coffee table, knocking over the lamp that rested on top of it. The sound made Hellboy jump and he tightened the grip on his gun, watching the creature stumble about blindly, skittering across the hardwood floor on spindly legs that were too long for its body. It wasn't long after the thing had scrambled back into the kitchen that he heard the commotion in the basement.

When Abe burst through the basement door and into the sitting room where Hellboy stood, the two didn't need to speak to communicate what was going on. They had company and it wasn't friendly.

"You're not going anywhere."

Dawn halted mid-step. He had obviously seen her subtle attempt to move back toward the rickety staircase. As he advanced on her, she could more clearly see his form in the light from the doorway behind him. He was a tall, scrawny man with short sandy blond hair and steely blue eyes that stood out vividly against his pale features. His clothes were ragged and dirty with mud splattered across his worn sneakers. He certainly didn't appear intimidating in the least, but he exuded an air of authority and power that made Dawn recoil from his icy gaze.

"Where is it?" he questioned, that smooth voice a deadly whisper.

"Where's what?" the woman asked, clearly confused. She thought about sprinting for the stairs but decided to hold her ground.

"Don't play stupid with me," he snarled, advancing another step; Dawn retreated a step in return.

"I assure you that I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied evenly, surprised at her own courage.

"Lying little bitch."

There was no more hesitation. As he lunged at her, Dawn turned quickly and made for the stairs, but she didn't get far. The man tackled her to the floor with a crash and the two rolled down the short hallway, dangerously close to the staircase. She squirmed and pushed him, but he refused to let go. The backpack slid off her shoulders as she attempted to wriggle free of his grasp and the pack thudded down the old wooden stairs loudly. Dawn was desperate and did the first thing that came to her mind. Let loose a large amount of electricity.

She had expected the man to release her and scramble backward in fury, but it didn't happen. Instead, the man threw his head back and laughed, the chilling sound resounding through the empty house. Kate had been right. Her powers didn't have any effect on this man. In fact, he seemed almost stronger now as he tried to wrestle the woman down and get her to cooperate, which was something Dawn was definitely not willing to do. He may not be stopped by her powers, but there was one weakness all men had. The peals of laughter ceased abruptly as Dawn's knee connected with the man's groin.

Dawn was on her feet in a heartbeat, but even the hurting man was too quick for her. He grabbed her arm and whirled her around to face him. She suddenly felt frozen, staring into the malicious blue eyes that burned with cold hatred. His hand gripped her arm so tightly that it hurt, already starting to bruise the flash beneath his fingers. Dawn was standing there on the very edge of the top stair with nothing but this strange and angry man holding her there. He could easily let go and she would fall backward down the staircase, probably break her neck.

"Where is it?" he asked yet again, squeezing her arm even tighter and Dawn let out a small cry of pain despite how hard she was trying to hold it in.

Her eyes widened in surprise as realization dawned on her. The stone! Yes, that had to be it. He was looking for the stone. But why? What purpose did it serve? Dawn didn't say anything; she simply stared back into those eyes with equal malice. This guy was seriously pissing her off. He narrowed his eyes at her as if this last attempt at intimidation would work. It didn't. Dawn remained silent.

There was a loud crack and Dawn felt the searing pain on her cheek, her eyes wide with shock. How dare he slap her! Tears welled in her eyes as the side of her face screamed in pain. She ignored it and kept quiet. He looked as if he was going to strike her again, the coward, but she felt a sudden boost of strength, brought on by anger. She braced herself as best she could and threw all of her weight forward, pushing him back against the wall of the corridor. Dawn turned and sprinted down the stairs, almost tripping over her pack at the bottom.

She skidded across the floor to a sudden halt, staring at the room. It seemed like all eyes were on her, even those of the animals that were pouring like a scraggly grey river out of the basement door. She picked up the backpack and slung it over her shoulder, determined to keep the stone away from this "psychic vampire" guy at all costs. Dawn didn't know what he wanted with it, but she knew he mustn't get it. She backed up toward Abe and Hellboy as the nightmare beasts swarmed around them, growling and snapping, but never getting too close. It was clear to them now what was happening. They were making sure the agents didn't get away.